Setting goals is crucial for your employees; it can enhance their likelihood of success, whether through healthier eating, increased activity, or better stress management, says Bupa. It can not only boost their motivation and instil a sense of purpose, but also build their confidence.
It’s important to remind your team to establish realistic objectives. Overly ambitious goals can lead to lower motivation over time. Advise them to progress incrementally towards their targets, avoiding the pursuit of goals that seem out of reach for now.
Theories on goal setting are everywhere, yet certain strategies stand out. Share these techniques and support your team in applying them. See what works best and tweak them as and when you need to.
Setting healthy goals
1. Set behaviourally optimised goals
When setting a goal, it’s beneficial to direct your employees’ focus on specific actions rather than the end result. For instance, instead of merely aiming to shed five pounds, it’s more effective to adopt a behaviour that contributes to that objective, like participating in a cycle-to-work scheme. This not only promotes a healthier commute but also aligns with their target.
2. Try motivation through intrinsic motivation
Studies indicate that goals rooted in intrinsic motivation (activities we find personally rewarding) are more likely to be met than those motivated by extrinsic factors, (external rewards like financial incentives or penalties if we don’t achieve it.)
To support your employees in reaching their health objectives, advise them to base their goals on their personal interests or pleasures. Take an employee who finds joy in running; they’re more apt to fulfil their aim of increasing physical activity through running rather than participating in a fitness bootcamp.
3. Commit to achieve
Assisting your team in adhering to their objectives is key. There are many different strategies or commitment devices to ensure they meet their targets.
Try to encourage group commitments to activities, this can decrease the likelihood of deviating from the set goals. This is because the act of engaging in activities with others tends to reinforce commitment, and it’s often more enjoyable to participate in group activities than alone.
Obstacles are an expected part of pursuing goals. It’s beneficial to prompt employees to anticipate potential challenges and devise ‘if-then’ strategies to maintain their commitment to their wellness objectives. Such ‘if-then’ planning could involve, for instance, keeping an umbrella at the office to ensure that, even in the event of rain, the goal of spending lunchtime outdoors remains achievable.
4. Keep motivation high
Over time, the drive to reach objectives can diminish. Encourage your team members to enhance their drive and achieve their targets by adjusting their goals to encompass a high-low spectrum.
Take, for instance, the desire to perform desk stretches twice daily; advise them to aim for one to three times a day instead. The lower range is achievable, and the upper range is challenging – a great combination to effectively sustain motivation.
5. Monitoring progress
It’s essential for employees to track their progress to achieve their objectives. There are several ways they can do this. They might record their progress in a diary or app, or even take it up a notch by displaying their results in a public forum, such as on a leader board.
Goal setting is a great way to increase productivity and job satisfaction. Goals help to focus efforts and foster a sense of achievement when they are met.
They can improve mental health by giving employees a clear set of objectives to strive for, reducing stress and contributing to a more harmonious work environment.
Ultimately, healthy goal setting is not just about individual success, but also about contributing to the overall success and wellbeing of the organisation.
- To find out more information and advice on how to improve the diet of your workforce, or for any other wellbeing support, please read Bupa’s handy healthy eating during the working day, looking after your team managers guide.
