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Ultimate Guide to Employee Wellness

There has been much discussion about the challenges created by the growth we have had over the last few years. Despite the challenges, all teams have worked extremely hard to continue providing exceptional service.  The importance of work-life balance cannot be understated, and it is something that remains at the forefront of our leadership principles. It is important to prevent burnout and keep wellness in your workplace a priority. We recognize the financial and human costs of poor employee health.  There are actions you can encourage staff to take to ensure good mental and physical health in your workplace. Here are a few suggestions that can help in your office:

• Get up and move. Not only will your muscles thank you, but also moving will improve your circulation, re-energizing you for that afternoon meeting.
• Deskercise. Take a short break to do some gentle stretches at your desk or trade your chair for an exercise ball.
• Connect with people. Forming close relationships and enjoying regular social interaction has been shown to reduce stress and improve mental health.
• Eat healthily. Keep nuts and granola bars in your desk drawer or car, and bring in fresh fruit to munch on.
• Stay hydrated. That 3:00 p.m. drop in energy can be due to dehydration, so drink plenty of water throughout the day. Fruits like oranges, grapefruit, grapes, watermelon, and apples can also help you stay healthy and hydrated.
• Avoid long stretches of long days. We often focus on getting a project done at any cost. Then, we often omit the negative impact it has on our health until we are stressed, and it affects our mood.
• Take vacations. Ongoing stress can impair our immune systems and increase our risks of developing physical and mental illnesses.
• Know when you need help. If you are, feeling overwhelmed, talk to a trusted friend or contact your EFAP for professional help.

This is a great start. However, we cannot forget to recognize employees for their hard work as not only beneficial for their mental health, but also keeps them feeling more motivated, confident, and encouraged to exceed expectations.

Feeling appreciated by one’s direct manager costs nothing. Here are some tips to help make members of your team feel valued:

• Understand your employees. What works for one group may not for another. Do your employees prefer formal rewards, private acknowledgements or public recognition? Ask your team what they would like.
• Recognize, support and mentor every day. Never wait for formal company recognition events or performance reviews to tell your employees they are doing a great job.
• Check-in with people regularly. Ask employees how they are doing, what is going on in their lives and offer support as much as possible.
• Demonstrate fairness and consistency.
• If you hear a positive comment about one of your team members, let them know. Write a personal thank you note or email and, in cases of exceptional effort, c.c. HR or a member of the senior leadership team.
• Encourage feedback. Ask your team what processes work and what needs improvement. Let them know you are always available to discuss new ideas, tackle problems and offer advice.
• Publicly acknowledge an employee’s idea or accomplishments at staff, interdepartmental and senior leadership meetings.

With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season coming, it is easy to forget the importance of health and wellness.  By taking a few moments to prioritize, and following some of the tips on mental and physical health, you will avoid the workplace holiday crunch.

Have a Happy Holiday. We wish you and your loved one's peace, health, happiness, and prosperity this holiday season. Be well.