Worksites

Worksites can help employees make better choices about diet, physical activity, and tobacco use through changes to worksite policies and environments, the addition of services and programs, the development of an employee health committee, and through health education and promotion. 

1. Choose healthy foods to share at meetings: Incorporate healthier foods at work meetings or events as a fun and simple way to help keep employees healthy and let them know you value their hard work. Healthy food keep employees focused and full of energy.^{1, 2}
2. Work with nearby food pantries and farming programs: Develop a partnership between worksites and food pantries or farming programs that is mutually beneficial for all involved.³
3. Encourage taking breaks to move around and have active meetings: Take breaks to decrease the chance of burnout and increase productivity, creativity, and morale. If appropriate, encourage employees to stand up and stretch during meetings or have a walking meeting.⁴
4. Inspire employees to set and achieve personal and team goals: Goal setting provides a sense of direction and focus, which helps employees accomplish their objectives. The same can be said for health. Implement healthy strategies and motivate your co-workers to do the same. An idea to encourage physical activity is through step challenges and walking/running distance challenges.⁵
5. Add smoke-free signs around the building: Designate smoking areas away from buildings. It is important for the health of others to reduce secondhand smoke exposure.
6. Promote the NY-QUITS support line: At your workplace, implement signage or information about NYS’ support line for quitting tobacco, such as calling 1-866-NY-QUITS or texting “QUITNOW” to 333888.⁶

Quick Links

1. Eating Well at Work
2. Healthy Meeting Guidance
3. Developing Partnerships between Food Banks and Workplaces
4. Benefits of Taking Breaks at Work
5. Strategies to Encourage Physical Activity in the Workplace
6. NY QUITS 
   1. NEW Spanish-Language Text Program 

Local Resources

1. BRiDGES (website, Facebook)
   • Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
   • Team Awareness

Updated October 28, 2025