What does fitness age mean

In today’s busy world, everyone is trying to remain fit.  “Age fitness’ is the new buzzword.  To be fit as we age could be described as Age fitness. People as compared to the previous are now more concerned about health, opportunities for greater wellness and trying to avoid the burden of disease in later life. 

The main objective of “age fitness” is social, mental, physiological and physical.

The variances in health and survival are guided by scores of food intake and their validation.  It is obvious that food cultures are associated with successful ageing. 

WHO has developed a healthy life expectancy indicator, Disability Adjusted Life Expectancy (DALE), which estimates the number of years to be lived in 'full health.’  The factors that influence disease, disability and longevity include the rate of decline in physiological function which, in turn, appears to be associated with social, mental and physical activities and with food habits. 

It is found that the overall predictors of survival include genetic background, environmental factors [such as work, pollution, pesticides, housing, social upheaval and war] and personal behaviour. 

Personal behaviour is the area that is most modifiable and includes lifestyle factors that cover eating habits, physical activity and substance abuse.  

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Age-fitness defined 

Age-fitness includes all areas of fitness; social, mental, physiological and physical. 

Social Fitness

• Ability to make and maintain satisfying social contacts and networks. 

Mental fitness

• Refers to the way we think and feel our capacity for learning and the absence of illnesses like dementia, depression and anxiety. 

Physical fitness

• Ability to have sufficient strength, endurance, range of movement and balance to avoid frailty. 

Physiological states

• Essential for successful ageing include the renal and immune system, the special senses such as sight and hearing and, the metabolic system, for example, insulin sensitivity.

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The scope of age-fitness 

Many studies that examine mental fitness and health usually look at the other parameters of age- fitness on mental health. Social isolation for instance is likely to have an adverse effect on mental fitness and physical activity seems to reduce the risk of depression, a major mental health problem. 

Regular brisk walking has been shown to improve cognition.  Maintaining and/or improving strength and muscle mass to reduce the risk of frailty can be achieved through strength fitness. 

Several prospective studies on older adults have found that those who are the least socially active are more likely to die prematurely compared with those who are the most socially active. 

It has been observed that cardio-respiratory fitness, an important indicator of longevity, appears to be more important than obesity in terms of survival. 

Food Cultures 

Studies have shown that comparable health in old age can be achieved in different cultural settings with widely differing food habits. 

Nutrition Fitness 

Food intake promises to be, not surprisingly, one of the best measures of nutrition and fitness. Together with body composition and various performance measures such as strength and endurance, it represents the inputs, outputs and the sum of energy and food component through put and status or balance in human biology. 

Biomarkers of food intake offer ways in which its validity can be increased, and its perturbations recognised. The studies have concentrated on food intake and food intake patterns as differentiators and common denominators in health susceptibility and for survival within and between cultures [people of different ethnicity living in different localities]. 

The overall higher intakes of legumes, fish, shellfish, and olive oil are significant predictors of survival in later life. 

The relative importance of different forms of fitness 

Social sciences are increasingly arguing that health and survival are principally dependent on social and societal factors provided there is enough food to eat. 

The age fitness is an important aspect, and we cannot ignore its main objective i.e. social, mental, physiological and physical.  

In general terms, fitness age is an estimate of how to fit you are compared to your actual age.   It is true that as you age you lose muscle strength, bone density, and your body composition shifts from muscle to fat. However, research shows exercise training at any age with proper food intake results in positive gains in muscle mass, muscle strength, bone density, and improvements to overall health – even in people as old as 90.

Conclusion 

• Genetic, environmental and behavioural factors not only act as primary predictors of survival but also influence intermediate outcomes which are themselves predictors of survival.

• Behavioural and biologically related survival predictors include all areas of fitness; social, mental, physiological, physical and nutritional.

• There is an interaction between each of these areas and, each is important in its own right.

• Intermediate outcomes can determine the ultimate outcomes of wellness, the burden of disease and survival.

What is best work environment

In today’s world work culture plays an important aspect in whatever part of the world one is living.  It has direct links with humans.  It is important to develop a work culture that is unique for each organisation and that bests suit them. 

Work culture has a strong bearing on the character and persona of an organization. 

As per Giddens, 2003, “culture is an integral part of human socialization processes as it reflects the values, visions, norms, languages, systems, symbols, beliefs and habits of that particular society.” 

In general, culture exists wherever there are human associations and interactions and is inclusive of organizations and workplaces.

It has been revealed that the culture found in organizations is referred to as organizational culture.  

The aspect of organisational culture that deals with work processes, relations, systems and functions are referred to as work culture and is seen as the most important part of organisational culture.

What is work culture?

Work culture is the belief, thought processes and attitudes of the employees towards and during work processes.  

Work culture has recently emerged as one of the key areas of research in organizational behaviour. The type of work culture that exists within the industry influences the employee. Organizational work culture has potential influence on production, satisfaction, absenteeism, motivation, turnover and overall prosperity of the business. The impact of work culture on productivity, profits and organizational effectiveness has, in recent years, drawning the attention of top management. 

According to Nelson and Quick 2008 “Work culture is seen as that organisational component that decides and determines the way employees interact with each other and how an organization functions.” 

According to some scholars, work culture is the social interlocking mechanism upon which the enterprise can function effectively. Through this, organizations will be in a position to establish better psychological contact with the employees. This, in turn, could lead organizations to a higher level of performance. 

