(Contact the Consortium for information on the Employee Well-Being Challenge!)

June is a favorite month of many.   It’s the beginning of summer and the time when people can bask in the warmth and spend time outdoors enjoying activities like walking, running, swimming, and biking.   Long days and short nights mean tons of time for physical activity!  This is particularly going to be a great month as the country recovers from Covid-19 and people are once again going to be able to enjoy many activities they’ve missed.
 

June marks National Employee Wellness Month and is a time to celebrate employees and to offer resources that create healthy cultures and improve employee well-being that encompasses many aspects, including physical, emotional, social and financial well-being. 

Below are some resources and tips to share with employees and some ideas employers can utilize to help employees along a path of wellness:

• Continue Promoting access to your EAP (Employee Assistance Programs) if offered.  Encourage your employees to utilize this resource.
• Advertise that all subscribers under a Consortium health plan have access to the Blue365 program.  Blue365 is a free health and wellness discount program.  The program provides year-round discounts on gym memberships, fitness gear, health eating options, and more.
• Encourage employees to take breaks and walk during lunchtime.   Exercise lowers blood pressure by reducing blood vessel stiffness so blood can flow more easily. The effects of exercise are most noticeable during and immediately after a workout. Lowered blood pressure can be most significant right after you work out.   Hypertension is the number one leading cause of death in the United States. It is estimated that 45% of adults have hypertension, and the majority (75%+) are either not managing it or don’t know they have it. Many have experienced the impact to their heart health due to COVID, including a decrease in diagnostic testing and an increase in mortality. Several factors impact heart health, including gender, ethnicity, geography and social determinants of health.
• Pick a day of the week where employees bring fresh fruit or healthy snacks.  They can provide energy in the middle of the day or when you exercise. A healthy snack between meals can also decrease your hunger and keep you from overeating at meal time
• Encourage walk-and-talk meetings. Apart from better physical health, walking meetings make people more focused, productive, energetic, and creative than traditional meetings. Plus, they decrease the frequency of office interruptions.

Encourage employees to share healthy recipes.  Sharing recipes motivates you to try new, exciting foods; sharing recipes invites your friends and family to share back with you; and sharing recipes connects you with people.