The WellRight Blog

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.

Motivation. We all want more of it, but few of us can seem to find enough of it. And when we do find that burst of enthusiasm, how often do we use it to improve our health and well-being?

Odds are, you’re not the only one having trouble putting yourself first and taking steps to improve your health; your employees are, too. But imagine what could happen if you could change that—if you could boost motivation among your entire staff, energizing them to take action toward improving their well-being?

It’s a classic scene in just about any office: Meeting requests, incessant emails, rush projects, and late-night work dinners add up to frazzled employees downing a potent mix of coffee, candy bars, and antacids. And that’s if they haven’t called in sick … again.

Luckily, employers have access to a tool that has the power to help employees manage stress and improve productivity, while lowering healthcare expenses and reducing costly sick days. Even better, it hardly costs a thing.

Magic? Nope. It’s mindfulness.

It can be hard for employees to admit to their employers when they have a problem with their well-being, whether it’s serious health concerns, marital issues, or even financial trouble. Yet if they keep their troubles to themselves, it can eventually spill over into their work—compounding the problem for them and creating a new challenge for managers.

Luckily, employees don’t have to tackle these life and work challenges on their own. Employee assistance programs (EAPs) help employees manage everything from legal concerns to work-life stressors—all without any cost to the employee.

Ahh…retirement. When we picture our future without an alarm clock, what does it look like? Maybe it looks like a beachfront condo or a camper on the open road. Maybe it looks like volunteering or picking up a new hobby.

However your employees envision their retirement, you want them to be as prepared as possible to enjoy it. But you know that designing a comfortable retirement isn’t as easy as it sounds. There are finances to plan, health issues to manage, days to fill.

Luckily, employees have you—and your wellness program—to help them prepare. Here’s what they should do … and how you can help.

“You think you’re busy—just wait until you have kids!”

As irritating as this pronouncement can be to those without children, there is a certain grain of truth in it. Having children really does add a hectic new dimension to life.

But, there’s work to be done. And so, new parents must find a way to balance the demands of their job with the demands of their tiny, toothless new overlords. What role can their employer play? How can the company culture support new parents and set up a win-win situation for everybody?