HOW TO PROMOTE WORKPLACE
WELLNESS

 

Employees who are stressed out can cost businesses money.

An infographic created by Eastern Kentucky University's Occupational Safety program depicts how businesses spend approximately $300 billion per year on missed work days and health care as a result of workplace stress. That's a hefty price to pay, and it doesn't take into account the decreased productivity of disengaged workers. According to Gallup, 70% of American workers are stifling economic growth by not working to their full potential.

How to Increase Workplace Wellness

There are numerous ways for employees to reduce stress and anxiety at work while also promoting wellness. Connecting with others, being prepared, getting enough rest, calming the mind, getting the blood flowing, giving back, getting outside, relaxing the body, and finding mental focus are at the top of the list. Here are some quick, tech-friendly solutions.

1. Maintain Employee Connectivity

Using the workplace to show that everyone is watching is a good way for people to connect with each other. According to Gretchin Rubin's podcast, people who are happy at work often say they have very strong relationships with their coworkers. A shared interest, such as a TV show that everyone enjoys, can promote workplace wellness by encouraging wider connections.

2. Encourage Preparedness

Neuroscientist Daniel Levitin discusses how you're not at your best when you're stressed in his TEDTalks, how to stay calm when you know you'll be stressed. In fact, your brain has evolved over time to release cortisol in stressful situations, which inhibits rational, logical thought but potentially helps you survive a shark attack.

According to Levitin, pre-mortems are a way to avoid critical errors in stressful situations when your thinking becomes clouded. "The idea is to think ahead about what the failures might be," he says. We are better prepared when we imagine what could happen.

3. Encourage employees to take breaks.

Employees working till the early hours of the morning may not get much needed sleep. Most of us don't get the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep per night, so if you encourage employees to rest by providing enough breaks between shifts and turning off computers to rest on weekends, you can will see an increase in energy, productivity, and creativity.

4. Discuss ways for employees to relax.

About 18 million Americans meditate regularly to relieve stress. Encourage employees to use relaxation techniques such as meditation, for example, by downloading mindfulness and meditation apps that allow them to calm their mind and relieve stress. Apps like Headspace make it easy to learn the art of meditation, and it even has a friend system that allows you and a friend to support each other on your journey.

5. Make exercise more engaging.

MakeMe is an app that promotes group activities. The app allows users to share with each other moments of achievement and encouragement to improve our collective ability to succeed. This is a surefire way to promote workplace wellness.

6. Encourage Charitable Donations

Using the free Charity Miles app, you can raise money for charity every time you run, walk or bike. Corporate sponsors have agreed to donate a few cents for each mile you drive. Browse the app's list of charities to find one you believe in, and then hit the road. You can also hold office team competitions to promote wellness and raise money for a worthy cause.

7. Boost Morale

Remember to take time each month to recognize and celebrate the successes of your company culture. Glassdoor and other company review sites help tell the story of your company, providing a powerful source of connection among employees. Encourage employees to show pictures of their children as another way to boost morale.

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