Recently, as I was strolling through the NWESD employee lounge, I came upon a fun group sharing a healthy “Breakfast at Break”. It is one of the annual healthy potluck events planned by the NWESD’s Wellness Committee and provides employees with the opportunity to choose from a variety of healthy breakfast options. It was wonderful to see this hardworking group sit down and enjoy each other’s company while fueling their bodies with the wholesome food needed to move on with their busy days.
This Wellness Committee event reminded me that May is Global Employee Health and Fitness Month. Following closely behind, in June, is National Employee Wellness Month. What a perfect time to reflect on how we can care for our employees, our co-workers, and ourselves!
Why is employee wellness so important? Virgin Pulse, (in partnership with Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance, the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, and WorldatWork) developed the mission to support the workplace’s role in creating healthier employees. “Healthy, happy, well-adjusted employees are an organization’s biggest asset. Employee Wellbeing Month is an opportunity to help employees meet their personal health and wellbeing goals, providing ways to feel better at work, combat day-to-day stress, stay physically active and contribute to an overall company culture of health. We all spend a lot of time working. It is important for that time to be fulfilling, supportive and enjoyable.”
In our roles as educators and supporters of education, whether inside or outside of the classroom, we spend our days preparing the next generation to become well educated, well adjusted, healthy, and successful members of our communities. This task, although enjoyable and rewarding, can also feel quite daunting. Some may even say it can be utterly exhausting! With the school year winding down and summer break quickly approaching, now is the perfect time to think about recharging and focusing on health.
For those of you who don’t have summers off, there are ways you can also recharge and re-focus on health. When you need to be in the office while the sunshine is making its grand appearance, consider committing to:
- Ditching the elevators and take the stairs instead
- Taking a quick 15 to 30-minute brisk walk
- Using a parking space that is farther away than usual, or if possible, even biking or walking to work
- Holding a “moving meeting” when feasible – instead of sitting around a conference table, hit the pavement during regularly scheduled meetings
You can read about success stories from other organizations, or access free tools available to help us in celebrating Employee Wellness and creating a healthier workplace and workforce:
- 10 Easy, Creative Ways to Celebrate National Employee Wellness Month
- 6 Ways to Celebrate June’s National Employee Wellness Month
- Get Your Office Moving for Employee Health and Fitness Month
- Happy National Employee Wellness Month!
- Free Employee Wellness Month Toolkit, including posters, activities calendars, and newsletters
- Global Health and Fitness Month
See what others are doing to celebrate, or share your own ideas
I wish you all wellness and health as we head into summer!
-Ed
