Why Your Company Should Encourage Wellness in the Workplace

In recent weeks, we have begun discussing productivity and office optimization here on the Media Minds blog. We believe that encouraging such discussions can highly benefit everyone within the workplace, no matter their job title. While it is always great to be productive in the most efficient ways possible, it is also crucial to take a moment to breathe and relax.

Unfortunately, there’s a chance that the majority of workplaces do not allow for these moments. According to a study conducted by Great Place to Work and Johns Hopkins University’s Carey Business School, only around 53% of employees in the average workplace feel as though they work in a “psychologically and emotionally fulfilling workplace.” Furthermore, 50% of participating employees felt as though their workplace encouraged a healthy work/life balance. These statistics are troubling for many reasons – if workers are not feeling fulfilled or balanced in their jobs, it could not only affect their work, but also their physical and emotional wellbeing. In order to have productive workplaces, employees need to have time to regroup and recenter.

This is precisely why wellness initiatives and programs can be a great fit for your workplace. A wellness initiative can be as big as investing in mental health in your insurance policies, or as small as a dedicated break each day for breathing and meditation. No matter how you decide to approach it, taking the time to encourage wellness among employees could mean the difference between a happy and an unhappy workplace. Here are some other ideas for wellness initiatives to consider:

• Encouraging employees to volunteer with organizations and causes that matter to them.
• Dedicating one day per month or quarter to employee wellness and wellbeing.
• Having open, company-wide discussions on mental health and non-toxic productivity.
• Researching business discounts on health and wellness apps, such as Headspace.
• Setting up walking groups among departments, where employees can get away from their desk for a few minutes every day.

Of course, every business has its own set of unique needs, and determining the best wellness initiative for yours is no different. You will likely find that some initiatives that sound great on paper don't actually resonate with your team. This is why allowing for suggestions and experimentation is important during this process. You can also do additional research or even take self-guided lessons like the ones that Harvard University provides through edX. No matter what you find, your business or organization will benefit greatly from an increased financial and emotional investment in wellness.