Running head: CHANGING THE CULTURE 1

Improving our Company

Joan Haddad, Carly Gertler, Abigail Mattson, Natilya Parmer, Hope Seweyestewa
Arizona State University

PPE 310 Healthy Learning Communities

Instructor: Liz Sambach
11/7/2017
Changing the Culture

Improving Our Culture

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The paper will cover how changing the way we live will promote a Healthy and Active

lifestyle to all individuals. A healthy and active lifestyle will integrate and bring awareness to our

employees social, emotional, physical, intellectual, spiritual and nutritional development as well.

All these factors impact how employees can be committed to transforming their lives. Also, we

will discuss how the integration of physical activity will increase cognitive function, engagement,

and motivation.

Changing the Culture

In order to promote healthy and active lifestyles for our employees, we will create

healthy options in work spaces, more options of healthy snacks, and more room to be active

during the day. This will improve our employees mindset and overall life. Mental health

promotes a holistic view to healthy living, because your mental health status says a lot about

your well-being and mood. The ability to learn and grow intellectually and life experiences that

people have gone through will determine their mental health. Your body is your vehicle. Just

like you dont crash your car on purpose or set fire to your house, how about nourishing it and

caring for it, instead? (Mildon, 2015, P. 1). What we put into our bodies affects how we feel and

act during the day. Fueling our bodies with fruits, vegetables, whole foods, nuts, and protein is a

great way to live an active and healthy life. For example, at our company, there will be a salad

bar in the cafeteria. Wellness matters because everything we do and every emotion we feel

relates to our well-being. In turn, our well-being affects our actions and emotions. In the

workplace, getting a break to walk around the company and chat with others will relax

employees and give them a chance to release some stress.

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Social wellness is how employees in our company interact with each other. Our

company will promote and ensure that all employees are building healthy, nurturing and

supportive relationships as well as fostering an honest connection with those around them. In

the mornings, we will provide a space for employees to have coffee together so they can

connect and build relationships.

Physical wellness includes taking care of our bodies for optimal health and functioning.

We will hire a nurse and a psychologist for our company, so that all employees can receive

proper care for their overall physical wellness. Also, we will require all employees to take a 30

minute break in the middle of the day to move around their desks or to complete a physical

fitness challenge. These health changes in our company will lower corporate health insurance

rates. Because of these health changes, our employees will be more inclined to check on their

health, eat and buy healthy foods, and join a gym to be physically active. Our employees will

know that the company cares about their overall wellness.

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Intellectual wellness encourages us to engage in creative and mentally-stimulating

activities. In our company, we will host collaborative meetings twice a week. This will allow all

employees to share their knowledge and skills with others. They will discuss improvements for

the company, which will create more ownership of our companys growth, and will also create a

positive space for employees to brainstorm new ideas together. Intellectual wellness also

focuses on each individuals personal mental and emotional growth. Our company will only be

as good as the individual parts, so we must take care to support the intellectual growth of all

employees.

Integration of Physical Activity

Physical activity will help our employees to live healthy and active lifestyles, even

outside the workplace. We will have one room in our workplace that is open and free of furniture

so that our employees are encouraged to move around. According to the Physical Activity Task

Force (2013), physically active employees take 27% fewer days of sick leave. This equates to

over two days' improved attendance and a savings of $135 per employee (P. 1). Having that

empty room at work will encourage, motivate, and increase cognitive function and engagement

for all employees to be more focused at their work. The empty room will be used for goal-setting

meetings for different divisions of our company. The employees will participate in discussions,
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have time to move around, and then set goals for themselves. While the meeting takes place,

individuals with special needs will be allowed to stand up whenever they would like. Also, we

will provide iPads or other assistive devices so that individuals with special needs can fully

participate in discussions with their coworkers.

References

Mildon, E. (2015, November 11). 6 Ways a Holistic Approach Can Change Your Life. Retrieved
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November 02, 2017, from

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/emma-mildon/6-ways-a-holistic-approach-can-change-
your-life_b_8427336.html

Scotland H. (2013, October 03). Physical Activity. Retrieved November 04, 2017, from

http://www.healthyworkinglives.com/advice/workplace-health-promotion/physical-
activity

WellnessFits. (2016, January 12). Tips for Creating a Workplace that Supports Healthy, Active

Employees. Retrieved November 02, 2017, from

http://smallbusinessbc.ca/article/tips-creating-a-workplace-supports-healthy-active-
employees/