The importance of workplace wellness cannot be stressed enough, as it contributes to healthy employee mindsets, improved productivity, and work environment tranquility. There are many health and wellness activities for the workplace that make welcome additions to your office or other work environment, all of which contribute to your company’s positive image and reputation. Review the following ideas to inspire your efforts and foster healthy work relationships.
Monday Meditation
Mondays are notoriously challenging, as everyone is recovering from the craziness of the weekend. To help your team ease into the work week, consider scheduling Monday Meditation sessions. Anyone who wants to participate can join these 15 to 30-minute sessions that help reduce stress and promote calm, peaceful mindsets. Hire an expert to lead the meditation if you desire, or pick from the many free audio and video options available. YouTube, for example, provides a wealth of meditation and deep breathing exercises to select from. You can also have meditation-savvy team members lead the sessions.
To create an environment for meditation, choose a room that is relatively far back from the rest of the office to avoid disturbances. Provide comfortable chairs or cushions to help everyone concentrate instead of being distracted by discomfort. Calming music adds to the ambiance as well.
Health-Conscious Lunch Potlucks
Office lunches often consist of pizza, subs or hoagies, fast food, and other fattening fare that can leave your team sluggish and less productive. Healthy food provides the energy they need, so look for catering options that offer nutrient-dense choices. Another option is to schedule lunch potlucks once or twice a month where everyone brings a healthy dish. Rice dishes, vegetable sides, fruit salads, and lean protein options are among the dishes to suggest. Everyone will enjoy sampling each other’s foods and feeling the energizing benefits they provide.
Fun Runs
While the idea of joining a 5K challenge might not appeal to everyone one your team, they probably won’t balk at fun runs. These runs, which are usually for charity, are the lighter versions of marathons. Participants can walk or run as they wish without worrying about finishing last. Research fun run events in your region and have your team vote on the one they want to participate in. Let everyone know you are taking them to lunch or dinner after the run to encourage participation.
Nutritional Counseling
Optional nutritional counseling from a licensed nutritionist or dietitian lets your team know that you care about what they eat. The professional can come to the office on certain days every week, two weeks, or month depending on your preferences and budget, and provide customized diet plans for each team member. Consider connecting the counseling to other health and wellness activities for the workplace, such as the lunch potlucks where everyone makes dishes based on their recommended foods.
Fitness Programs
Implementing a fitness program provides another fantastic way to encourage employee health and wellness. Get as creative as you want, such as offering different classes each week or month. Consider having your team vote on what classes they want, like kickboxing, yoga, HIIT, and walking and dance workouts. Have a trainer come in if you want, or find online workouts that suit your team’s needs. You could also partner with a local gym offering group rates or special programs for area businesses. If you want something simpler, think about group walking and cross training workouts around the neighborhood or at a nearby park.
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