What is “Touching Grass”, and How It Affects Employees Everywhere

If you’ve spend a lot of time online, you might have come across the phrase “touching grass” — a commonly-mentioned internet idiom. 

According to sources online, touching grass is mainly used to tell someone to go outside, insinuating that the recipient of the comment spends too much time on their screens, needing to go outside and reconnect with the real world. 

But how does this idiom relate to those of us managing workforces? 

Employees aren’t taking care of themselves enough

In today’s digital world, many employees simply aren’t taking care of themselves enough, according to a recent vitality study conducted by Cigna, a health and wellness company. The study looked at the overall well-being of respondents in the workplace, looking at social, financial, professional, mental, and even environmental factors as part of the equation.

Worryingly, only 20 percent of respondents worldwide are measured at a high level across various metrics, with this figure dropping to 14 percent for respondents in the Asia Pacific region — possibly due to the fast-paced work culture in the region. 

The main focal point of the study surrounded “vitality”, which is defined as “the state of being strong and active”, or “energy”. And a large part of that is to have an optimistic mindset about the future, according to experts.

The takeaway from this? Employees need to take care of themselves better, in and out of the workplace. 

But how can employers help?

Employers, of course, play an important role in the mental health and daily lives of employees. Positive mental health offers a bunch of benefits and positive consequences for employees, too. This is particularly evident in improved decision-making, concentration, work relationships, and general business performance. 

So how can employers help employees who may be stressed out, or even burnt out? For one thing, it’s to look at the pain-points that are faced by such individuals, with many employees prioritising flexible work arrangements and health insurance, along with mental health support and benefits. 

Here are some articles to get you started:

• Employee mental health surveys
• Taking care of your team’s mental health
• How to support employees’ mental health in Malaysia

Insurance or other health-related benefits — including access to fitness facilities, healthy eating options around the office, and more — can also help to alleviate certain issues or promote a holistically healthier lifestyle for employees. 

It’s also worth remembering that the government has introduced a new tax relief for expenses incurred from sports equipment and activities for taxpaying individuals — up to RM1,000 — in a bid to promote a healthier outlook among Malaysians. As such, it can help to educate your employees and promote such activities.

This covers:

• Purchase of sports equipment 
• Rental or entry fees to sports facilities 
• Registration fees for participating in sports competition 
• Gym membership fees 
• Sports training fees imposed by associations and clubs registered with the Sports Commissioner or Companies Commission of Malaysia, carrying out sports activities as listed under the Sports Development Act 1997

At the end of the day, it’s about taking care of your company’s biggest asset: the people.