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Connecting Workforce Development to Leverage Empowerment in 2023

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Connecting Workforce Development to Leverage Empowerment in 2023

With a new year upon us all it’s always a great time to evaluate the success of your workforce development programs in your organization.
These last 3 years since 2020 have seen such a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, or DEI programming from organizations of all sizes and structures. Our society has called it many things during this time frame including D&I, DEI, IDEA, JEDI and many more. Before this time frame we also called this programming many more things like Affirmative Action, EEO programs, ADA programs and so much more.
The inherent goal has always been the same to bring education, awareness, equity, and justice to all. Our workforce will always be changing and evolving just like the name of our workforce development programs we use to shape culture for the organization.
This is exactly why the work that I do in the leadership development space focuses on empowering all our differences as a shared commonality between people.

HR Spotlight - Polina Kovaleva

Empowerment Beyond Marketing

Empowerment has been recently seen and used as a tagline or marketing ploy, especially in a recruiting manor for more employees or customers.

It is important to be sure you and your organization foundationally understand that there need to be 3 things involved for empowerment to be present in a moment and that is Authority, Power, and People.

A corporation or organization is not part of that equation based on the definition of empowerment which is the authority and power connected to people.

Authority is centered around how people feel empowered and the confidence that they have but also all the way that they care for themselves. Authority-driven items usually produce that boss-like mentality you get from being empowered. It can be very emotionally driven, and it is usually hard to track an honest answer.

See your nearest supervisor feedback review scores that paint a different opinion than the turnover rate is telling you. How does it make you feel to provide the rideshare car driver with a 5-star rating?

That process is all tied to the authority portion of empowerment. All things in this world either raise or lower someone’s authority of empowerment. The emotional side of empowerment can often have different answers to the same exact question because it is based on people’s perceptions.

On the other side of these parts of empowerment is the power side, and that portion is where all the data and numbers live.

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Power in Empowerment

Power in empowerment is where people usually get caught up in trying to acquire these intrinsic items. The tangible measured items like money and all its derivatives, functional power like energy, and the most powerful of all the power items, which is time, are some examples.

Most of the power items can be captured, grown, and invested, except time which is only exactly what you get but also how much time you devote to something and collectively as an organization how many resources you use to impact change or produce a profit margin.

Tracking the impact of these power items in your leadership and workforce development programs should be inherently easy because they all involve some sort of measurable number tied to each of them.

Often organizations are the only ones attempting to track these items and the successes of the DEI program. They are looking to provide an impactful number of promotions or pay equity of the organization among other metrics.

Where we can create more change for 2023 through our people is by helping them better understand how to measure and track their own empowerment this year. And that is why people are the final part of empowerment and they must be involved to connect your program to empowerment.

People in Empowerment

People will always play a critical role even with machine learning and artificial intelligence. They are all a part of your workforce, and all can be collectively working together to track the impact that they each make this year.

To track authority accurately in 2023 you are going to have to teach your employees more about empowerment by connecting it to your leadership and workforce development programming. By measuring the authority each person has within themselves will help your employees develop by understanding how they feel about their own commitment to your organization.

Then remember the power items can be easily tracked since they all contain a measurable component to them, but the key element is teaching your people to also track their power items as well which they contribute to the organization.

If your people are truly empowered in 2023, then they should be able to provide their empowerment report at the end of the year. This report can showcase all of their successes personally but also how they connected to other people through authority, as well as the power numbers of their business results.

DEI programs are only successful when they ultimately tie back to business and if your people are empowered then they should be able to communicate exactly why they are instead of it just being a blanket statement.

Development that Aligns with the Empowerment Shift

Having served for 6 years as the VP of DEI for 60,000 people at PNC Bank I saw how empowerment moved and was received through DEI and community driven programming. This is what led me to finish my research on empowerment and create a world class leadership development organization.

I get the pleasure of helping great organizations become better by connecting my research on empowerment of people as well as measuring how empowered your people are across the differences that we have as humans.

