Could supplements be the answer to staff sickness issues?

Health and Fitness North East Business 25/01/2019

Northeast-based Pharma Nord have floated the, potentially contentious, idea that corporate wellbeing could be improved, and staff sickness reduced if businesses supplied their staff with health supplements.

With the British workforce reportedly fearing taking time off; workers are reporting to work ill, according to the Office for National Statistics. In 2017, the average employee took 4.1 days off due to sickness, with members of the public sector said to lose 3.3% of their working hours because of ill health.

These figures could be reduced, states Frankie Brogan – a Senior Nutritionist for Pharma Nord – if companies introduced the right nutritional approaches: “Companies are all for enhancing their colleagues’ well-being. Whether it’s providing free gym facilities or fruit bowls, looking after your workforce’s health can prove beneficial for their productivity and morale.

“Supplements are a great way to boost your team’s health and nutrition, which will, in turn, enhance their performance. By offering supplements to your colleagues, they will also benefit from the knowledge that you care for their well-being.”

A big concern for businesses remains stress-related illnesses. A survey carried out by well-being specialists, Forth, found that 85% of adults in the UK regularly experience stress. There are many supplements that could help relieve stress levels. And supplements such as CoQ10, for example, can also contribute to normal cognitive function.

Seasonal changes should also be factored in, too. Especially for those who work in an office-based role, winter can leave us with a significantly low level of vitamin D due to the lack of sunlight. This can mean that our immune system may falter as it’s not getting the nutritional benefits required. Vitamin D3 s one supplement that can contribute to the normal functioning of the immune system, therefore maintaining a healthy workforce. In fact, public health advice for the UK even recommended this supplement for a ‘top up’.

One in five of the UK’s population have low vitamin D levels. For many of us, our diet simply won’t provide sufficient levels of the nutrient, so the supplement can be a quick and easy way to enhance our intake.

Magnesium is a supplement companies should think about introducing due to the fact it can help with muscle and nerve function. Studies have found that this mineral supports sleep and, as pointed out above, stress can be caused by tiredness. While many workforces offer free tea and coffee facilities, magnesium supplements could be a great opportunity to reduce fatigue in the workplace – with a staggering 76% of the UK’s workforce claiming to be tired most weekdays.

Office-based workers may also suffer from dry eyes due to constantly staring at a screen. While regular breaks from the screen our recommended, Omega 7 can improve the overall hydration of your body and help combat the irritation of dry eyes.

“While supplements aren’t a ‘replacement’, they can be beneficial and provide nutritional goodness,” added Brogan. “They are a cost-effective way to support your immune system and enhance your overall well-being.”

In the UK, productivity levels are still lagging behind neighbouring countries. The well-being process in place by companies simply isn’t engaging their staff in a way to make them productive. Of course, just offering supplements isn’t enough, but it can certainly help towards creating a healthier workplace.

Other ‘perks’ being used to reduce pressure levels include flexible working. This can help reduce stress levels and promote a better work-life balance. According to a YouGov survey, one in five workers are currently dissatisfied with their work-life balance and complain about always being ‘switched on’. By allowing your staff an element of flexibility you will show an understanding of their circumstances, meaning they’ll be more likely to be fully productive on the hours they are in work.

This also applies to remote working, too. Technology is allowing more roles to be completed away from the office, meaning working from a remote location is possible – and sometimes preferred.

It’s been made clear that you must have an effective well-being plan in place if a company is going to fully engage with their employees. While supplements may go under the radar as being one of the ‘top perks’ offered, they may well be one of the most important. After all, a healthy workforce is a happy workforce, and a happy workforce is a productive one.