The WellRight Blog

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.

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.

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.

It’s cliche, but true: Gym memberships skyrocket in January, as resolution-makers swear this is the year they’ll get in shape.

And yet by May, nearly 80 percent of new gym members will have stopped going. And by the end of the year, fewer than 10 percent will have felt like they kept their resolution.

As an employer, can you help things be different this year?

The term “carrot and stick” comes from farmers dangling a carrot in front of animals to encourage them to make forward progress. But while farmers rarely let the hard-working animals get the carrot, today’s employers know better.

Instead, they understand that to encourage positive change—like participation in biometric screening—they need to offer the “carrots” employees can actually earn and enjoy.

Wellness is more than a single blood pressure reading or the number of miles we logged last week on our Fitbit. Instead, wellness is a complex connection of systems, with each one affecting the next.

Because of this, companies who take a siloed approach to employee wellness, focusing solely on nutrition or fitness, do themselves—and their employees—a huge disservice.

But imagine what could be accomplished when an employer helps their employees not just eat well and better manage health conditions, but also plan for retirement or college, teach stress management and coping strategies, and develop social groups to keep employees feeling connected.

It’s that Sunday-evening feeling of sickening dread. It’s knowing that no matter what you do at work, it’ll never be enough. It’s taking a day off, only to end up fielding work calls and emails all day long.

“Burned out,” like “depressed,” is a term that is often casually thrown around. And like depression, trueburnout—a state of chronic stress that leads to physical and emotional exhaustion—can be surprisingly common and completely debilitating.

Imagine being in a high-pressure profession in which you’re encouraged to put other people’s well-being above your own, are required to have a near-perfect success rate, and any mistakes you make could literally kill someone. And if the stress gets to be too much, you’re expected to push it aside and get on with your day.

This experience is the reality for many physicians.

Taking care of ourselves during the busy holiday season is frequently overshadowed by decorating the house, baking sweets and treats, selecting the perfect gifts, attending party after party, and taking the perfect holiday card photo.

But if we don’t take the time and effort to care for our overall wellness, we may not be able to enjoy the season. So, where do we start?