Peak Performance: Harnessing Health & Fitness for Professional Transformation

By Olly Riches, Managing Partner APAC

How often have you heard the mantra “work hard, play hard”? For me, as someone who spent their early career at the coalface of the recruitment industry in central London, it feels like a catchphrase that defined a generation. I reflect on a time where connections were made during after work socialising, deals were sealed over handshakes in restaurants and “wellbeing” meant clocking off an hour early and heading to the pub. 

Needless to say – times have changed. The importance of work-life balance has never been more critical, and thankfully, conscious business leaders are paving the way to a more modern, inclusive and purpose driven approach to wellbeing. Every leader has their own pathway and story to tell, and mine’s certainly taken many a turn over my 20+ years of experience. But I’ve finally landed at a place where I’ve never felt more like the term “work hard, play hard” resonates with my true values.  

From Teams Meetings to Treadmill Marathons

So – values. Where to start? I have always been passionate about sport and fitness, but when you are in a fast-paced role, leading high performing teams and working on big client projects, it’s easy for personal priorities to slip by the wayside. I first began thinking about the role of fitness in relation to business performance and the potential it had to change the wellbeing landscape when I made my first international move with PageGroup to China. 

Over the course of the following few years, moving across various regions, from Shanghai to Southeast Asia, I quickly became aware that relying on the leadership style of days-gone-by London was by no means the right, most effective or people-first approach. I needed to learn what was important to people from completely different locations and backgrounds, what EVP meant to clients and candidates in other countries, and crucially what my own teams needed from their leaders. And – lastly – what could I do to become the leader I really wanted to be?

My journey towards what I suppose you would call “proper” fitness began relatively unexpectedly when a friend and I signed up for a triathlon in Indonesia. The gruelling training opened my eyes to a completely new way of having fun and building connections. And, as you can imagine, this shift in lifestyle not only improved my physical health but it actually also expanded my business network, which is something I hadn’t bargained for at all. The triathlon community, much like the business world, is driven by goals and performance, creating a natural synergy between the two.

As part of my training, I joined a high intensity gym – and the pressure was on! Its "we work you hard and then we never want to see you again" approach to getting people fit was rigorous. The gym's focus on nutrition and effective training led to significant results and mental clarity – and I found myself noticing the effects at work (there’s some further interesting reading on this from Johns Hopkins University). My colleagues enjoyed hearing (and laughing) about my latest challenge, and I began to realise that this experience was not just about physical transformation but also about creating a sense of camaraderie within my leadership team. Fitness became a new way to connect, replacing the traditional pub mentality with a healthier, goal-oriented approach.

After my first dip into those waters, I was hooked. And then I came to find that, by prioritising these areas outside of work, I had stumbled across completely new ways to engage with clients and colleagues. Instead of after-work drinks, I started inviting clients for lunches and morning coffees – some would even join in with training for a new fitness challenge. I found that, more often than not, people preferred productive meetings over late-night socialising. And I got to spend far more time with my wife and (now) six-year-old daughter, knowing that I was demonstrating more inclusive, empathetic and motivating leadership in the workplace. 
 

Transforming Workplace Culture Through EVP

If the past few years has taught us anything, it’s that candidates aren’t going to settle for these old, outdated ways of working and connecting. In fact, according to a 2024 Deloitte survey, 31% of Millennials and 25% of Gen Z specifically choose their next employer based on whether they demonstrate a good work-life balance, and “traditional” workplace structures are highly likely to deter top candidates. Not adapting to today’s world could be a real problem for businesses looking to hire the best people. 

Reframing work-life balance as a strategic element of the modern employer offering is crucial. And balance may look different to everyone – for me it’s health and fitness, but for others it could be travel, cooking, time with loved ones – what’s important is that leaders are championing it from the very top down. 
To give an example, one of my clients, a senior leader in the Financial Services sector, had recently relocated from the UK to head up APAC for a multinational company.  He was faced with the common challenge of improving productivity and engagement within a very established post-pandemic routine, and implementing his plans across multiple countries/markets. As anyone who has worked across APAC knows, this can be tricky, as it is full of very different business cultures. 

Using my personal experience from getting more directly involved in the health and wellness space, we decided to look at how he could lean into that area as a core theme to shift the overall narrative. 

Through that, the business managed to change a relatively traditional culture to a far more modern environment, with a stronger EVP around proactively promoting a healthy body and healthy mind. We looked at incentives and benefits packages to be angled more towards health and wellbeing, for example. Through the company’s internal comms channels, we showcased personal journeys to help highlight the diversity of culture, thought and work styles within the business. We encouraged employees to use their social media to share their thoughts on the refreshed EVP to increase talent attraction and retention. 

Health and wellbeing aren’t the only solutions the business implemented as part of this process but it is certainly one they’ve built a great culture around. And, as we know, a stronger culture tends to translate to stronger performance.  
 

Leading by Example and… Running the Run?

By integrating balance into your EVP and making it clear that you prioritise the health and wellbeing of your teams from the outset, it becomes much easier to attract and retain top talent who value a holistic approach to work and life. According to a recent Harvard Business Review article, research constantly shows us that overworking is detrimental to employees and even their companies, but achieving a sustainable work life balance requires continuous re-evaluation and adjustment.

In our business, integrating work-life balance into EVP is a core principle and we work hard with all our clients to find an approach that works well for their own people. A key thing I’ve learned over the past few years is that leadership buy-in is crucial for authenticity when it comes to EVP. Prioritising personal well-being sets an example for others to follow – which is why I will always talk about my personal goals in fitness (HYROX anybody?) or family life outside of the office. I truly believe that this approach has been far more effective in fostering a supportive and motivating workplace culture than anything I saw in my early career.
 

Performance and Balance: Can You Have Both?

Sometimes leaders can get caught up in the notion that they have to choose between high performance and balance. That’s not the case, and our team can show you how you can achieve both with the right approach. By embracing a holistic view of well-being and integrating it into your leadership style and company culture, you can foster an environment where employees thrive both personally and professionally. 

And as I have learned through my own foray into fitness – enhancing individual performance is one of the greatest ways to drive organisational success. Ultimately, it’s created space for me to completely redefine my leadership style and skillset and create a far better workplace culture for my teams. 

By prioritising and championing balance, leaders can set a powerful example, creating a ripple effect that promotes a healthier, more engaged, and more productive workforce. As we continue to navigate the evolving landscape of work, let’s remember that achieving peak performance is not about sacrificing that balance, but about finding synergy between the two.

If you want to talk about your EVP strategy and how to kickstart, overhaul, or simply refresh it, get in touch. And if you are looking to explore exciting new career opportunities and be part of Page Executive's growth journey, please reach out, and we’d be delighted to talk to you.