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When it comes to a focus on employee wellbeing, many companies come up short because leaders consider wellness-related activities or practices to be on the fringe, according to Kristine Iverson.
“In reality, these practices and activities could save costs on healthcare and improve performance by recognizing and valuing the well-being of their employees and granting opportunities for mental and physical health breaks and self-care practices,” says Iverson, founder and visionary of CROW Practice Wellness Consultants, a company dedicated to collaborating with corporate event planning companies and their clients to integrate wellness programs into large events.
Another roadblock to workplace wellness success: failure to provide consistent reminders about available resources.
“Many workplaces have made resources available, such as online and in-person mental health support systems and a variety of wellness incentives,” says Pandit Dasa, an author and keynote speaker on workplace culture, the future of work, resilience, mental health and mindfulness who has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, the Wall Street Journal and many other publications. “We need reminders to prioritize self-care and create boundaries. These messages need to come from the higher ups in leadership roles and the same messages should be repeated by all levels of management. Otherwise, these messages won’t remain top of mind and people won’t take them seriously. Without consistent, supportive and encouraging messaging about well-being, a one-off employee wellness program can seem like lip service and something the organization is doing simply to check the box.”
It starts with the individual
But regardless of the wellness culture at work, taking care of oneself begins with the individual. Dasa believes being present with and spending quality time with family and friends is of utmost importance.
“Healthy relationships are the most important component to having positive mental and emotional health, which are key factors in how well we are able to do anything in life,” he says.
Another key to wellness: healthy eating.
“Since food is the fuel for our body, we need to be very mindful of the quality of fuel we are putting into our body,” Dasa says. “Nothing compares to freshly cooked homemade meals because we control the ingredients. If this is too difficult, we can at least make an effort to cook a few meals a week and become more alert about the kinds of ingredients we are consuming. It is also important to not eat too late in the evening and be mindful of the intake quantity.”
Active thoughts keeping you up at night? Interruptions of mindful sleep could also be directly impacting your well-being.
“Dim the lights in the home and engage in activities that you find calming before you hit the sack,” Dasa says. “It is crucial to give ourselves enough time to wind down and close the apps in the mind before our head hits the pillow. We definitely don’t want to send emails or engage in work-related conversations while in bed.”
Iverson says that when she speaks to groups about wellness, she often asks attendees to share their most powerful mental wellness tools.
“The responses are usually exercise or meditation, but according to Psychology Today, from a psychological standpoint, our most powerful tool is our own perception,” she says. “The more control you ‘perceive’ yourself to have over a stressful situation, the less damaging the overall stress. The stressful situation is not stressing you out—it is your perception of control over stressful situations.”
A cultural shift
A surge in demand for wellness-oriented events reflects a broader cultural shift, according to Iverson.
“People now recognize that true fulfillment encompasses not only the external aspects of life but also the internal journey towards balance and harmony,” she says. “As a result, event planners are beginning to adapt this evolving paradigm, embracing the concept of holistic well-being as an integral part of their event programs.”
Dasa’s passion for wellness in the meeting industry has led him to join forces with Caesars Entertainment as an expert speaker on their Wellness Menu, which makes life easier for meeting planners through healthy F&B options and wellness activations.
“Not only is Caesars very actively involved in the meeting and event industry, but they are also now creating a healthy and holistic experience with activities such as yoga, Tai chi, nutrition for mental health and more,” he says. “I have been speaking at conferences for over a decade on the topics of workplace culture, employee wellness and mindful leadership. It made perfect sense to partner with Caesars so we can together join forces to create a healthier experience for those who organize events and participate in them.”
