Health and wellness is no longer an optional component at the workplace of today, and whether your team is working in the office or remotely, your organization’s commitment to their well-being remains constant. While relaying this commitment and following up on it is a challenge even in an office setting, actionable pursuit becomes even more difficult in a remote work environment.
But when leaders put their minds to something, they find solutions that work no matter what! And that’s what this article is all about.
Here are five easy and innovative health and wellness solutions these leaders provide for their remote teams:
Remote employees spend a lot of time in one place, often lacking in any real physical exercise. Because they’re right at home all the time, they’re often also more inclined to just lie down and rest after work. That leaves the issue of no physical exercise unresolved.
Offer employees access to gym facilities as a benefit. Gym memberships aren’t cheap, and if the employees get the ability to work out to relieve some stress or just to keep their body and mind healthy, chances are they will take full advantage of it.
Natalia Brzezinska, Marketing & Outreach Manager, PhotoAiD
Thus, the best solution, I think, is to offer employees access to gym facilities as a benefit. Gym memberships aren’t cheap, and if the employees get the ability to work out to relieve some stress or just to keep their body and mind healthy, chances are they will take full advantage of it.
Natalia Brzezinska, Marketing & Outreach Manager, PhotoAiD
It must be a number that they can call for their health and wellness concerns. This is very important, especially for mental wellness. In these challenging days, employees must have someone to reach. It will be in case of despair, exhaustion, and anxiety. These cases are sensitive and must be dealt with by a professional. Having someone to listen to their woes and worries can be very important.
Mental issues are a reality. These woes and dilemmas can happen to anyone, even to the best people that we know. If there is a venue for them to vent their concerns, it will be the best move that an organization can take.
Laura Martinez, Consultant, PersonalityMax
Mental issues are a reality. These woes and dilemmas can happen to anyone, even to the best people that we know. If there is a venue for them to vent their concerns, it will be the best move that an organization can take. It will prove the sense of belongingness that must offer.
Laura Martinez, Consultant, PersonalityMax
I would argue that remote work increases an organization’s responsibility for employee wellbeing and wellness. After all, remote workers are more likely to feel isolated than their office counterpoints, and it’s easier for red flags to be missed when we don’t work together in person.
Having 30% fewer meetings each week, a high-quality coaching conversation from a leader, and a clear and realistic plan for tasks and expected output would make all of the difference to wellbeing and productivity.
Shauna Moran, Founder, Operate Remote
When organizations approach me with innovative wellness solutions because their team is burnt-out, I always look at the basic foundations that are backed by research as the most frequent contributors to burnout. For example, too many back-to-back meetings, unrealistic timelines, workloads, lack of support for managers, and so many more. Often it’s these foundations that are missing, but these foundations can really be the key to making a shift within cultures and employee wellbeing. For example, having 30% fewer meetings each week, a high-quality coaching conversation from a leader, and a clear and realistic plan for tasks and expected output would make all of the difference to wellbeing and productivity.
Shauna Moran, Founder, Operate Remote
There are a few easy and innovative health & wellness solutions for a remote team. One solution is to create a wellness library for the team. This can be a collection of books, articles, or even websites that team members can access when they need some inspiration or motivation.
One solution is to create a wellness library for the team. This can be a collection of books, articles, or even websites that team members can access when they need some inspiration or motivation.
Louise Ogilvy, Recruitment Director, Propeller-Tech
In addition, you can also encourage team members to participate in wellness challenges. These can be fun and competitive, and they help to promote healthy habits within the team. By implementing these easy and innovative solutions, you can help your remote team stay healthy and well.
Louise Ogilvy, Recruitment Director, Propeller-Tech
My tip would be to have no meeting before 10 am on a Monday or after 3 pm on a Friday. Also, meetings are often back to back, so it helps to schedule them to start at 5 past the hour and end 10 minutes to the hour to allow time for a stretch or comfort break.
My tip would be to have no meeting before 10 am on a Monday or after 3 pm on a Friday. Also, meetings are often back to back, so it helps to schedule them to start at 5 past the hour and end 10 minutes to the hour to allow time for a stretch or comfort break.
Krishna Vakharia, Clinical Director, Patient.info
Beyond that, you could mix up the meeting styles – try walking meetings for variety or meetings with videos off to alleviate feelings of anxiety or pressure.
Krishna Vakharia, Clinical Director, Patient.info
Managing a remote team is not an easy task, and even more difficult is engaging them and including them in programs and events that would otherwise be a breeze in an office environment. Thanks to these solutions shared by leaders, as well as an entire list of others that are out there to help organizations create a health-focused and wellness-oriented work environment, engaging even remote employees and contributing to their well-being is a possibility.
Remote work does not tone down an organization’s responsibility for employee well-being. What is your go-to easy and innovative health & wellness solution for a remote team? Do you have a solution you think should absolutely make this list?
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