Why Focus on Whole-Person Health? 

While many of us can easily describe what it means to be unhealthy, defining what it means to be healthy or well becomes more nuanced. The World Health Organization defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

According to the National Wellness Institute, wellness is “an active process through which people become more aware of, and make choices toward, a more successful existence.” 

What these definitions help convey is that health and wellness refer to more than simply the absence of disease — they’re dynamic by nature and exist on a spectrum rather than in distinct categories (e.g., healthy or unhealthy). While neither of these definitions are perfect, it’s clear that health and wellness are multidimensional, relative, fluid, and transcend any symptoms we may exhibit.

This is where the concept of whole-person health comes in; it’s an approach that acknowledges the many dimensions of health and wellness while also creating a framework of holistic well-being, including the 8 dimensions of it that we touched on in our previous blog.

Whole-Person Health and the Workplace

While the concept of whole-person health is widely acknowledged as beneficial in the healthcare space, it has been slow to be incorporated into the workplace. Most employees spend almost 40% of their waking hours engaged with work, giving employers a significant platform to promote well-being and supporting employees as they take a proactive approach to their own health and wellness.

The working environment contributes significantly to employee well-being during the workweek, but workplace satisfaction (or dissatisfaction), as well as feelings of stress experienced throughout the day, carry over to affect employee health and wellness beyond 9 to 5.

As we continue to evolve with the needs of the modern workforce, we recognize that true health goes beyond simple nutrition. That’s why we’ve embraced a whole-person health approach, creating food programs and environments that nourish not only the body, but also every dimension of individual wellness.

Here’s why whole-person health is so important to Guckenheimer:

It’s evidence-based

Research has continued to emphasize how factors like our relationships, environment, and even sense of purpose can all have a significant impact on our overall health and longevity. In fact, the celebrated Blue Zones — areas of the planet where people tend to live the longest — embrace this multidimensional approach to well-being. The NIH has also increased investment in whole-person health and has expanded their research in this promising area.

It reflects changing attitudes about health

 While health trends previously tended to focus on nutrition and physical activity, we now know that well-being isn’t achieved by a salad and a workout. Today’s market is well-informed and recognizes the connection between the many dimensions of their life and health. We’re thrilled to bring this holistic approach to life for our clients’ employees who are looking for programming that matches where they’re at in their well-being journey.

Food programming is the perfect vehicle for delivering whole-person health

Food is at the heart of what we do, but it’s also at the heart of whole-person health. Each of its dimensions can be tied back to food—the next blog in the series will cover this in more detail!

Aside from the many reasons we’re thrilled about whole-person health, one that must be addressed is that it’s impactful. It can help enhance employee satisfaction and engagement, cultivate more resilient employees, and its focus builds a culture where employees can truly thrive.

Check back in with us next week for more on the vital role food plays in whole-person health!