Remember that empowerment is felt differently across all our top differences so our groundbreaking empowering differences assessment helps to provide data surrounding which differences need the most empowerment in your organization as well as providing recommendations on which leadership actions people can do to drive more empowerment faster.

For 2023 you can create a leadership development for your entire workforce based on each person’s intersectionality and that can help truly empower all differences.

 

Ashley T. Brundage HR Spotlight

All About Our Guest

More about Ashley

She transformed from homelessness and being an out woman of transgender experience to gain a job as a part time bank teller in 2010, then became the national vice president of Diversity Equity and Inclusion at PNC Bank in 4.5 years. After being featured in several media outlets she left her job running DEI and publishing an award winning empowerment and leadership book/program. Now she runs her own transformational leadership development organization traveling the world sharing her insights while also serving for several nonprofit organizations and sharing her research on how to drive empowerment faster though all of our differences we have as humans.

About Empowering Differences

International award winning leadership and empowerment expert Ashley T Brundage shares her insight into numerous especially tracking DEI efforts through what she calls Empowering Actions with the APP of Empowerment. Her leadership development program teaches people how to track the DEIB work they do for organizations by measuring the authority driven items through human capital surveys as well as tracking the power driven items through their natural measurement and tracked nature since they are all easily accountable. The power items are like actual power, monetary instruments, and time as 3 common examples. The authority driven items are more people centric placed surrounding feelings like confidence, learned skills, and wellness. Her program focuses this tracking effort as the APP of empowerment deeply rooted in the foundational definition of empowerment which is authority and power connected to people. She also professionally advises several other corporation and meeting organizations on inclusive practices for meetings to address LGBTQ+, Disabled, and other marginalized communities to make access to programs more equitable for all.

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Employee and Organizational Well-being: A Burnout Prevention Strategist’s Guide

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Employee and Organizational Well-being: A Burnout Prevention Strategist’s Guide

Companies everywhere are looking for innovative ways to improve workplace health and wellness. An epidemic of burnout and quiet quitting have companies searching for solutions that support employee well-being and, ultimately, the organization’s health. 

Here are 3 practical and efficient solutions to help you tackle burnout and promote employee and organizational well-being.

1. Create a psychologically safe environment to talk about stress and burnout

Fear is the primary reason employees do not talk to their manager about the stress and burnout they’re experiencing. Fear of losing their job. Fear of losing respect. Fear of losing the next big promotion.

Fear is a powerful motivator. Even though employees are stressed, worn out, and burnt out, they’re afraid to talk about it. Rather than finding long-term solutions to their health and productivity challenges, they give as little as possible as they work on fumes.

The first step toward building a sustainable workplace health and wellness plan is to develop a psychologically safe environment to discuss stress, challenges, and burnout.

So how do we do this? By modeling from the top. Leaders must demonstrate that it’s not only safe to talk about stress but encouraged. Here are a few ways leaders can model appropriately.

  • Update your out-of-office reply and email signature to clearly state your working hours. Perhaps include a statement, such as, “I will respond to your email within my working hours. There is no expectation to reply until you are at work.”
  • Send an email to employees at the end of the day, saying, “I’m heading home from work now to be with my family. I hope you enjoy your evening as well.”
  • Post as much on your social media channels about your rest life as your work life. Make work-life balance something to celebrate.

2. Train managers to have emotionally intelligent conversations with direct reports

Most managers care for those they supervise and want to see them succeed. Part of doing so is having conversations about productivity, effectiveness, and stress management.

During a recent workshop I presented to leaders of a national, multi-site corporation, a leader mentioned having gone to counseling to help with her stress levels. I asked what made her feel safe to not only access her benefits package counseling resources but share having done so with colleagues. She said her manager shared a story of a time of great personal stress and the impact a counselor had on her well-being. When her manager admitted reaching out to a counselor, she felt it would be ok to do so herself, which was a life-changing decision.

