Workplace Wellness Whisperer – (June 25)

Hello Wellness Seeker,

Happy Saturday! I’m super excited to be hosting online breathwork sessions every New Moon to help optimize your breathing for better performance at work and in life. Check out the details on my Instagram or Facebook. 

People that practice gratitude consistently report a host of physical benefits including: stronger immune systems, less bothered by aches & pains, lower blood pressure, better sleep, and so many more. 

🙏Gratitude Practice🙏

Give a team member a small gift as a way to show your gratitude.

(I.e. Gift card, coffee, lunch, offer to pay for an Uber Eats order for them).

🌸===🌸

Are you wondering why your workplace wellness program is not working?

Today, more than 9 in 10 organizations across the globe offer employees at least one kind of wellness benefit, and more than 3 in 5 have dedicated “wellness budgets,” which are expected to expand by 7.8% in the coming years. But are these benefits really what we need to feel healthy, engaged, and supported at work?

Workplace wellness within an organization has become a global priority at present times. My Workplace Wellness Calendar can guide you how to chart your course to success.

For all the attention and money spent on workplace wellness, the jury is still out on whether these programs are really beneficial to our health. In fact, a recent study suggests that corporate wellness offerings may resonate more with already-healthy employees, and even alienate those who are dealing with health issues in the first place, mental or physical. While there is no one solution to this problem, there are several steps we can take, both as organizations and as individuals, to make work a place of humanity and compassion. With trust at the centre of employer-employee relationships, wellness programs can transform from shiny lacquer into authentic elements of an integrated, human system.

I invite you to benefit from this video series where I discuss the 5 mistakes wellness professionals make that hamper the effectiveness of their wellness program. Visit my YouTube channel.

Here’s a summary of this week’s videos.

Read, Listen and Share!

Pitfall #1. Lacks Leadership Support

Wellness programs don’t happen without the support of key leaders. Identify your resources and key people, and engender their ongoing backing. If you introduce wellness programs but have senior leaders and managers who don’t foster well-being employees may end up seeing your wellness communications as just lip service. But when wellness is at the heart of everything you do, it’s easier to share it with employees and watch them follow your lead. Basically, I’m asking the leaders to walk-the-talk! Consider creating a wellness committee so that your employees have a say in co-creating their wellness program.

I invite you to listen to the Self-Care Goddess Podcast episode #47 with Sarah Kruse and understand the 3 Ayurvedic constitutions Vata, Kapha and Pitta in detail.

Pitfall #2. Lacks Integration

Avoid creating something quickly that doesn’t tap into long-term behavioral change. Instead, establish a comprehensive strategic plan that builds employee engagement over time. Make sure the wellness program is customized to your organizations needs and aligned with the company’s mission and goals. And just as important that it’s integrated with other cultural and wellbeing initiatives and programs. And remember to be measuring progress and results so it can be improved and successes can be celebrated. Why not include a wellness goal in your staff ’s yearly performance objectives? So instead of thinking about wellness as just a program, make sure it’s part of your corporate culture.

Pitfall #3. Lacks engagement

As you can imagine, a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work well for well-being and health concerns. In a workplace where there’s usually a mix of Gen X, Baby Boomers, and Millennials, it may feel challenging to address everyone’s issues. So I recommend Surveying individual generations and their needs can help leadership better understand what type of programs would work best for each group. This is to support employee choice without making it overwhelming, consider providing a wellness credit so employees can choose the activity that works best for them. Make wellness programs accessible by sharing information through team meetings, corporate emails and your corporate intranet.

Download my FREE Morning Routine and learn how to: 1. Increase Energy 2. Improve Sleep & 3. Decrease Mood Swings.

Pitfall #4. Lacks Consistency

Avoid trying for quick fix wellness initiatives such as often “flavor of the month,” challenges, contests, biometric screening, and lunch-and-learn events, that are often forgotten or worst not integrated with other initiatives or not followed up on. Consistency can carve mountains. Having a well thought out integrated wellness plan demonstrates to your employees that you’re serious and dedicated to their wellbeing. This will increase their participation because they will come to expect it and even look forward to it. Provided that you’ve created the program with their feedback and needs in mind.

Check out my amazing delicious ‘Crispy Lettuce Wraps’ recipe

Pitfall #5. Lacks a Holistic Approach

Some wellness programs lack a Holistic Approach to Physical & Mental Health. While customizing the program to your workforce is important, make sure you don’t end up with a fragmented initiative focusing just on physical wellness like exercise and eating well. Since body and mind are connected, giving your employees physical wellness tools without any tools to combat stress such as breathwork will yield only partial results.

If you’re ready to leverage your workplace wellness strategy and explore how to optimize individual, team and your company’s performance, book your complimentary Workplace Wellness call here.

References:

https://hbr.org/2019/08/what-wellness-programs-dont-do-for-workers