I'm writing this from inside a hyperbaric oxygen chamber.
I'm recovering from a snowboarding injury, and yes - I'm investing real time and money into getting back to full health…because I know what will come to pass if I don't, and I refuse to choose that option by default.
So much of workplace performance comes from physical health. Good sleep. Proper hydration. Controlled blood sugar. These aren't wellness buzzwords; they're the foundation of sustained focus and productivity, and the first place to look when performance tanks.
I've been both a founder and start-up employee, and so I've seen both sides of this. Both perspectives have reinforced my (perhaps unpopular) opinion: if you can afford employees, you can afford employee health benefits. Good ones.
One example: continuous glucose monitors. Every year, I wear one for a few weeks; it constantly transforms how I manage my energy. As a knowledge worker whose work can easily revolve around a desk, understanding how nutrition and movement affect my blood sugar has been a game-changer for sustained focus. This is the kind of benefit most companies never think to offer, but it's the kind of benefit with the potential to make elemental changes in the velocity of a business.
If budget is genuinely tight, start simpler. Permission your team to take calls while walking by leading with your example. Encourage actual breaks by leading with your example. Stop celebrating the person who never leaves their desk…because that kind of productivity won't last for long, and it will, frankly, never be game-changing for your startup.
This can't be a January-only initiative. Send it around the calendar with gusto. The companies I've worked with that treat physical health as a year-round priority see the rewards in output, effective collaboration, and staff retention.
Healthy teams outperform. It's not complicated. You don't have to put your dev teams in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, but when someone asks you for a gym benefit—give it to them. You'll be glad you did.