Here are a few recommendations for how managers can authentically open the wellness conversation while prioritizing effective work practices and employee well-being.

  • Help employees understand expectations, discuss which tasks are high, medium, and low priority, and train employees to manage their day and week based on importance. While workloads may be high, acknowledging them and helping employees prioritize their work can create a huge advantage.
  • Ask those you manage how they are doing, and genuinely listen. Respond with empathy to show you truly care. Ask what you can do to help.
  • Authentically share how you deal with stress, including the resources that have helped you most.
  • You will build trust by seeking to understand your direct reports’ struggles and responding with empathy. When employees trust your intentions, they are more likely to engage with resources provided by the company.

3. Implement quarterly burnout assessment checks to improve employee wellness and productivity.

A challenge of workplace wellness programs is collecting data on the plan’s efficacy. For example, how do you know what is causing employees the most significant workplace stress and which initiatives are making a difference?

Research shows six factors create burnout in an organization:

  • Overwhelming workload
  • Lack of control
  • Lack of reward
  • Lack of community
  • Lack of fairness
  • Conflicting values

These factors speak to company culture and cannot be fixed with a simple day off. Organizations often do not see a significant return on investment with their workplace wellness plans because initiatives do not address the root causes of employee stress.

By identifying and understanding the six factors affecting employees, organizations can manage workplace stress with short-term resource solutions and long-term culture design.

Why burnout is relevant now

I have created the most comprehensive Burnout Assessment available and offer it free to companies worldwide. The assessment provides both a Professional Profile based on the six factors noted above and a Personal Profile, evaluating the effects of burnout on a person’s health.

Companies across sectors use the Burnout Assessment, including corporate, non-profit, healthcare, and educational institutions. It provides a free, people-focused, data-driven assessment to evaluate critical cultural factors causing workplace stress.

Start with leadership

Download the free Burnout Assessment. 

  • Engage the leadership team, which, depending on your organization, may mean the C-Suite, Directors, or senior management team. Explain that the company is looking to strengthen its workplace health and wellness plan and will use the Burnout Assessment to evaluate employee stressors and risks. The leadership team will be the first to complete the assessment to create an authentic and psychologically safe process for all.
  • Ask leaders to complete the assessment, and be prepared to share their results during the next leadership team meeting.
  • During a leadership meeting, ask questions about what it felt like to complete the assessment, what the outcomes represent, and how to have psychologically safe and emotionally intelligent conversations with direct reports once the Burnout Assessment is implemented company-wide.

Implement the Burnout Assessment company-wide

  • Have managers send the Burnout Assessment to those they oversee, explaining the company’s vision to strengthen workplace health and wellness.
  • Invite direct reports to complete the assessment and prepare to discuss the results in a one-on-one meeting. I recommend asking employees to disclose their Professional Profile only, which will give you the data you’re looking for, as the Personal Profile may feel too personal and private.
  • Ask employees thoughtful questions, such as, “What did you notice?”, Do you have any concerns?” and “What changes would help you?”
  • Offer support and resources to address the challenges exposed by the assessment. Point to company workflows and automation, benefits packages, and employee assistance programs.
  • Re-evaluate quarterly and compare results to see where improvements have been made and what cultural shifts need to happen.

Over time, you will notice themes and patterns emerging as you implement the Burnout Assessment across your organization. You may find that certain factors arise in specific departments within the company, allowing you to address issues specifically and accurately. Because ultimately, happy, healthy employees create healthy organizations that thrive.

About Bonita Eby

Bonita Eby is a Burnout Prevention Strategist and CEO of Breakthrough Personal & Professional Development Inc., specializing in burnout prevention and wellness for organizations and individuals at the intersection of health and leadership development.

Download your free Burnout Assessment today.