Work culture can be:

1. Strong or weak
2. Positive or negative
3. Salient or latent

Above all, a positive culture is on the other hand seen as the ideal/healthy work culture which promotes productivity, growth and employee satisfaction through the creation of a conducive working environment for all employees while a negative work culture is retrogressive to organisational performance and employee relations. 

It is important to know the basic features of positive and negative work culture.  The following are noted as the most salient ones by Armstrong (2010).  

Positive work culture

• Employee empowerment and effective communication - allow for more autonomy in work processes.
• Open, honest and flowing communication - a more coordinated communication.
• Long-term, quality, service and excellence – the further focus of the organisation’s future.
• Individual responsibility - there are no blame games and no figure pointing.
• Embracing new ideas - allows for innovation and creativity.
• Flexible, fluid and rapidly responsive - quicker responsiveness and embrace change. 

Negative work culture

• Highly formalised- this occurs when every aspect of work is highly defined and prescribed.
• High employee turn-over- this is when there is a greater employee loss in a given time due to dissatisfaction.
• Resistance to change-employees and the organisation are resistant to change
• Strict rules and rigid policies- there is a strict rationalisation of work which results in formalism 

Industrialization today is experiencing a profound pressure to reform and improve the organizational culture where employees will be treated as human capital. To bring up a congenial atmosphere in the industries, it is essential to understand the effects of work culture on the work motivation environment. Therefore, effective management of human resources is a prerequisite for any industry.

Improving work culture 

• There must be a constant process of how to improve the work culture to bring out quality and excellence.  Here are the suggestions to improve work culture:
• work authority is given with responsibilities and the remuneration is right and consistent.
• clear, efficient and effective communication channels must be established in consonance with employees and structures.
• Openness, honesty and trust and confidence, as well as accountability, must be created to ensure greater satisfaction among employees.  Job security must be emphasized.
• Individual responsibility must be enhanced in order to avoid blame games and no figure pointing.
• Encouraging new ideas, creativity and innovation in the organisation through deliberate policies and plans. 

Other ways to improve work culture include the following: 

• Ensure more involvement of employees in decisions
• Creating a more open and honest work policy, openness and trust as job insecurity results in a bad work culture
• Rationalise communication but ensure it is more flexible
• Give greater employee autonomy to reduce frustrations and increase work satisfaction
• Clarifying tasks, responsibilities, and boundaries

Perceptibly, work culture plays a pivotal role in industrial harmony and development. 

Unhealthy work culture	healthy work culture
breeds conflict effects on morale of the workmen	motivates, improves morale and satisfaction of the employees
results in loss of production	attracts the best talent and touches the new heights of development.

 

Dynamics of work culture

Work culture refers to work-life and work systems. It includes work habits, work standards, the behaviour of the individual towards each other and their attitude towards the organization’s public image.  

We can say that the effectiveness and extent of attainment depend upon the work culture of the organization. Productivity and efficiency are the outcomes of the work culture. Customers’ high expectations, escalating environmental pressures and ever-increasing competitive atmosphere are a few of many challenges that business organizations are facing today. In such intimidating contexts, work culture, in any organization, assumes great importance as a pivot for attaining competitive advantage. 

                                              Dynamics of Work Culture

[Leads to Productivity and  Prosperity]

ORGANIZATION

Job and its Contents

The Trust of and support from superiors

Group atmosphere and climate of teamwork

Structure- rules, Regulations and Procedures

Leadership and deeds and actions of superiors

Goal settings and performance evaluation

Response to Challenges and Rewards.

 

INDIVIDUAL

Skills

Education and Training

Personal Traits

Acquired Social Values

Believes

Approaches

Behaviors

WORK CULTURE

Discipline

Teamwork and Cooperation

Communication and consultation

Activation levels of individuals and groups

Flexibility and work innovation

Delegation of Authority

Response to challenges of responsibility

Role of Unions and associations

 

 

 

 

Footsteps to develop a conducive climate The moulding of a new work culture will have to focus on the following important step: Creation of loyalty and discipline at all hierarchical levels. Promotion of cooperative teamwork Motivation to improve the activation levels of all employees Make the employees more responsive to the challenges and responsibilities. It is imperative that there should be a healthy manager-employee relationship.  Growth Dimensions International notes that to build a highly engaged workforce, a manager must do five things: Aligning work with policy Empower the workforce Promote and inspire teamwork and cooperation Helping persons to evolve and grow Providing recognition and support  Conclusion Every organization has its own personality, values, and ways of doing things.  We should understand that positive work culture is geared towards progressive improvement for the individual staff and the organization while a negative work culture fosters disintegration, loss of cooperation and collaboration among staff.  Work culture is key to organisational performance and effectiveness and the need to create a positive work culture is imperative to organisational success. Policy reform therefore must be embarked which ensures a safer and more secure work environment which is tailored toward greater employee satisfaction.  The organization has to depend upon its work culture to attain its objectives. In other words, we can say that the effectiveness and extent of attainment depend upon the work culture of the organization. Hence, productivity, efficiency and prosperity are the outcomes of the work culture.  Work culture can have potential effects on employee motivation and behaviour, so it has a long been effect on outcomes such as productivity, performance, commitment, self-confidence and ethical behaviour. The success of any company depends in part on the match between individuals and the culture of the organization.  Thus, if we have to move forward with time, say any organization or nation, the concept of Work culture and Human Resource Development should acquire a significant presence in the world.