"I want to lose weight." "I want to work less and travel more." "I want to give back to my community."
Most of us have some sort of goal driving our actions or even just tickling the back of our minds.
While people often have the best of intentions setting these goals, achieving them is another matter—not because they’re lazy or distracted, but because they haven’t identified a reason powerful enough for them to make lasting changes.
Quick: Think of the traditional stereotype of a typical marijuana user. Popular culture has long depicted people who smoke cannabis as rebellious teenagers (or shiftless adults living in mom’s basement).
That public image, however, is quickly shifting. As marijuana becomes increasingly legalized and socially accepted, soccer moms and CEOs are perusing different strains at sleek, Apple Store-like dispensaries, while politicians’ talk of former marijuana use elicits nothing but shrugs. (We’ve come a long way from “I didn’t inhale.”)
Your employees may also be partaking, for a variety of health-related reasons.
Some people joke about the “man flu”—the idea that men tend to exaggerate their symptoms when they become sick. Recent research suggests there might be some legitimacy to this mythical ailment, however, with a true immunity gap existing between the sexes.
“Man flu” notwithstanding, men have an increased risk for many other serious, even potentially fatal, conditions. As we enter Men’s Health Month in June, it’s important to acknowledge five significant health risks men face and learn what employers can do to improve the health of this segment of the workforce.
The United States has approximately 3 million more STEM jobs available than skilled workers to fill them.
Some companies find it hard to compete with the allure of the Amazons and Googles of the tech world. Others are challenged to find local job-seekers with the right skill sets. Regardless, one thing is clear: Tech employers need to find innovative ways to attract and retain top employees.
Working women are doing their best to manage the increasing demands on their personal and professional lives, yet they’re feeling more stressed than ever—and more than their male counterparts. A recent survey of employees in the United Kingdom found that 79% of women—compared with 66% of men—experience work stress. Women ages 35 to 49 fared the worst, with a whopping 87% feeling stressed at work.
When employees are stressed, they’re less focused and motivated, and this often translates into a big hit to your company’s productivity.
In the 90s, actor Luke Perry captured the hearts of millions when he played heartthrob Dylan McKay on TV’s 90210. In March 2019, he broke those same hearts when he suffered a massive stroke and passed away five days later.
Many wouldn’t consider Perry, just 52 years old at the time of his death, a high stroke risk. After all, it’s a condition usually associated with the elderly. But life-changing — and potentially fatal — strokes can happen to anyone, at any time. In fact, there’s evidence that suggests that stroke rates are increasing among young people — including young adults and children.
According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s “Winning with Wellness” report, more than 117 million Americans had one or more chronic illnesses in 2012, accounting for a staggering 75% of all healthcare costs and 70% of deaths in the United States.
And these health declines don’t affect only individuals. They also affect workplaces, driving up insurance costs and decreasing retention and morale. And while wellness programs are an increasingly popular way to tackle these health issues, what does the data say about them?
According to Gallup CEO Jim Clifton, “The single biggest decision you make in your job—bigger than all the rest—is who you name manager.” And for good reason.
Managers today account for 70% of the variance in employee engagement, with good managers having the ability to improve morale, increase productivity, and improve performance. In addition, a well-trained manager knows how to mobilize their employees and leverage employee strengths to meet company goals.
It makes sense, then, that developing these great managers should be a top priority for every company. And one of the best tools for doing so may be an unexpected one: their corporate wellness program.
From baby bunnies to budding daffodils, spring is the time of renewal. Unfortunately, spring is also often the time when the motivation to keep up with New Year’s resolutions starts to fade and employees begin to slip back into old, unhealthy habits.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
The idea of a serious medical incident at work is a distressing one. And yet, we likely all know someone who’s had an ambulance rush to their workplace to bring an employee to the hospital.
When the medical incident is a mental health crisis, however, the situation becomes murkier and more delicate. And unfortunately, while most workplaces have a plan in place for injuries or emergency medical care, they may not have thought about how to handle a serious employee mental health crisis.
