August is National Wellness Month—and with summer in full swing, there’s no better time to prioritize leading a healthy lifestyle. 

Whether you’re relaying bad news to an employee or addressing a workplace incident, managing difficult conversations is as uncomfortable as it is inevitable. 

Most people try to avoid conflict as much as possible, but that isn't as easy for employers. Putting off a challenging conversation may protect feelings, but it can also lead to poor performance, continued workplace conflict, and degradation in company culture.

And according to McKinsey, toxic behavior is currently the No. 1 driver of negative workplace outcomes, ranging from anxiety and burnout to intent to leave. 

So how can employers prepare for and better manage difficult interpersonal dynamics?

Editor's Note: We recently updated this post with new insights.

Employers who seek to infuse diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) throughout their organizations know the value of metrics in learning about the real impact of their initiatives. Analyzing the right metrics enables leaders to measure and quantify progress and promote accountability at every level. 

What most employers may not realize is that they can use another type of initiative that adds tremendous value in quantifying the success of DEI efforts.

And the best part? They may already have the data available.

Enter ESG, which stands for “environmental, social, and governance.”

Take a moment to reflect on the role models or mentors who have influenced you personally or professionally. When you think about their unique characteristics that left an impact on you, which qualities come to mind? 

Was it their intelligence, down to the exact quotient? Were you inspired by their intricate technical skills? Or did you resonate with their ability to connect with you on a human level? 

If you opted for the latter, you may place a greater emphasis on the value of emotional intelligence (EI) in personal and professional relationships.

The shift to remote work during the pandemic saved U.S. employees more than 60 million hours of commute time.

Such a radical and sudden shift in routine is bound to reveal things that may have gone unnoticed. For example, the effect that commuting to work has on employee mental health—both positive and negative—is perhaps clearer now than ever before.

With Earth Day right around the corner, now is not only a great time to reflect on what we're all doing to foster sustainability inside and outside of work. It's also the perfect time to compare how certain modes of commuting impact both the environment and employee well-being.

Humans need social connections—both physical and digital—to thrive. 

While the desired frequency and intensity of social interactions vary between individuals, the sudden absence of social contact—as experienced during the pandemic—can take a major toll on mental and emotional well-being.

According to the latest Social Media Usage report from Pew Research Center, a majority of individuals rely on social media platforms to find and connect with others every day—for some, it’s even part of their jobs. These social relationships have proven to be just as effective as in-person relationships at managing stress, anxiety, and depression; boosting self-worth; and preventing loneliness, especially during times of turmoil.

But without moderation, social media usage can invoke the same polarized feelings of overstimulation and isolation as imbalanced in-person relationships. In the workplace, this can lead to employees feeling disengaged, uninterested in career development, and incredibly burned out.

Editor's Note: We recently updated this post with new insights.

What if there was an easy way to help employees combat depression, increase life satisfaction, improve holistic well-being, and live longer—all while making the world a better place?

Including it in your corporate wellness program would be a no-brainer, right?

Spoiler alert—one of the most effective solutions to boosting well-being involves the simple act of helping others. 

Enter volunteering.

Millennial and Gen X employees are quickly becoming the new “sandwich generation”—but unlike their parents, they have significantly less resources and far more responsibilities on their plates.

It’s even caught the attention of the Department of Health and Human Services, which published its first-ever National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers. The guidelines aim to provide agencies, governments, and private companies with proven recommendations for supporting caregivers and families.

With nearly 53 million people serving as family caregivers, plus approximately 2.7 million grandparents (including many Gen Xers) caring for children who cannot live with their parents, it’s clear that this issue is table stakes for today’s workforce.

How can employers offer more flexibility to caregiving employees in an attempt to combat burnout and attrition?

There’s a lot of conversation right now about how the pandemic has impacted workers across the country. However, younger employee populations, particularly members of Gen Z, are currently exhibiting more signs of mental and social health issues than older generations.

After graduating college and entering the workforce amidst the pandemic, Gen Z hasn’t been shy about making mental health and wellness one of their top priorities in accepting job offers. In October 2022, LinkedIn reported that 66% of Gen Z employees want a company culture built on mental health and wellness. Given that Gen Z will represent 27% of the workforce by 2025, companies are starting to take mental health in the workplace more seriously than ever before.

But there’s another area of well-being that Gen Z workers are especially grappling with on the heels of the pandemic—social wellness and connection.

November is National Gratitude Month, and the timing couldn’t be more perfect. With colder, darker days approaching—and times already tough for many—it’s invigorating to feel the warmth of little moments of sunshine.

You may already be familiar with some of the many benefits of gratitude, but have you ever thought about making gratitude even more of a focal point in your life? What about the lives of your employees?

Here are six wellness challenges that will not only transform your organization, but that will also help you experience a more fulfilled outlook on life.