Give your staff vitamins to keep your company healthy

Nutritional supplement maker, Pharma Nord UK, believe companies should supply vitamins to employees for corporate wellbeing.

Surveys have found that the British workforce ‘fear’ taking time off, with more workers showing up to work ill, according to the Office for National Statistics. 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, according to Pharma Nord’s Senior Nutritionist, Frankie Brogan, this could be limited if companies brought in the correct nutritional approaches: “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.”

Stress-related illnesses are one of the biggest concerns for businesses. 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 you should consider is magnesium. This can help with muscle and nerve function. Studies have found that this mineral supports 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.

There is also changes to the seasons that you should factor 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’.

In the UK, 20% of the population have low 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.”

In the UK, productivity levels are still lagging behind 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.

There are other ‘perks’ too that could aid pressure relief from companies, including 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 also applies to 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.

An effective well-being plan should clearly be in place if your company is to fully engage 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.