STARTMOVINGANDBEHEALTHY!
3 Ways to Get Moving at Work
Who comes first: employees or customers? When posed this classic business question, Southwest Airlines co-founder Herb Kelleher had an easy answer: employees. “If employees are treated right, they treat the outside world right,” Kelleher explained. As Kelleher knows well, employee- customer relations are a cycle — one that fuels recurring business. Engaged employees deliver service that converts to sales, a fact backed up by a Gallup report. Gallup cited a 20 percent increase in sales as a result of this process. Even as you’re courting leads, you can’t ignore your existing customers. Likewise, even (and especially) as you grow, you have to nurture your employees. The cost of losing either is too high. In the holiday rush, it’s important to not lose sight of your priorities. Get them hooked on your service. Have you ever asked a client why they return to your business? Do you think it’s because they can’t find your product or service anywhere else? Probably not. Think about the last time you returned to a restaurant. Was it because it’s the only place in town that makes amazing Thai food? Maybe, but it’s more likely that you enjoyed the welcoming host, attentive waiter, and positive experience you had there. Starbucks is a great example. Even with thick competition, they deliver consistent service and quality products to customers, whether in Oregon or London. And they do this by providing competitive wages and benefits to their employees along with training and learning opportunities. Employees Sitting all day is not good for your health. Over the past several years, many studies have looked at our daily sitting habits and found that sitting for extended periods of time — several hours or more — has an adverse effect on our health in the long term. It doesn’t matter if we’re sitting behind a desk at work, lounging on the couch at home, or stuck in traffic. All this sitting may lead to an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, cancer, and more. It even affects our mental health. It’s remarkable that this simple action has such a profound effect — and the reason behind it isn’t fully understood. Some research has found that sitting slows our body’s metabolism of glucose and lowers the amount of good cholesterol in our bloodstream. Ultimately, it’s a lack of activity that’s the problem. Getting that physical exercise isn’t always easy, but why not use some of your daily work time to get in a little movement? Take a Stand Standing for extended periods of time can be effective, and it’s incredibly simple to do at work. The easiest way is to convert your sitting desk into a standing desk. It’s as easy as modifying your current desk with a riser or
getting a convertible desk that can change from a sitting to a standing desk in seconds. We’re big fans of standing desks at Mometrix. Walk It Off Every 20–30 minutes, step away from your desk. Walk around the office or your building. Do a lap or two — whatever you have time for — then get back to work. Do this
several times throughout the day. Not only is it good for your legs, it helps reduce eyestrain by giving your eyes a break from staring at computer monitors all day. Deskercise With more and more people wanting to get active at work, exercise equipment companies have taken notice. You can get all sorts of exercise equipment that works with or replaces your current desk. Look for ellipticals, treadmills, cycles, and more. There are many options that fit right under your current desk!
THECHICKENOR THE EGG? WHY NURTURING EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS IS THE KEY TO RETENTION
who are knowledgeable and excited about what they are offering pass their enthusiasm on to customers.
Own up to mistakes. Even the best businesses make mistakes. When it happens, own up to it. There’s probably been a time when you put in your order at a restaurant, only to receive the wrong thing. How did the business handle it? Did they admit their mistake and offer you a new meal? How a business treats customers when things don’t go smoothly is a good indication of how they’ll handle adversity in general, and that reaction starts with employees. Set the precedent for employees that a mistake is their opportunity to go above and beyond. A transparent environment will make employees feel more comfortable, which will make customers excited, rather than apprehensive, to engage with your business again.
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