The answer, according to veteran Western Sydney chiropractor, Anthony O’Reilly, is a resounding YES.
“People think more creatively, are more productive, pay better attention to their work and they even inter-act better with their fellow workers if they eat healthy and exercise more,” he says.
Anthony advocates that improved health and well-being is not just the latest fad, it is important for our work performance to counteract the increasingly sedentary lifestyle we are adopting.
Having worked for over 30 years in Western Sydney, he has seen how people, employment, lifestyle and even our aches and pains have changed over three decades.
“These days there is less process work or manual labour. People are moving more towards finance, IT, and banking roles. Our clientele are now presenting with more head, shoulder and neck pains,” he said.
“Previously with the nature of the work clients came in with lower back aches and it seems that the issues people are having these days has moved further up the body because of the posture at work.”
He says the demands of work in today’s environment when people are constantly on electronic devices, using emails and having more desk jobs has led to a workforce that is more stressed, anxious and in some cases, depressed.
“Previously people had different stresses than we have in this fast-paced environment and we have less time to exercise of take time in the day to have a break,” said Anthony.
“I think a lot of behaviour practices within businesses have changed and people are under a lot of pressure. Productivity is expected to be much higher, competition is higher and sometimes there is a lot of behavioural practices at work which were not present a decade or so ago.
“These all lead to employees and the business culture to move away from encouraging exercise and healthy lifestyle.”
According to the North Parramatta chiropractor, studies have shown that people who are fitter and healthier get sick less often, take less time off work, are more productive – all contributing to a smaller staff turnover and ultimately decrease the staff costs to a business.
“There is also a correlation between people who are fit and healthy, and those that are more productive and engaged. So many people feel tired and can’t concentrate in the afternoon, but those who are active and healthy have much more endurance and vitality during a work day.
“Studies have shown that sitting for long periods of time takes years off our lives. Taking breaks during the work day, exercising and eating well keeps us fitter and younger,” he says.
He advocates that the most important step is to increase activity on a daily basis. Start by taking a walk at lunch time, looking at an exercise program and see a professional if you do have a serious problem.
“Employers can encourage their staff to get active, make their work environments more pleasant by ensuring that desks and chairs are suitable for their staff.”
Three Top Tips for an Employer:
* Be flexible, and take on suggestions on the workplace from employees.
* Take work and health safety seriously, and keep the staff happy so they can be more productive.
* Consider alternatives such as standing desks to improve the ergonomics of the environment
Three Top Tips for Employees:
* Start the day with stretching and exercise, keep well-nourished during the day.
* Get up and move more often, try to move at least every 20-30 minutes.
* Try to get out during a lunch break, stretch and give your mind and body a break.
