Recent Canadian research indicates that healthy and positive leadership creates a productive workforce and improves the bottom line. One study indicated that poor leadership is the number one reason employees leave a workplace. The cost of ineffective leadership is more than just a high turnover; higher absenteeism rates, lower productivity and higher health-care costs are also reflected in workplaces where leadership is ineffective.
The business case to make this change is well documented - positive leadership lowers costs and increases productivity. However, many business owners and leaders are not taking the simple steps that they need to make these changes. The good news is companies can move to a healthy, productive leadership model creating a ripple effect of health and productivity within their business.
First, business owners and leaders need to take a proactive stance with their own health. When a leader starts making healthy lifestyle choices and demonstrates that personal health is a priority within a company, employees will follow suit. This ripple effect can be seen in simple ways, more people taking lunch breaks and feeling refreshed for the second half of their day, more people making healthy food choices and more employees exercising.
Second, business owners and leaders need to look at the psychological health of their company. Do their employees like coming to work? Do their employees feel engaged in their work and their workplace? Do employees treat each other with respect and have tolerance for differences? In Canada, employees with stress-related health claims have increased in the past five years and the trend is not declining. The cost of a negative work environment is high, and most leaders don't manage these challenges because they don't understand the cost to the bottom line.
Finally, business owners and leaders can learn about the typical challenges facing their employees. Industry guidelines and statistics on demographics can tell an owner a lot about their employees. Many businesses underestimate the demands and stress related to being a single parent, a new Canadian or a young worker. When business owners understand the impact their workplace demographics have on their bottom line they can implement small initiatives that can reap benefits for the business and employees.
To ensure a competitive edge business owners and leaders can embark on creating a healthy personal life and reap the reward of a healthier bottom line. Simple changes such as taking a lunch and monitoring their own stress levels can create a positive work environment creating a ripple effect that will allow their business to flourish.
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