What are the best programs to increase staff development? Most organisations have very limited resources with some offering discounted gym memberships, private medical health insurance and annual health days. Most small to medium sized business have nothing in place to protect their company against liability of excess stress in the workplace. I look at the pro and cons of a variety of programs.

1. What techniques do you use to increase staff
engagement?
Many Human Resources directors that I speak to on a regular basis are always looking
for new and innovative ways to increase staff engagement within their organization.
The first thing I always ask is what techniques or activities do you use?
Most HR directors that I speak to have nothing in place as they seem to overwhelmed
and have a lack of resources, others may have a corporate gym membership, an
annual health mot days or private medical health insurance. The larger companies
such as Nestle and Google are great examples of companies that take the holistic
approach to corporate well-being and wellness, very seriously.
Employee Wellness at Nestle case study
Why are there not more organisations taking up holistic
programs?
There are a number of core reasons why I think organisations are not taking up these
types of programs.
1. Organizations fail to see the value in investing in holistic or corporate well-
being programs
2. The culture of an organization might be set on traditional values and beliefs
that have existed for many years and what worked for them in the past still
works.
3. Lack of resources which could be people, money and time
4. In the past an external company may have run corporate well-being program

2. that didn't prove successful
5. Misinformed or not educated on the benefits it could have on the organization.
I'm sure there many more but I believe these are the main core reasons.
So what can we learn from these companies?
Well I think if you
are looking into
Corporate Fitness
programs there are a
whole load of
benefits that are
attached for both the
organization and the
executive.
One of those benefits for the organization is that it could be a core offering to stress
management. For the executive, endorphins from exercise allow the happy hormones
to reduce anxiety, improve sleep patterns and concentration levels.
This leads to improve staff performance, increased profits and happier staff. Who
doesn't want that?
So what do you need to take into consideration before running a corporate well-
being program?
The first thing you need to carry out research. One of the biggest mistakes that HR
directors make is presuming what staff want without actually asking them, this could
lead to waste of time and money. Secondly to find out if there is a budget that could
be allocated to any health and well-being activities. Thirdly choose two or three

3. activities that would be most popular, gathered from the survey. Lastly take action
and use qualitative data in a form of a questionnaire to record the results before and
after the program.
Feel free to comment and share this blog, any feedback is greatly received or
Follow this blog and look out for tomorrows article 'Is high blood pressure
killing your team?'
In my new book 'Move it or Lose it' I talk about the importance of work/life balance,
stress management tools and the holistic approach to a healthy lifestyle.
Move it or Lose it’ available to download your first 3 chapters absolutely
free www.xclusivecorporatefitness.com/health-and-fitnes-book
Adam Strong is a
Corporate Personal
Trainer, Athlete and
International Author of
his groundbreaking new
book called ‘Move It or
Lose it’ available
through Amazon,
Waterstone’s and Barnes
& Noble. His book is
written for corporate
executives that want to address their hectic lifestyles that often lead to burnout,

4. unhealthy behaviour habits and poor performance.
His company Xclusive Corporate Fitness specializes in working with executives and
companies in achieving peak performance in the corporate world. He has created a
methodology that uses techniques in stress management, fitness, mindset and
nutrition to enhance physical and mental well-being.
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