Fitness and Mental Health in Business
Increasingly, we are coming to recognize that health and fitness extend far beyond the level of our physical body. Recognizing the interconnectedness of mental health and well-being with physical and emotional resilience is key to excelling in business and life. In the new era of work, mental health support and initiatives are imperative. Mental health problems have associated costs in terms of quality of life and economic impact. A Harris Poll Study published earlier in 2024 reported that two-thirds of Canadian small business leaders are experiencing some kind of burnout and that the younger generation of leaders, that is Gen Z and Millennials, are those most affected. Accordingly, more and more business leaders acknowledge mental health as a major challenge and research on the emotional leadership strategies of high-growth entrepreneurs indicates the benefits of building emotional connections and improving communication for enhance employee engagement.
Mental health and well-being are important to helping us stay productive, proactive, and engaged. In the modern workplace, leaders need to focus on mental health for both them and their employees to keep their businesses thriving. This was a major theme and call to action in the Opening Keynote presentation given by Hamza Khan at this year’s canfitpro Global Conference and Trade Show. Here are some key insights, significant stats, and important takeaways from Hamza’s address – Beyond Burnout and Sustaining Peak Performance in the Future of Work.
Hamza shared with us that only 15% of employees are engaged at work. Disengaged employees not only result in more absenteeism, employee turnover, and less productivity but disengagement also impacts customer loyalty and decreases company profits. However, it is encouraging to note that leadership can have influence of at least 70% of the variance in employee engagement scores.
Hamza warned us that hyper-engagement can lead to burnout, whereas remaining calm and consistent will deliver lasting results. Instead, we need to prioritize consistency to avoid burnout and find ways to replenish our energy. Learn more from Hamza’s book The Burnout Gamble.
As fitness business leaders, we need to practice what we preach. So, how are you prioritizing your mental health in your career? What are some ways you can prioritize the mental health of your employees and your clients? One of the activities Hamza shared with us was to audit your time expenditure. As we head into a new season, it’s a great time to do this check-in so that, to quote Hamza, “you and your team will burn bright and not out through Q4 and beyond.”
Need ideas or tips to enhance your mental health and resilience? Register now for our next event in our virtual series, canfitpro ASPIRES Mental Health, taking place on Friday, November 1st. Join us to discover ways to enhance your mental health and engage in empowering conversations on how to foster resilience and perseverance in yourself and your teams.