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Simple and Efficient Wellness Initiatives: The Biz Latin Hub Story

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Simple and Efficient Wellness Initiatives: The Biz Latin Hub Story

We asked HR and business leaders around the world the all-important question of how their workplace wellness initiatives are impacting their workforce. Among our responses, we received this wonderful piece of insight from Craig Dempsey, and we just had to share all that Craig had to say about their simple and efficient wellness initiatives at Biz Latin Hub!

At Biz Latin Hub, we make every effort in order to ensure our employees feel comfortable whilst working in the office. For the past few years, we have constantly been implementing and improving these processes for the benefit of all our staff.

Clean, tidy and well-decorated offices

Firstly, we believe it is essential to maintain a high level of cleanliness at all times. We have someone in charge of that mission throughout the working day. 

We also keep the office bright and colorful, which has an important impact on morale. There are paintings spread around the office and plants for additional color. As well as being decorative, plants improve air quality, are a source of well-being, and also improve the productivity of employees.

In addition to our efforts to boost morale, we provide our employees with high-quality technology and working materials so they can provide a top-class service to our clients.

Balanced and healthy diets

Regarding nutrition, I believe a healthy and balanced diet is essential in order to be proactive and energetic. 

The majority of employees start working by 9 am, so they should have time to get up a little early and have a good breakfast (the most important meal of the day?)

At the workplace, we then provide fruit baskets daily to keep everybody in good spirits and full of energy (citrus fruits, bananas, apples). 

We also provide several types of tea and coffee (as any good office should) to stay alert throughout the day and a water cooler, so everyone stays hydrated. In addition to the pleasure that hot drinks provide, they can also boost intellectual and physical capacity.

Like most companies, we have a small lunch room with cutlery, plates, cups, microwave and many other things that could be useful for our employees and their well-being.

Everyone is free to have snacks or eat outside in the sunshine. Our employees have the freedom to take their breaks when they so desire and are therefore not forced to have a heavy lunch to keep them going through the day.

A united team goes the extra mile

In relation to corporate culture, our devoted HR team is constantly adding more and more events to the staff calendar. 

We organize team-building events to strengthen bonds and improve team cohesion so all employees can get to know their co-workers more deeply. 

In addition to this, we celebrate milestones with enthusiasm and with the whole team. For example, we recently celebrated the company’s 8th anniversary, and the atmosphere was amazing. These events allow the team to spend lots of pleasant time together whilst at work.

Sometimes, after certain events or by the request of an employee, we will organize team meals that everyone is invited to after a day at the office.

We also provide access to workshops such as language classes, photography classes, and sports events.

Our employees have access to training throughout the year and the possibility to progress to more important positions within the company, especially management positions.

Thanks to all of this, everybody’s sense of belonging becomes stronger and our offices at Biz Latin Hub offer a great social climate.

Hybrid work to satisfy everyone

This highlights a very topical subject that, since the Covid-19 pandemic, has affected many workplaces.

I think it is important for everyone to be able to balance their family and professional life. Remote working or hybrid work allows for more flexibility and suits many people.

According to a recent study, about 80% of employees worldwide have found a better balance between these two important parts of their lives since starting hybrid/remote work agreements. 

This can also generate better productivity in some cases and even reduce levels of stress. 

As it often is in big cities, a significant part of our team lives a fair distance from the office. Travel time is greatly reduced by working remotely, and it allows them to save money on top of that. This time and money can then be used for other parts of their lives, further improving their work/life balance. This is an excellent compromise and many of the team have expressed positive opinions on our recently developed hybrid work strategy. 

This being said, some people prefer to work from the office, which is fully understandable, whether it is for social reasons, communication, or something else. In our case, most of the employees come in 3 days a week to the office and then work from home for the rest of the week. Obviously, there are some exceptions depending on the needs of the employee. On Fridays, we usually ask everybody to come into the office as we often hold important meetings and/or celebrations at the end of the working week.

I personally prefer to be working in the field with my collaborators. It saves me from being on my computer all day. At the office, our computers are programmed to change color after 5:30 pm, so our employees don’t work overtime and it prevents eye strain. 

