Many Brits fear taking time off work, meaning we are turning up to work ill, the Office for National Statistics has said. In 2017, the average employee took 4.1 days off due to sickness, with members of the public sector said to lose 3.3% of their working hours because of ill health.
However, Pharma Nord’s Senior Nutritionist, Frankie Brogan, believes that this could in fact be lowered if companies put the correct nutritional approaches in place: “Companies are all for enhancing their colleagues’ well-being. Whether it’s providing free gym facilities or fruit bowls, looking after your workforce’s health can prove beneficial for their productivity and morale.
“Supplements are a great way to boost your team’s health and nutrition, which will in turn enhance their performance. By offering supplements to your colleagues, they will also benefit from the knowledge that you care for their well-being.”
A huge concern for businesses is stress-related illnesses. A survey carried out by well-being specialists, Forth, found that 85% of adults in the UK regularly experience stress. There are many supplements that could help relieve your stress levels, and supplements such as CoQ10, for example, contribute to normal cognitive function.
Another supplement that should be on offer is magnesium. This can help with muscle and nerve function. Studies have found that this mineral support sleep and, as pointed out above, stress can be caused by tiredness. While many workforces offer free tea and coffee facilities, magnesium supplements could be a great opportunity to reduce fatigue in the workplace – with a staggering 76% of the UK’s workforce claiming to be tired most weekdays.
Of course, there are also seasonal changes that must be factored in. Especially for those who work in an office-based role, winter can leave us with a significantly low level of vitamin D due to the lack of sunlight. This can mean that our immune system may falter as it’s not getting the nutritional benefits required. Vitamin D3 is one supplement that can contribute to the normal functioning of the immune system, therefore maintaining a healthy workforce. In fact, public health advice for the UK even recommended this supplement for a ‘top up’.
Rather worryingly, one in five of us in the UK don’t have sufficient vitamin D levels. For many of us, our diet simply won’t provide sufficient levels of the nutrient, so the supplement can be a quick and easy way to enhance our intake.
“While supplements aren’t a ‘replacement’, they can be beneficial and provide nutritional goodness,” added Brogan. “They are a cost-effective way to support your immune system and enhance your overall well-being.”
According to figures, the UK still isn’t as productive as other countries. The well-being process in place by companies simply isn’t engaging their staff in a way to make them productive. Of course, just offering supplements isn’t enough, but it can certainly help towards creating a healthier workplace.
Other ‘perks’ that you should look to implement in a bit to relieve the pressure from companies could include flexible working. This can help reduce stress levels and promote a better work-life balance. According to a YouGov survey, one in five workers are currently dissatisfied with their work-life balance and complain about always being ‘switched on’. By allowing your staff an element of flexibility you will show an understanding to their circumstances, meaning they’ll be more likely to be fully productive on the hours they are in work.
This is also notable if you offer remote working. Technology is allowing more roles to be completed away from the office, meaning working from a remote location is possible – and sometimes preferred.
It’s quite clear that a company should have an effective well-being plan in place if they are to engage fully with their employees. While supplements may go under the radar as being one of the ‘top perks’ offered, they may well be one of the most important. After all, a healthy workforce is a happy workforce, and a happy workforce is a productive one.
