Hello PPMA members and friends
The next in our ‘taster’ posts from #PPMAHR23 speakers is by Carola Becker, Nutritionist and Workplace Wellbeing Consultant. Carola runs a consultancy with a focus on brain health and performance. She creates strategic programmes that benefit both employee wellbeing and business ROI. In 2020, she conducted a worldwide study on the impact of nutrition and lifestyle on mental health and brain performance and is a member of the complementary therapies team at Exeter University. Carola is currently writing her book ‘Eat. Live. Perform – a new approach to workplace wellbeing’. She also runs award-winning performance retreats.
In today’s fast-paced work environment, stress, burnout, and mental health issues have become major causes of sick leave among employees. Sadly, this leads to a downward spiral as other team members need to cope with increased workload and their risk of stress and burnout is increasing, too.
You don’t have to choose between employee wellbeing and your bottom line!
Investing in employee wellness through nutrition and lifestyle interventions not only benefits individuals but also contributes to the overall success of the organisation. A healthy and resilient workforce is more productive, engaged, and less stressed, which ultimately boosts the bottom line.
Addressing stress is crucial for both individuals and businesses. By supporting a team that build tolerance to their daily pressures and manages stress better, you will foster a positive impact on the individual, the team, and the entire organisation.
And health and wellbeing start with the way we eat and live our lives! At this year’s annual PPMA conference, my session will be about the proven impact of nutrition on stress resilience.
Awareness: Recognising the Early Signs of Stress
We will discuss how to identify the early signs of stress and act before it’s too late. Signs may include irritability, changes in eating patterns, difficulty concentrating, and sleep disturbances. By recognising these signs, employees can take steps to counteract stress before it escalates into burnout or mental health issues.
What can you do?
To help employees better cope with stress, it is essential to implement strategies that prepare the body for stressful situations and reverse negative patterns. We will explore how healthy lifestyle habits, such as exercise, getting adequate sleep and staying hydrated, can further enhance employees’ wellbeing and resilience.
But there are also certain nutrients in foods have been proven to enhance mental agility and promote calmness under pressure, support energy levels and recovery. I will share how easy it is to eat a balanced diet rich in these essential nutrients and share ideas for main meals and snacks. We all need to eat; we may as well do it right!
Micro-habits are also part of the fun: I call it wellbeing on Autopilot! When you start adopting healthy little habits, these steps happen automatically before you need them – and leave you better prepared for stress and go through it quicker.
In conclusion, addressing stress, burnout, and mental health issues in the workplace is essential for fostering a healthy and resilient workforce. Nutrition and lifestyle interventions can play a significant role in improving employees’ mental agility, calmness, and overall wellbeing. By recognising the early signs, preparing the body for stress by implementing the best nutrition and lifestyle strategies, and creating a healthy environment at the workplace, organisations can effectively support employee wellness while also benefiting their bottom line.
Get your leadership and decision-makers on board to ensure that employee wellbeing is a strategic priority. Share the data showing the benefits of a healthy and resilient workforce, emphasising the positive impact it has on productivity, engagement, and ultimately, the organisation’s success. By working together, you can create a culture that nurtures its most valuable asset: its people.
When your team is on fire, the success of the organisation is in safe hands!
Join me at the annual PPMA conference in Birmingham on Thursday, 27 April at 12:00 for my talk: ‘Stress resilience and the impact of nutrition’.
Carola Becker – Nutritionist and Workplace Wellbeing Consultant
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