To Sum It Up

In conclusion, we understand that there is a strong correlation between productivity, motivation, and well-being at work. Therefore, we do our best to repeatedly improve our health and well-being initiatives and enact them to form a workforce that consistently improves their state of mind and their ability to thrive at work.

Craig Dempsey is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Biz Latin Hub Group

About Craig Dempsey

Craig Dempsey is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Biz Latin Hub Group, an organization dedicated to assisting investors in Latin America and the Caribbean via the likes of company formation and tax advisory, as well as through recruitment and payroll outsourcing. 

Craig holds a degree in mechanical engineering, a master’s degree in project management, and other certifications covering logistics, personal management, and government administration. Craig is an Australian military veteran and has been deployed overseas on numerous occasions. He is also a former mining executive with experience in Australia, Canada, Colombia, and Peru.

Craig is based at the BLH head office in Bogota, Colombia.

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3 Incredible Stories: How Your Health and Wellness Initiatives Impact Employees

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Michelle Holland Executive Director at SynergyIQ
Rebecca Kraut Mtime
Marty Spargo Owner, Reize Club

3 Incredible Stories: How Your Health and Wellness Initiatives Impact Employees

Not every employee has the time, luxury, or courage they need to address their health and wellness challenges. The reasons could be many, from the lack of support at home to no means of access to the right kind of attention they need. 

At the workplace, though, it may be easier for employees to seek help, especially when help is readily available through professionals, and there is a set process in place that revolves around the health of the employee at all times. 

So how does this effort shown by an employer affect the lives of employees? Does this effort have an effect on performance and productivity too? Is this effect positive or negative? After all, every initiative, no matter how small, requires employees to spend time away from their work desks! 

To bring to you a well-rounded opinion that is not just based on our team’s insights alone, we bring to you a post that addresses this all-important topic of how your health and wellness initiatives are impacting employees through three beautiful workplace stories that help us drive home our point.

The SynergyIQ Story: When an Hour of Fun does a Lot More than You Think!

Michelle Holland, Executive Director at SynergyIQ, shares quite a unique solution that may seem like only a fun one but evidently has far-reaching positive consequences. “Each and every week, we make time to have some fun together at SynergyIQ. It’s called our hour of silly, and it’s a non-negotiable for us. Even on our busiest days!” So doesn’t this have an impact on productivity? An hour sure sounds like a lot when you are pursuing targets that only seem to be further away every time you look up. “Sure, we lose a bit of productivity during the hour of silly, but we make up for that in the hours that follow,” shares Michelle. So what does this hour (which is beginning to sound even more interesting with each passing minute) include for employees?

Michelle Holland Executive Director at SynergyIQ

In terms of some of the things we’ve done during that hour of silly, we’ve had dogs visit the office (no explanation needed!), we play games which help us understand each other’s HBDI thinking styles, team quizzes and more. Some activities are more light-hearted, others are more about getting to know each other.

Michelle Holland
Executive Director at SynergyIQ

“In terms of some of the things we’ve done during that hour of silly, we’ve had dogs visit the office (no explanation needed!), we play games which help us understand each other’s HBDI thinking styles, team quizzes and more. Some activities are more light-hearted, others are more about getting to know each other,” she says. 

And has there been any notable impact on employees? Well, of course participating in such a fun-filled hour sounds like a great experience but does it have any real impact on the ground? “Attendance in the office increases on these days, as does output afterwards. Happier employees are healthier and more engaged,” reveals Michelle, and we have to agree. 

“So if you’re not having any fun at work, we suggest you start an hour of silly of your own,” advises Michelle, and going by the experience she shares, there’s every reason for you to carve out your own ‘hour of silly’ at the workplace too. Hey, don’t you forget that health and wellness is also about being playful!

The mtime Story: Where Moncierge Well-being Surpasses Client and Business

mtime

At mtime, the employee is at the top of every pyramid, and that’s how this unique business operates. Rebecca Kraut reveals how they go one step ahead to protect the interests of their employees and show them they care for their own. 

