The close relationship between resilience and physical health: all you need to know

Have you ever seen an employee crack under the strain? Unfortunately, it’s something that happens all too often. In order to deal with these situations, it’s important for companies to promote resilience in the work environment.

This approach has a double benefit since physical and mental wellbeing are intrinsically linked. So, by strengthening one, you strengthen the other. Want to learn more? Read on...

The close relationship between physical and mental health is something that companies must take into account when developing their health and wellness plans, especially if they want to bring about a resilient workforce. Why? Stress suffered from being overwhelmed by events endangers both the physical and      mental wellbeing of the employee and may lead to anxiety or depression.

For this reason, initiatives focused on improving team resilience are essential — there is no better antidote to stress than good change management skills. If you’re interested in discovering some of the solutions we offer from Cigna in this specific area, you can do so by clicking on this link. Meanwhile, here are some ideas as to how you can improve the physical wellbeing and resilience of your employees yourself. We trust you will find them useful.

• Encourage a positive state of mind by attending to the particular needs of team members. The quality of the work environment has a direct impact on employees’ commitment and motivation, but also on their physical and mental wellbeing. In fact, when spirits are low, procrastination becomes habitual, and depression may set in. To avoid this and achieve a resilient workforce that can face changes with energy, companies must commit to initiatives that avoid negative thoughts. A key point here is to include all factors influencing employees’ day-to-day lives in the health strategy, such as family matters, financial health, and access to medical care. You’ll find that supporting employees’ particular needs in each of these areas will lead to greater team resilience. 

• Go for an office set-up that lends itself to different styles of working. The current work context has accelerated the need to create a new office concept, which is referred to as a “resilient space”. It consists of a workplace that promotes the all-round wellbeing of employees, helping them feel comfortable and integrated into the company. This environment also makes it easier for teams to carry out their activities without distractions and encourages social interaction and connections among workers. At the same time, they are flexible spaces designed to adapt and evolve over time, making it easier for employees to adapt to possible future changes. 

• Promote rest and disconnection from work. Resting doesn’t just mean getting a good night’s sleep. It also means disconnecting from the working day and related obligations. To achieve this, Human Resource departments must promote a business culture that is committed to disconnection from work. Relaxing the mind offers multiple benefits for holistic wellbeing, but one of the most important is that it serves as a brake on stress and, in this way, favours adaptation to change. 

• Encourage the practice of sports to increase resilience. Physical activity is an excellent tool for developing positive attitudes in stressful situations. When we practise sports, we work on qualities such as patience, the ability to see things in perspective and the balance of the demands we make of ourselves. It’s important to work on these qualities little by little, since if they develop in a relatively relaxed environment they contribute to both physical and mental growth. Do you need guidance on how your company can promote an active and healthy lifestyle? Take a look at our online health library, where you will find multiple helpful.  

• Organise activities that create connections among colleagues and reinforce the feeling of belonging. Strong bonds with loved ones and colleagues can provide the support and security needed in good times and bad. Therefore, a useful initiative is to help team members get to know each other and establish connections: their resilience will be maximised knowing that they have a strong support network and, consequently, their overall wellbeing will improve. Organise volunteer activities, company excursions outside the working day or even after work meet-ups to strengthen social ties among colleagues.

At Cigna, we are committed to helping employees take care of their health from a more global perspective. Our extensive experience working with organisations of all sizes enables us to offer specific solutions for your employees to meet any challenge that may arise: from access to healthcare and mental health support, to health and physical wellbeing assessments. Get in touch with us through this link and discover all the things we can do for your company. You’ll make a difference!