Written by: Kristine Keykal, M.P.H. | Co-Founder & CEO of AdvantageHealth
A well-designed employee wellness program can significantly contribute to stress management efforts within the corporate environment. By prioritizing the mental and physical wellbeing of employees, organizations can create a more supportive and productive work culture where individuals thrive.
Recognizing the detrimental effects of stress on both individuals and organizational productivity, forward-thinking companies are increasingly turning towards employee wellness programs to foster a healthier work environment. Among the key objectives of these initiatives is promoting stress management techniques to mitigate the adverse effects of workplace stress.
Creating an effective employee wellness program centered around stress management requires a thoughtful approach that considers the unique needs and challenges of your workforce.
Here's a comprehensive guide on how corporations can develop and implement such programs:
Assess Needs and Prioritize: Begin by conducting surveys or assessments to gauge the specific stressors and wellness needs of your employees. Are they struggling with workload, work-life balance, interpersonal conflicts, or other factors? Prioritize areas where intervention is most needed.
Educate and Raise Awareness: Many employees may not fully understand the impacts of stress on their health and productivity. Provide educational resources and workshops that highlight the importance of stress management and offer practical strategies for coping with stress effectively.
Promote Work-Life Balance: Encourage a culture that values work-life balance by implementing policies such as flexible work hours, remote work options, and generous vacation allowances. Encouraging employees to disconnect from work during non-working hours is essential for preventing burnout.
Offer Mental Health Resources: Provide access to mental health resources such as counseling services, support groups, or employee assistance programs. Normalize discussions around mental health to reduce stigma and encourage employees to seek help when needed.
Encourage Physical Activity: Regular exercise has been shown to reduce stress levels and improve overall well-being. Offer incentives for participating in fitness activities, organize group exercise classes, or provide onsite gym facilities to encourage employees to stay active.
Create Relaxation Spaces: Designate quiet areas within the workplace where employees can take short breaks to relax and recharge. Consider incorporating elements such as comfortable seating, soothing music, or meditation apps to facilitate relaxation.
Implement Stress Reduction Techniques: Teach employees practical stress reduction techniques such as deep breathing exercises, mindfulness meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation. Consider offering workshops or lunchtime sessions to introduce these techniques and encourage regular practice.
Lead by Example: Leadership plays a crucial role in shaping organizational culture. Encourage managers and executives to prioritize their own well-being and openly support employee wellness initiatives. When employees see leadership actively promoting stress management, they're more likely to engage in these practices themselves.
Monitor and Adjust: Continuously monitor the effectiveness of your employee wellness program through feedback surveys, participation rates, and health metrics. Use this data to identify areas for improvement and adjust your approach accordingly.
Celebrate Successes: Recognize and celebrate achievements related to stress management and overall well-being. Whether it's reaching participation milestones, reducing absenteeism, or improving employee satisfaction scores, acknowledging progress helps reinforce the importance of prioritizing employee wellness.
AdvantageHealth offers many employee wellness solutions focused on stress management including Health and Wellness coaching, wellness webinars/seminars and wellness challenges.
AdvantageHealth offers many webinars/seminars on this topic including:
#DOMOREWITHLESS: Managing Stress, Time and Energy
De-stress Rather than Distress
Enhance Your Life Through Mindful Living
Just Breathe
Managing Stress Naturally
Resilience Is Your Superpower: Thriving Through Change and Adversity
The Mind/Body Connection and Mental Health
AdvantageHealth offers many wellness challenges on this topic including:
Stress Less Challenge (7 weeks): Learning the simple techniques presented in this 7 week (or can also be 21-day) challenge will help participants to reduce their stress on the spot. The eight techniques presented in the challenge will allow participants to note their stress level pre and post activity, while allowing each person to determine what works best for him or her.
Happy 'n Healthy: A Resiliency Challenge (21 days): There are proven ways we can improve our moods and raise our levels of happiness and resiliency throughout the day. Each activity listed in this 21-day challenge not only provides a quick boost of positive emotions, improving participants performance and focus in the moment; but if performed habitually over time, each has been shown to help permanently raise participants happiness baselines.
30 Days of Mindfulness (4 weeks): Participants learn simple tasks that they can do every day to be more present in one’s own life. While the primary goal is to encourage a greater sense of feeling present, these tasks also result in a greater feeling of calm, easy, empathy, appreciation, gratitude and balance.
Schedule A Consultation
Email Kristine at kkeykal@advantagehealth.com to get started or call 612.823.4470 (select option “1”).
Let Kristine Keykal, M.P.H, co-founder of AdvantageHealth with over 25 years of experience, consult with you on your employee wellness program.
Since 2001, Minnesota-based AdvantageHealth has been delivering award-winning employee wellbeing programs and fitness center design & management throughout the U.S.