“We run what we call ‘culture of care’ at our business. This is specifically designed to support our employees (moncierges, our name for our in-home carers) and one of the most controversial initiatives we have is taking feedback from our employees on our clients; and letting them rate the experience of working with the family!” reveals Rebecca. 

But why would this be controversial? After all, although not prevalent, employers seeking employee feedback on clients isn’t a practice that’s unheard of. What Rebecca reveals next throws some light on this. 

“The feedback our employees provide can, at times, lead to us firing the clients because we don’t compromise on the rules of culture of care for our employees and the customer is not always right!”

Does that sound like something your business would do? If it does, take a bow! Because we all know that very few businesses out there would go as far as firing clients only to protect their employees. But that’s Rebecca and the rest of the mtimes team manage to do, and the outcome of this commitment towards employee well-being is evident.

Rebecca Kraut Mtime

We run what we call ‘culture of care’ at our business. This is specifically designed to support our employees (moncierges, our name for our in-home carers) and one of the most controversial initiatives we have is taking feedback from our employees on our clients; and letting them rate the experience of working with the family!

Rebecca Kraut
Mtime

“The result is that the women in these blue collar roles are finally feeling supported, growing in confidence, building independence (financially & otherwise) and we’re retaining them for longer! Our business is nothing without our staff & so everyday & every action is centered around a culture of care – rather than maybe a more fickle ‘wellness initiative’!”

Now there’s a twist to the term wellness that we sure would like to witness in more and more workplaces. Hey, we don’t even mind the ‘fickle’ jab because we know Rebecca isn’t wrong here.

Plenty of workplaces out there have everything in line, but only on paper. When it comes to actionable steps, though, there is always a permanent lag. And if you were to ask even the bigger brands if they’d go as far as to fire a client over feedback provided by employees, we’re sure you’d only get raised eyebrows or smirks in reply. 

Kudos, team mtime! There’s a lot we can all learn from you here.

The Reize Club Story: When You Know Your Employees, You can Help Them Better

Reize

While this take was all things fun, there is another angle to paying attention to the mental health of employees. For, at times, these interactions can help peers or leaders uncover tragic personal lows some of your employees may be experiencing in their lives. 

Marty Spargo, owner of Reize Club, has one such highly impactful story to share. 

Marty Spargo Owner, Reize Club

I worked with an employee to create a wellness plan that would help her manage her symptoms and keep them under control while still allowing enough flexibility so that she could continue working at full capacity

Marty Spargo
Owner, Reize Club

“I have seen firsthand how much of an impact my programs can have on the mental health of our employees. One of my employees was in a very dark place when she came to me for help. She had recently been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and she was terrified that her condition would prevent her from doing her job effectively or even being able to work at all. She was also struggling with depression and anxiety, which made it difficult for her to get out of bed in the morning,” shares Marty. 

When you consider a modern workplace, it almost seems providential that a leader was even able to notice something wrong with an employee. But this is one of the perks of increasing close interactions among your workforce. It brings to the surface problems that are otherwise hidden. 

So how was Marty able to help his employee? 

“I worked with this employee to create a wellness plan that would help her manage her symptoms and keep them under control while still allowing enough flexibility so that she could continue working at full capacity,” he says. 

Now, there’s a boss we wouldn’t mind going to work for in a heartbeat!

The HR Spotlight Quick Five List: How Health and Wellness Initiatives Impact Your Employees

12-Insightful-Leaders-on-Why-an-HR-Team-is-Important-1.jpg

We’ve decided to leave the usual conversations that revolve around employee engagement, retention, and brand impact out of this list. Instead, we’re only going to approach this list from how it affects employees on a personal level. And as the varying stories we mentioned above reveal, how this impact has far-reaching positive consequences. 

So here’s our list that tells you how your health and wellness initiatives impact your employees.

