Replenish Your Staff By Being Mindful Regarding Employee Stress, Investing In Wellness Practices
1. Avoid creating additional stressors associated with end-of-year work requirements.
Many businesses make a mad-cap dash to finalize projects by the end of the calendar year. Employers are also begin to focus on new goals for the coming year. This combination of factors can create a surplus of work demands that simply isn’t healthy for many employees.
Additional work can cause havoc on employee wellness since Americans are more likely to experience an increase of stress during the holidays than a decrease. As employers, preparing as light a load as possible for November and December will establish a healthy workplace environment in which employees can limit their stress levels. This will make them happier, healthier and more productive.
2. Employers should invest in employee wellness.
Investing in a employee wellness program is a great way to boost productivity and curb the cost of unhealthy and unproductive employees. Employee wellness programs often counteract the many negative affects the holiday season can produce. By focusing on employee health, employees will be more likely to build health habits. Eating healthy, exercising and monitoring personal health are among the greatest ways to fight holiday stress. Employers who encourage their employees by providing wellness programs will likely inspire a more robust workforce.
3. Provide free health screenings for employees.
If you have already implemented a wellness program, you may be doing this step. However, many businesses do not conduct regular health screenings for employees, leading to potential business loss. Fiscally, it makes sense for managers to do whatever can be done to detect illness and promote health and wellbeing. Yet many executives don’t think along these lines. In 2015, the CDC reported “productivity losses due to absenteeism cost employers $225.8 billion annually…or $1,685 per employee.”
4. Support employees with wellness activities.
A few ideas include: offering flu shots; hosting brown-bag sessions on nutrition or stress relief; offering tobacco cessation programs; paying for gym memberships; employee health fair with screenings for early detection and prevention; or even just adding wellness tips to employee newsletters. (Source)
5. Consider the mental health of your employees a priority.
Managers who recognize the stressful conditions of the holiday season are better prepared to help their employees remain healthy when it comes to mental health. Employees are more susceptible to productivity drainers in the form of anxiety, depression, fatigue and other mental-health related symptoms during the busy holiday months.
Also, be mindful of others’ special circumstances during the holidays. This is especially important for anyone who has recently lost a family member or close friend. The first holiday season without that loved one is very difficult.
6. Offer healthy foods at company events.
Many businesses throw parties during the holidays. And while this is an excellent way to build employee morale, make sure you offer healthy food alternatives. A good rule of thumb is to avoid high-cholesterol, high-starch and fried foods. Consider fresh and roasted vegetables as a healthy alternative.
7. Recognize employees during the holidays for their great work.
Employers who recognize employees often produce the healthiest work environments. One example of this recognition is Disney, who offers over 180 employee recognition programs. By recognizing employees, business leaders can potentially inspire greater mental health, loyalty, and a less stressful environment for quality employees.
