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Self-care is defined as taking the time to do things that help us live well and improve both our physical and mental health. In theory, when we say that we “taking care of ourselves”, we’re practicing self-care. The challenge with self-care is identifying the best ways to do that, meaning care for ourselves.
Now, some of you might be saying, “I appreciate the need for self-care. But what does this have to do with employees and the workplace?” The answer is … a lot. Employee self-care has really come into focus in recent years. We know that it’s hard for employees to be engaged and productive if they’re not healthy. Disengagement and a lack of productivity impact the bottom-line.
Even if the company doesn’t have a formal wellness or wellbeing program, it makes sense for employers to support the idea of self-care. Here are a ten things companies can do to support employee self-care without spending extra money or creating a program.
- Make ergonomics a priority. This is especially important with all the discussion around return to the office
requestsmandates. Whether you have an open concept office or not, employees need to have office space with good lighting, chairs that provide good posture, and a quiet space to concentrate.
- Encourage use of existing health insurance wellness benefits. Most health insurance plans offer a set of preventative services like physicals, vaccinations, and screening tests. Make sure employees know the preventative health services available to them.
- Plan healthier company-sponsored meals. I love pizza, tacos, and doughnuts at employee meetings as much as the next person. But an occasional salad would send a better nutritional message. If companies want to encourage healthy eating, then they should offer healthy options.
- Offer stress and time management courses. Schedule a lunch and learn session. LinkedIn Learning offers a wide variety of courses that can be accessed for FREE with a library card. SkillShare has a class on how to “Create a Perfect Morning Routine” that can be accessed from Facebook.
- Create “stop doing” goals. Often, when we talk about goals, it’s in the context of the things we plan “to do”. Instead of always doing more, what if every employee had to set one goal of something they wanted to “stop doing”? It might be very helpful in changing attitude and behavior.
- Practice mindfulness. Harvard Business Review published an article a few years ago titled “Spending 10 Minutes a Day on Mindfulness Subtly Changes the Way You React to Everything”. Giving employees 10 minutes could yield big results – for them and for the company.
- Promote sleep. According to the Cleveland Clinic, approximately 50 million U.S. adults have a sleep disorder and more than 100 million people say they don’t get enough sleep. Lack of sleep has been attributed to driving accidents, obesity, and unethical conduct.
- Have “walking” meetings. We’ve all heard the phrase “sitting is the new smoking”. Instead of having a conversation with a colleague in a conference room, consider talking and walking (if possible). It makes the meeting go faster and you get in a little exercise.
- Recognize employees for their work and accomplishments. In general, people like to know what they do well. It’s comforting and affirming. Managers have the ability to lift the confidence of employees by giving them recognition in a way that means something.
- Provide flexible work schedules. Employees want to know they have control over their careers, and that includes their schedule. When emergencies occur, they want to know that the company can empathize. Giving employees flexibility helps them manage their life.
BONUS: Here’s one more. Number 11 – demonstrate effective use of technology. It might be tempting to say that tech is the reason more people can’t focus on self-care. But that’s not always true. There are many apps on the market that can make self-care effective and fun. Organizations need to set realistic expectations where technology is concerned. Managers should role model the tech etiquette they want to see from others.
Companies looking to improve engagement and retention need to examine the ways they support employee self-care. And employees need opportunities to relax and recharge in order to do their best work.
Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby after speaking at the SHRM Annual Conference in Las Vegas, NV
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