Conscious living in the workplace

here is no doubt that we have been in a vulnerable place for more than half of the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. On a personal level, it allowed most of us time for reflection and introspection, while on a business level, it forced us to come up with creative ideas and concepts to sustain our businesses and even more than that, allow for growth for each individual in our team.

A positive outcome of COVID-19 is surely the fact that we, on the whole, have become more aware of each other’s needs. As wellness professionals, we are perfectly positioned to show we care and have a positive impact on the wellbeing of our co-workers and clients. In speaking to a variety of people – from educators to spa and salon owners, therapists and consumers alike – there are clear signs that there is a huge shift towards a healthier way of living. For many of us, this has been a reality for quite some time now, and I trust that we have allowed not only our clients, but also our co-workers, to benefit from this reality.

As business owners or managers, we know that change implemented at the top filters through the entire organisation. By slowly and steadily embracing the idea of conscious living, it will begin to take greater shape in your life, the life of your business, staff members and your clients’ lives. Conscious living involves making intentional decisions about the daily choices we make in life.

I recently had the opportunity to work as part of the executive team at a wellness retreat, with doctors and scientists. This was a real eyeopener and great learning experience. The retreat’s food principals were geared towards true wellness, hence all members of staff had to adhere to the no sugar, no gluten, no dairy, only natural, healthy food policy.

Because massage and body therapy was a big focus, we had to guard against inflammation in the wrists and backs of our massage therapists. A regular drink in the staff room consisted of hot water with fresh lemon and ginger. Snacks consisted of seasonal fruit, nuts and seeds. Pure, filtered water, infused with fruit and vegetables, formed part of the daily drinks. To ease the occasional headache, therapists knew that they could work with

cold marble stones on the neck and on pressure points. After a stressful day, I would encourage the team to walk bare foot in the labyrinth, or take a stroll outside during their lunch break.

Supplements were sold as part of the retail offering and it was encouraging to see how most of the team would stock up on supplements themselves.

How do we build wellness into our work culture? While it may not be possible for your team to stroll outside or walk in a labyrinth, there are ways of encouraging stress relief and increasing movement. This includes bringing a Pilates ball into the staff room for therapists to sit on while doing their online product course, and encouraging staff to climb stairs (if there are any) instead of using the lift.

Consider for a moment the type of drinks and snacks that are available in the kitchen for the staff, and what it is that you are serving your clients. Are you allowing your staff to come to work with foods that are processed, laden with chemicals and filled with sugar? Do you have alternative drinks apart from the usual coffees and teas available? Are you encouraging staff and your clients to drink water regularly?

A great variety of anti-inflammatory foods to keep in the kitchen and serve as snacks or make meals of, include avocados and avocado

oil, olive oil, raw nuts – especially almonds and pecans – seed mixtures, fresh, seasonal fruit, berries and baby vegetables.

Fresh lemon, ginger and local honey, fresh mint leaves, Kombucha and even raw cacao could all form part of your drinks menu. Keep a bottle of cinnamon and add to a generous sprinkle to coffees served. Invest in a great water filtration system and place large jugs of fresh, filtered water, infused with vegetables and/or fruit, within easy access of your staff and guests.

Enjoyment in the work place is a crucial part of a healthy, balanced life and will automatically affect the atmosphere within the salon or spa, the level of work performance and absenteeism.

Take a moment to consider each member of your staff. How well do you know them? Are they positive about their work and colleagues? Are they happy and enjoying being at work? Or are they constantly struggling with health related issues and showing the effects of stress?

Some of the key factors for taking your business forward are to have knowledge and the tools to support it. Pin articles relevant to immunity, gut health, inflammation, stress relieving tips, the benefits of exercise and more up on the staff board and discuss this regularly.

Take a good look at your retail offering – are you relevant in this area? Are you finding that you send business away by referring clients to health stores and pharmacies? We all know the benefits of collagen, probiotics and vitamin supplements, why not invest in this and broaden your offering?

In dealing with a client last week, we decided that she should sell pure, filtered and bottled water as part of her offering. While the profit margins in this are not huge, it certainly drives the message home of drinking water regularly and, as an added bonus, acts as a marketing tool for her business.

Mimmie Lancaster is the owner of Symmetry World, which focuses on assessing the needs of businesses according to their core values, character and market level in order to improve their performance. Years of industry knowledge allows Lancaster to assist clients in honing their business output and productivity to optimum levels. mimmielancaster@gmail.com