The goal of every leader is to develop a high-performing workforce. Employees are the largest expense of an organization, so it makes sense that you want to get the very best work out of them. Focusing on building a culture the fosters high-performance can often lead to some unhealthy habits, such as working long hours, sacrificing sleep and maintaining high level of stress. To build a really successful team, you need to find a balance between health and high-performance.
A recent article from Inc. highlights six things you can do to develop an organization that is both high-performing and healthy.
Encourage an entrepreneurial mindset
Allow employees to work with some level of autonomy. Set appropriate expectations and then let employees decide exactly how to get their work done. Push them to think creatively, solve problems, and look for new opportunities.
Embrace diversity
The highest performing teams have diversity of thought. Look for opportunities to create a diverse workforce that brings new ideas to the table.
Place value on rest
Emphasize the importance of taking breaks. Make sure employees really unplug at the end of the day and leave work at work. Staying late at the office should be the exception, not the rule.
Prioritize movement
Encourage employees (especially those that sit behind a desk) to get up and walk around during their rest periods. Conduct walking meetings when possible. Make sure leaders set a good example by doing this as well.
Think about mental health
Employers can no longer ignore the impact that mental health has on their performance of their employees. High levels of stress and anxiety affect not only the health and well-being if employee, but also the productivity of the entire organization. The ideas above (placing a value on rest and prioritizing movement) can help with this. Also look into benefits options such as Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) that can connect employees with mental health resources.
Build relationships
Build strong relationships with your employees. Find out what motivates them. Get to know who they are outside of the office. Also encourage your employees to build relationships with one another. Provide the time and space for this to happen. Create inter-departmental working groups. Encourage the formation of employee committees for things like wellness or charitable giving.
Take a moment to think about your organization., Are your highest performing employees doing thing that could be negatively affecting their health? Try implementing these tactics to create a culture that values both high performance and employee well-being.