Are your team members ready for work?

Peyton Manning’s work ethic is legendary.

Yes, he’s been blessed with all the prized physical attributes most Hall of Fame quarterbacks possess. Some people would be satisfied to rely on those physical gifts to get them through, but not Peyton. He has an insatiable desire to find the next level. And the next level, and the next level…

When Sunday comes around, he is ready for work.

He’s put in his mental homework. He’s watched countless hours of game film. He’s had the playbook memorized in and out for years. He knows the defense and the tendencies of the players on the defense. He’s ready for work mentally.

He’s put in hours of physical preparation. He’s done a countless amount of repetitions in the gym. His nutrition regimen is as impressive as his work ethic. He’s put in so many throwing reps over the years, his body remembers just what to do to get that perfectly tight spiral. He’s ready for work physically.

Are your team members ready for work?

The employees at your company (we call them team members) probably aren’t Hall of Fame bound quarterbacks.

But they are athletes ­– they are workplace athletes, and they must be mentally and physically ready for work. Like Peyton, their health, safety and work performance depends on it. And, in turn, so does your company’s health, safety and productivity.

Like Peyton, the workplace athlete is ready for work mentally. They understand their role in their company’s (team’s) success. They have studied the playbook on good fitness and nutrition so they can be fit for work. They understand proper body mechanics and how to perform their job correctly. They understand why they need to be physically ready for work and how to physically recover from each work day.

Like Peyton, workplace athletes must be ready for work physically. They put their education into practice by staying fit, healthy and prepared for work. They use proper body mechanics and do their job correctly. They are physically ready for work and utilize injury prevention best practices to physically recover from each work day.

The final work preparation ritual

What is the last thing Peyton Manning does before he takes the field on Sundays?

He goes through his pre-game stretching and warm-up routine to prepare his body and mind for the game. It’s the final ritual in his preparation for work, and he never misses it. Neither do any of his teammates or other teams around the league. They would never miss their pre-game stretching and warm-up routine.

Workplace athletes prepare themselves for work in a similar way with “pre-shift stretching” or “pre-shift warm-up stretching”. They take a few minutes before they begin their work day by preparing their body and mind for work with a pre-shift warm-up routine.

Well-designed pre-shift warm-up programs (Work Readiness Systems℠) ensure workplace athletes are physically ready for their work day.

Introducing a new series on workplace stretching and warm-up (aka Work Readiness)

Our new series will be an in-depth look at workplace stretching. It is an often debated topic and we look forward to sharing our view of things and get your take as well.

Here is what you can look forward to (and don’t forget to sign up for free updates to make sure you don’t miss out on anything):

• The Benefits of a Work Readiness System
• The Arguments Against Workplace Stretching (and the Counterarguments)
• Work Readiness Best Practices

We’ll see you next week.