Tag: corporate wellness

Keeping Your Employees Safe & Sound

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Collaborative post – may contain affiliate links

No matter what kind of business you run, you need to make sure that you are doing everything in your power to keep them as safe as possible while in the workplace. This is important for a number of reasons. Of course, in one respect it is important because you need to make sure that you are keeping your business legally and morally above board. But It goes far beyond that. Any good employer should care about the wellbeing of their staff genuinely, and as long as you do you can be sure that you will be respected all the more as well. You should also think about the fact that it will make for a much better workplace on the whole, and a more cohesive team unit. In this article, we are going to look at some of the essentials to keeping your employees safe and sound in the workplace, whatever that workplace might be.

Adhering To The Law

There are always going to be specific laws for your industry, line of business, and more general laws which you need to abide by. Adhering to these rules is essential for a number of reasons, and the most important is that they are designed to keep people as safe as possible while at work. Even if there are a couple of these laws which you feel are not entirely sensible or you find to be ridiculous, it’s important to make sure that you are adhering to them ,if only to stop you form getting into trouble. You should be doing everything you can to keep people safe, and that includes abiding by all rules which apply – and then going above and beyond as well.

Using Tech

One of the great ways to keep your employees much safer in the workplace is to make use of whatever tech might be available to do so. You might be surprised at how much there is to consider here, and one of the most important is the use of special software to ensure that you are doing whatever you can to keep people safe. This safety management software will help you to keep above board in terms of health and safety, and it will also mean that you are able to keep records of whether or not you’re doing what you should be doing by law. It is important to make use of this whenever you feel it is necessary, as it can make all the difference in the world.

Championing

By having one person to champion health and safety in the workplace you actually do much to increase its apparent importance in the workplace. You might be surprised at what a difference this can make. It’s definitely worth considering, but do try to make usr that you actually choose the right people – in other words someone who is going to take it seriously and who is passionate about it as well. Get that choice right and it could make a huge difference.

How Companies Can Offer Work Life Balance Perks

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Work life balance is a desired state by most (excluding workaholics/those married to their career).

But talking about it versus providing it can be challenging.

As a company, how can you creatively offer this perk?

According to this Forbes article, Millennials crave healthcare benefits which fit under the category of: wellness.

Instead of looking at work life balance as separating your personal from professional life, picture it as one encompassing circle. If you do that offering wellness becomes simple.

Let me explain. Mental health has recently become a priority to workers because it’s preventative. Rather than offering gym membership reimbursements, offer Headspace or a Life Coach as an alternative. As long as it positively affects the company’s bottom line, what difference does it make what “means” helps achieve that goal?

Consider the paradigm shift from a recruitment standpoint. Companies should be looking at ways to enhance worker’s personal lives since that has the biggest impact on performance.

When I work as an external coach my goal is for each employee is for them to leave better than when they came in (to meet with me). That means doing whatever it takes to minimize distractions so workers can get focused. Usually their “issues” have nothing to do with work. If something’s wrong relationally outside of work, it’s brought into the office. That’s what I mean by one encompassing circle.

Most management philosophies emphasize getting workers focused, but in my opinion it’s just the opposite. Hone in on removing distractions and you’re freed up to do your best work.

This translates directly to work life balance because focusing on wellness tactics that actually work matter. Understanding the “why” behind people’s motivations is key to unlocking optimal productivity. Evaluating current programs, gathering employee feedback and ultimately measuring data will reveal the wellness solutions you’re searching for.

3 Benefits Of Morning Workouts

Scott Asai3 Comments

Successful people wake up earlier.

That doesn’t mean if you’re not a morning person you should become one.

But I will say from personal experience the benefits may convert you.

1. Better Energy – Even if you’ve had a poor sleep or want to stay in bed longer, focus on the feeling after completing a workout. I’ve never left the gym saying to myself, “I wish I stayed in bed longer.” It’s always, “I’m glad I went.” It’s a feeling you should chase. The only exception is if you’re sick, injured or got less than 4 hours of sleep. The payoff happens after. As tired as you were forcing yourself to the gym, chances are you won’t hit the wall in the afternoon because working out releases endorphins that last up to 12 hours. Getting that extra hour of sleep won’t equate to more than the energy released post-workout through the day.

2. More Focus – Similar to caffeine, the greatest boost happens immediately after. Identify when you’re the most productive and plan to workout before then. For some this may mean the afternoon or evening, but the problem is you’re working during that time and knowing the boost happens after you waste part of it sleeping. For example I tend to do my best work between 9 AM – 2 PM so I workout around 7 or 8 AM. Before lunch I try to not schedule any meetings or phone calls because I want uninterrupted time to myself. Post lunch I can do more independent work, but meetings can give me an afternoon jolt that extends my efficiency. Experiment what works for you, but if you work out in the morning you have the rest of the day to reap the benefits.

