Vitality, what’s cooking? Check our recipe

Vitality, a relatively recent take on well-being, has a broader scope than simply health. Science distinguishes 3 “dimensions”: ‘feeling energetic’, ‘increased motivation’ and ‘resilience’. Vitality is all about lust for life, which vital employees manage to bring to the workfloor: increased job satisfaction, creativity and productivity, and considerably less absenteeism.
​That’s why vitality is… vital for organizations.

A successful vitality policy aims at a holistic improvement of well-being through prevention, so psychosocial risks enter the picture too. This broader scope is guaranteed to have a return on investment.

So it’s best to promote vitality on the workfloor by focusing on healthy habits, emotional health and mental resilience, and by paying attention to work-life balance and personal growth. This will allow you to link your organization’s values to your employees’ personal values. When experiencing this bond, employees will feel more appreciated and more involved.

Some practical guidelines:

​Do’s:

• Aim for more multiple health domains. Link physical to mental well-being
• Turn health into a topic of discussion
• Bring health to the workfloor. Seasonal fruit in the cafeteria and visible on the floor.
• Set an inspiring example: take healthy breaks, occasionally go offline and be ‘silent’ after work

Don’ts:

• Don’t implement your policy top-down or purely bottom-up. A combination of strategy and participation can achieve wonders
• Pressure, even when gently applied, has adverse effects. Motivation and enthusiasm can win people over
• Don’t pin too much faith on a single intervention
• Don’t expect any short term miracles. Evaluate on the long term. Realistic, durable change requires time​