In October 2014, the Harvard
Business Review published an article by management consultant Ron Friedman
entitled “Regular Exercise is Part of Your Job.” Friedman lists the physical
benefits of regular exercise including lower blood pressure, better heart health,
and an improved physique.
The author also lists the cognitive benefits of regular
exercise, including improved concentration, sharper memory, faster learning,
prolonged mental stamina, enhanced creativity, and lower stress. Exercise can also result in an elevated mood,
which is critical in the world of a leader who is constantly communicating and
collaborating. He argues that for
managers and leaders exercise is a necessity, not a luxury.
When you are evaluating yourself as a leader and looking for
ways to improve, ask yourself if your health and fitness are in a good
place. If not, how might this be holding
you back? Getting control of your health
is important for a lot of reasons, but it can actually make you more effective
at your job.
There is scientific proof of this. A 2011 Dutch study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental
Medicine looked at 10,624 European workers.
The study found that those who engage in unhealthy habits such as
smoking, eating poorly, and not getting enough exercise are less productive on
their jobs, have a greater need for sick leave.
They also take longer periods of time off from work when they do take
sick leave.
“More than 10 percent of sick leave and higher levels of
productivity loss at work may be attributed to lifestyle behaviors and
obesity,” one of the researchers told U.S.
News and World Report.
The researchers found that 56 percent of the 10,600
Europeans they surveyed had taken off at least one day in the year before the
survey because of poor health. Obese
workers were 66 percent more likely to call in sick for 10 to 24 days than
those of normal weight—and 55 percent more likely to take off 25 days or more.
Those who smoked were 30 percent more likely to take off 10
to 24 days because of poor health.
Interestingly, though, those who drank 10 or more glasses of alcohol per
week were less likely to take time off for poor health. (No, the study did not
recommend heavy drinking as a fitness aid.)
The team concluded that primary interventions on lifestyle might
significantly contribute to maintaining a productive workforce. This means not only that leaders should be
mindful of their health, but that their organization can benefit from them
encouraging others to do so as well.
Another Journal of
Occupational and Environmental Health article, this one prepared by
researchers with the State of Minnesota’s Center for Health Promotion, looked
at lifestyle-related health risks that can be modified by changes to behavior such
as physical activity, heart fitness, and obesity.
The research team asked 683 workers in a variety of
occupations about their sick leave usage, the quality and quantity of their
work, their relationships with their co-workers, and how they rated their
overall performance. They found that
when employees get more physical activity, their work performance
improves. They also found that fit
workers are likely to be physically stronger, have greater endurance, and are
less likely to feel fatigued.
The data indicated that higher levels of physical activity
improved both the quality of the work people did and their overall job
performance. It also showed that workers
who exercised regularly were more likely to rate their job performance higher;
that cardiovascular fitness reduced the amount of extra effort workers needed
to do their jobs; and that obesity made it more difficult for people to get
along with their co-workers—and severe obesity related to a higher level of
sick leave usage.
In summary, getting healthy and fit might be a game changer
for those looking for ways to improve professional performance. It’s a great asset for people who want to do
well at their jobs. In future posts,
we’ll talk about ways to improve your personal health and wellness, and how
leaders and managers can encourage and support their teams to do the same.