As the perfect follow-up to last week’s podcast episode and blog post, the month of June is Employee Wellness Month! As we described previously, the J Bar staff is offered various opportunities to meet different developmental needs and work towards financial, personal, and professional goals.
At J Bar, our staff’s wellness is a top priority, and Chief Wellness Officer Tanis Jamar is always looking for ways to continue improving what is offered to her employees. J Bar employees are provided:
Check out this blog post to learn more about those!
When speaking of benefits for employees, something is missing. Employees can “benefit” from so much more than what they are offered, and many employers may not realize it. Hopefully, shedding light on employee wellness this month and highlighting the different areas that need more attention will help employees realize what they need from their employers and help those employers identify gaps in their offerings for staff.
What Can Employers Do?
Explore counseling opportunities.
Nothing is more isolating and upsetting than thinking you have no one to turn to when you are struggling. Many employees feel like they cannot come to their employer with issues they face for fear of judgment or losing their job. It would be beneficial to your staff – and the company, ultimately – if those individuals could seek out counseling knowing their employer makes the opportunity available.
Let employers take “mental health days.”
Implement a plan to have a select amount of days set aside for your employees to stay home, refresh, relax, and return to work with fresh minds and renewed energy. Many people don’t want to use their hard-earned PTO for days like that because they think it would be a waste, or they don’t want to be criticized for taking off “just because.” Allowing your employees the opportunity to take time for themselves will make a difference.
For a little insight on your employees’ mental health, visit this website:
www.thecheckinproject.org/mental-health-resources-for-businesses
Engage your staff in group activities
Set aside a morning meeting for a team-building game. Have everyone put their heads together to craft a mission statement or play a round of “Two Truths and a Lie.” Getting everyone to communicate and laugh together will boost their morale and have them excited for the coming day. Another fun activity to introduce to your employees is a steep challenge.
Encourage individuals to take more steps than everyone else over a month or longer – make it fun and engaging. This friendly competition takes care of two important aspects of employee wellness – exercise and cooperation with others.
Hold a contest
Invite your employees to design the next t-shirt or sticker to promote your company’s brand. Hold a contest and encourage those interested in submitting artwork and displaying the entries at your next company meeting – leaving the rest of the staff to submit votes for their favorites. Encouraging individuals to tap into their creative side is a great way to build motivation and confidence.
For more information about Employee Wellness Month and what you can do for your employers not only one month out of the year but year-round, check out these articles:
Practice mindfulness.
Do you ever get in the car to go somewhere and then arrive at the destination without recollection of the drive? Or do you read two chapters of a book and get to the last page only to realize you don’t remember anything you just read?
This can seriously affect your productivity in the workplace and is especially dangerous in our industry. With the majority of J Bar employees being portable sanitation service technicians driving miles and miles each day, it is important to learn how to focus at the right time and take breaks when you are feeling overwhelmed – or better yet before you recognize that feeling on.
We all experience this mindlessness from time to time, especially when we feel burnt out and overwhelmed by our job. Take a few moments a day to test these mindfulness exercises, and you will begin seeing a difference!
Get some exercise.
You don’t have to jump into a gym membership and wear yourself out, but taking a few moments each day to take a walk will leave you feeling refreshed and ready to conquer your next task. You can take this time to practice the previous mindfulness exercises while you walk if you want to be efficient! For some, getting a few minutes of activity each day eventually leads to a desire to eat better. You will feel better physically and emotionally once you start doing good things for your body.
Take time for yourself.
Use that PTO. You have worked hard to earn the time off your employer provides, so plan a trip or a stay-cation and spend a weekend focusing on yourself – spend time with friends and family, or go on a solo trip. Whatever you do, turn off that part of your brain that thinks about work all the time and start thinking about the fun stuff!
Make goals for yourself.
It is important to give yourself goals to look forward to – having a sense of purpose is life-changing, and reaching those goals you set for yourself leads to the best feeling of accomplishment. One of the wellness opportunities J Bar offers its staff is the Dream Manager™ (https://www.thedreammanager.com/) program. This program is designed to help individuals accomplish goals and dreams but haven’t figured out how to reach them. Grab a notebook and start jotting down the dreams and goals you have had either recently or for a long time, and pick one or two to focus on at a time. Outline steps to reach at certain times; before you know it, you will have accomplished a goal and be ready for the next one.
Talk to someone.
Everyone is going through some type of struggle at one point or another. Try to confide in someone close to you – they may have the right words to say in response, or just their listening ears alone may offer you a feeling of peace. If you have a church family, seek out someone in your congregation who might have resources to help you get through whatever challenge you are experiencing. Your place of employment may offer counseling opportunities, but if they do not, there are many online options. Check out this list of online therapy services or research counseling offices in your area. Talking through the negative emotions, you are going through can make all the difference.
This month, and every month of the year, employee wellness should be a top priority in all places of employment. We have gone through a lot in the past few years, and things are not the same as they once were. We are all just trying to do a good job and provide for ourselves and our families, but stress levels can get high, and burnout is real. Employers – take a few moments to assess how your employees are acting, if they seem overwhelmed, and reach out to help – better yet, let them know you are there for them even when they seem fine. Don’t be afraid to speak up if things aren’t working out!
If you are unsure where to begin looking at new ways to support your employees, feel free to reach out to the leadership here at J Bar and get some inside details of how they are making the necessary changes to care for their staff. We are happy to help! You are always welcome to call us at 830-598-JBAR.
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