You show employees you care

The initiatives your organizations carry out to promote the well-being of your employees speak volumes of the commitment you have towards your workforce. And this emotion isn’t wasted on your workers. Every initiative and gesture that is taken to protect and promote the mental and physical health of employees tell them how they work for a brand that goes beyond what’s required of them to show they care. To employees who are struggling in their lives, this means more than you’ll possibly ever know.

You protect your employees

Yes, your employees may be spending more time outside the office in a typical work week, but there’s enough reason for you to believe that they spend the most conscious hours at the workplace you’ve designed for them. So when you protect their well-being through proactive steps, this feeling of being in a safe place isn’t lost on them. And when you know you can count on the people or programs at your workplace, employees even look forward to returning to the workplace for relative peace and calm.

You add positivity to the workplace

A healthy workforce that is able to work with a healthy body and a positive mind is a happy one. This positivity that individuals add to their lives reflects in the workplace too. So when you introduce health and wellness initiatives, you are also adding positivity to your workplace. This enables the work environment to perform at high levels without the physical or mental challenges of the workforce adversely impacting it in any way.

You remove roadblocks

Seeking help or embracing positive change isn’t always easy. Even when every reason is right there in front of you, it is difficult to take that most important step forward and make a change. In promoting the right initiatives at your workplace, you help your employees tackle and overcome these common roadblocks by offering strength in numbers and infusing trust. To someone who has been struggling alone, this means a lot more than we would ever know.

You educate

Not every employee in your workforce may be aware of how important their physical and mental wellness is to their personal and professional lives. There are times when even the most unhealthy people remain unaware of the problems and challenges they face and realize them only when they receive some education about them. Your workplace’s health and wellness initiatives may very well be the first awareness experiences for these employees.

A healthy and well workforce makes for a high-performance workplace

A commitment shown by a business is never lost on an employee. Firstly, the elements of health and wellness that employees are now able to add to their lives positively affect their way of work and help them do more at work. Secondly, the extra mile their employers have gone for them encourages them to give back in any way they can to the workplace too.

3 Incredible Stories: How Your Health and Wellness Initiatives Impact Employees

This dual benefit brought on by your initiatives — apart from the extremely crucial element of improving the individual lives of your employees — results in a healthy workforce that is always mindful of their responsibilities at work and contributes to building and maintaining a high-performance environment. 

Do you have a take on why an HR team is important, even if it’s a one-person team? Or is there another insight you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

Write to us at connect@HRSpotlight.com, and our team will help you share your insights.

5 Easy Health and Wellness Solutions for Your Remote Team

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Natalia Brzezinska, Marketing & Outreach Manager, PhotoAiD
Laura Martinez, Consultant, PersonalityMax
Shauna Moran, Founder, Operate Remote
Louise Ogilvy, Recruitment Director, Propeller-Tech
Krishna Vakharia, Clinical Director, Patient.info

5 Easy Health and Wellness Solutions for Your Remote Team

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:

  • Invest in Gym Membership Cards as a Benefit
  • Provide an Easily Accessible Hotline
  • Have a Clear and Realistic Plan for Tasks and Expected Output
  • Encourage Team Members to Participate in Wellness Challenges
  • Vary Meeting Formats and Schedule Meetings With Breaks

Invest in Gym Membership Cards as a Benefit

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.

Natalia Brzezinska, Marketing & Outreach Manager, PhotoAiD

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

Provide an Easily Accessible Hotline

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.

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.

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

Have a Clear and Realistic Plan for Tasks and Expected Output

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.

Shauna Moran, Founder, Operate Remote

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

Encourage Team Members to Participate in Wellness Challenges

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.

Louise Ogilvy, Recruitment Director, Propeller-Tech

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

 

Vary Meeting Formats and Schedule Meetings With Breaks

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

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

Innovative Health and Wellness Solutions Results in Healthy and Productive Remote Teams

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?

Write to us at contribute@HRSpotlight.com  and our team will help you share your insights.

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