Good health and looks can give your career a boost

Good health and looks can give your career a boost
Want to be fit and look fabulous? Fret not – with MyPaper's guide, you’re on your way to greater wellness.
PHOTO: Good health and looks can give your career a boost

It is nearly the midpoint of the year, six months after most of us made New Year resolutions to lose weight, get fit, and to look and feel better.

Yet, how many of us have actually fulfilled any of them?

A study by the University of Scranton published in the Journal Of Clinical Psychology this year suggests that only 8 per cent of people fulfil their New Year resolutions.

And high-achieving executives, who are so used to succeeding both in and out of the office, are not immune to this type of failure.

Despite this lack of success, we should not abandon our intention to be healthy and look good.

After all, looking good in the workplace is important, especially if you are an executive gunning for a promotion.

A survey conducted in March by the Society of Aesthetic Medicine (Singapore) and sponsored by Allergan found that almost seven out of 10 respondents know of someone who was hired or promoted because of their good looks.

Eight out of 10 respondents also felt that being more physically attractive would make them more likely to get hired or promoted.

Many experts agree with the findings.

Dr Joel Yang, from UniSIM's School of Human Development and Social Services, believes that good looks "confer real advantages at work".

"Attractiveness is a source of inequality that impacts wages, job advancement and even how others perceive a person's competence," he said.

"So, it seems that good looks are a significant factor in the hiring, compensation, promotion and perceived competence of staff."

Feeling fit and well is even more important if one is to thrive in the office.

Employees who are physically fit are more productive, as not only can they shoulder a greater workload without breaking down, but they also take fewer days of sick leave.

They also cost their companies less.

In a study by Tower Watson, an international company that helps organisations improve efficiency, employers in Singapore say that their bill for workers' health care is rising by 8.5 per cent every year.

At My Paper, we understand the importance of feeling and looking good. We also know how busy executives are and that few take the time and effort to research products.

That is why, in this guide, we hope to save you some time and trouble by highlighting some products and services which we believe will be helpful on your journey to greater wellness.

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