As the boss, you have a number of demanding responsibilities. Not least among them is the welfare of those beneath you, your employees. Everyone knows that a happy beehive produces more and better honey, and the same logic applies to any business or enterprise.
As an owner, boss, or supervisor, you don’t have to adopt the role of an “overlord”; we’ve all worked for those types, and they do little to inspire confidence or kickstart loyalty. No, the trait of a good leader is being able to steer “subjects” in the right direction, both within their careers and larger lives.
Something that is often overlooked is employee health. This applies to conditions both mental and physical, as promoting a holistic sense of well-being not only creates opportunity for greater production at your workplace, but a better sense of in-house business culture as well.
How can we assure that our employees feel good? There are many ways, and this article intends to highlight some of the most readily and easily applicable.
Consider investing: offering a 401k plan is a great start, but it is no mystery that finances and mental health are intertwined. Employees who are living paycheck to paycheck are much more apt to worry about their monies, which can decrease awareness and productivity at work.
Encouraging employees to invest wisely could come across as snide, but with the great accessibility of auto and robo-advisors, the stock market is no longer so rarified; anyone with a little bit of extra cash can quickly get involved and feel better about their future.
It is also a known fact that exercise and mental health are strongly connected. Scientists note that being active releases “feel-good” chemicals to the brain, so employees living a languid, sedentary life-style will likely be prone to underperforming.
Setting up a small personal gym at the workplace is an investment that is sure to pay dividends. Even if that means just an exercise bike or two, you can place your employees on the track to feeling better mentally and physically.
Let’s take a closer look at robo-advisors and some affordable home gym equipment.
Robo-Advisors: Not Science Fiction, but the Here and Now
As Modest Money’s Bob Haegele writes, robo-advisors have been hugely popular since hitting the scene back in 2008. Robo-advisors are essentially algorithmic tools that help you invest and maximize your holdings – by cutting out the middle-man (investment brokers), robo-advisors link the user directly to the market, making investing easy.
Robo-advisors work by asking users a set of questions pertaining to their income, goals, and personal risk tolerance. Building an individualized profile, the program will then make automatic investments accordingly, or else suggest predefined portfolios based on your personal data and desires.
Some of the better known and established robo-advisors include Betterment, M1 Finance, and SoFi Invest.
SoFi Invest is a great platform to recommend to beginner investors, with its no account minimums, helpful customer service, and easy-to-use software.
SoFi Automated Investing
- No account minimums or management fees
- Quarterly automatic rebalancing, plus rebalancing for 5% drift
- A comprehensive “goal planning” system which allows one to find the portfolio that fits their exact needs
- Free investment advice from certified financial planners
SoFi offers 10 different portfolios from 13 asset classes, insuring virtually any investor of finding an allocation that suits them. These are robust portfolios that are designed by professionals for solid growth; SoFi is not in the business of get-rich-quick – this is honest investing done smartly.
Affordable Exercise Options
The home exercise market has seen a boom in recent years, especially with the pandemic forcing many of us to work from home. According to a report from Research and Markets, the home gym sector could grow as much as 9% by 2025.
Hence, there are many new, innovative, and affordable options dedicated to self-improvement out there that are suitable for small offices.
- NordicTrack X22i Incline Trainer – Coming in at just below three grand ($2,999), this thing packs some bang for the buck. Not only does it automatically adjust speed and incline throughout the workout, but features a brilliant display feature scenic locations from around the globe. Take a jog through suburban Paris, or the smokey woodland of Tibet.
- Peloton Bike – Bicycling is a great, low-impact form of exercise. It’s not only great for the body, but a real balm to the mind; only, it’s hard to find the time to get out there and do it. A great, entry-level stationary bike like Peloton ($1,895) allows you to get all the benefits of cycling right from your living-room.
- Bowflex 5.1S Stowable Bench – How about a good, old-fashioned weight bench? Costing just $349, this convenient unit from Bowflex has a number of adjustable settings and a weight capacity of 600-lb. What’s more, its collapsible design allows for an easy fit in the most cramped of business spaces.
Employee Health and Satisfaction is the Future
With more and more potential employees becoming jaded towards working, offering investment support and opportunities for self-improvement is a way to not only show that you care, but to create honest, long-term growth for individuals and your business.
A holistic work environment is the future; show that you are more than just a boss – be a leader, a visionary.