3. Better Health – The more healthy you are, the more productive you are. The reason companies promote wellness programs is because the healthier you are, the less sick days you take. Going to the gym regularly may not reverse genetics, but it creates a good habit of exerting energy towards better health. When you feel good, you tend to produce better work. Intangible benefits such as increased confidence, more stamina and more alertness come natural with being healthy. Pair this with high proteins, green vegetables and less carbs and it’s a powerful outcome. Don’t underestimate the physical influence on work performance. If you’re not feeling well it shows externally in your work.

I won’t be able to convince you all, but I swear by morning workouts to the point when I don’t do some type of physical activity 5 times a week in the morning I actually feel sick. Consider it your coffee replacement. Much cheaper and better for you. Try it and you’ll get hooked on a habit that will change your lifestyle.

How To Start Your Own Yoga Business

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Collaborative post – may contain affiliate links

The new year is upon us, and many of you are already thinking of changing the old ways and embarking on a journey that will help you feel more fulfilled and rejuvenated.

Starting your own business is a great way of doing so, and if this means enabling your passion to be your main source of income, then even better.

Do you want to teach yoga?

Teaching yoga is not for the faint at heart, as there are many aspects of the business that need to be looked after, but it is certainly a very rewarding trade.

If you are able to have realistic expectations about it, starting your own yoga-teaching business can be a fantastic experience.

Research other businesses in the area

To make sure you are offering your own specific services, do some research beforehand. Google “yoga classes” in your region and see what comes up. This will teach you a great deal about your competition and will help you identify what it is that other businesses are doing that is successful. You can then think about what services you will offer and how you will market these to match and outweigh your competition.

Come up with a great brand for your business

This is the fun part. Take a piece of paper and write down names that have crossed your mind for your business. The list doesn’t need to include the best names that come to your head only. Write all the names that you have ever thought of calling your company so that you can then brainstorm amongst a list that includes the best and worst options. If you are stuck, Brand Bucket might help you think of interesting options.

Design a low-cost website through which to market your services

Platforms like Wix or Squarespace are relatively cheap and will allow you to design a website that looks the part and is complex enough to include all the information you need to share about your business.

Reach out to your existing customers

This could be the trickiest part if you haven’t got any past clients to whom you have taught yoga on a freelance capacity. If you do, simply reach out to them via email letting them know of your new business venture. Intelligent software like medicalspasoftware.com will allow you to manage your clientele appropriately. From helping you keep your client records in an organized manner, to assisting you with online marketing, it will help you take your business to the next level.

Attracting new clients

Tell your friends and family about your business and start marketing your services on social media. Maximize your brand visibility also by posting relevant text on yoga- and health-related blogs and remember to attend key yoga and wellbeing events in your region so that you can network in person. Try Wanderlust for a list of some of the most popular mindful living events. Growing your customer base is as simple as turning up to a networking event and saying hello! See where that takes you.

The above tips have hopefully given you a good insight into what it takes to start teaching yoga professionally. Best of luck and congratulations on starting to take steps to make your dream a reality!

Why The 40 Hour Work Week Needs To Die (Part 2)

Scott Asai1 Comment

sweden

Have you ever wondered where the 40-hour work week originated?

Henry Ford actually scaled it back from 48 hours back in the early 1900’s.

The fact we have to go back almost 100 years shows how outdated the model is.

Recently Amazon is in the news for enforcing the 30 hour week, at a reduced rate, yet it’s a step in the right direction.

Sweden boasts a 6-hour workday which is based on research that a person is only productive for 6 hours a day anyway.

I’ll take it a step further and propose a four-day, 24 hour work week.

Salaries would decrease, but in the gig economy most people earn additional income from a side hustle. Corporate wellness exists mainly because of the negative repercussions of over-worked, stressed and distracted workers. Reducing the work week to 24 hours would nearly eliminate sick days, burnout and lack of productivity.

As I mentioned in an earlier article, stop upholding tradition and start focusing on results. With the advancements in technology, scaling “human” work stands true also.

Although Millennials are leading the charge, lifestyle matters more than passion. We work to support the type of lifestyle we want to live. The quicker companies embrace that, time spent/off becomes the greatest currency.

In business, we must evaluate our current procedures to see if there is a more efficient way it can be done. Sweden and Amazon are leading the way, the rest of Corporate America needs to catch up.