Mind-Body Empowerment: How Can Employers Help?
Mind-Body Empowerment: How Can Employers Help?
By Marci Kenon
Mind-body empowerment is the belief that we have the power to control our mental health and well-being through our lifestyle choices. This means eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, and managing stress in healthy ways. Employers can play a role in helping their employees achieve mind-body empowerment by providing resources and support. Here are a few tips:
- Offer healthy food options in the cafeteria or vending machines.
- Provide opportunities for employees to exercise during the workday, such as on-site fitness centers or walking trails.
- Encourage employees to take breaks throughout the day to stretch, walk around, or get some fresh air.
- Offer stress-management workshops or classes.
- Create a supportive work environment where employees feel comfortable talking about their mental health.
By providing these resources and support, employers can help their employees improve their mental health and well-being. This can lead to a number of benefits for both the employer and the employee, including:
- Increased productivity
- Reduced absenteeism
- Improved morale
- Reduced healthcare costs
Additional Tips
- Offer flexible work arrangements, such as telecommuting or flextime.
- Provide paid parental leave.
- Offer mental health benefits, such as access to therapy or counseling.
- Create a culture of openness and understanding around mental health.
By taking these steps, employers can create a workplace that is supportive of mental health. This can help employees thrive both personally and professionally.
Here are some additional tips for employers who want to promote mind-body empowerment in the workplace:
- Provide information and resources about mental health. This could include articles, brochures, or websites that discuss mental health topics, such as stress management, anxiety, and depression.
- Encourage employees to take breaks throughout the day. This could mean walking around, stretching, or taking a few minutes to relax and clear their minds.
- Create a supportive work environment where employees feel comfortable talking about their mental health. This could mean having an open-door policy or providing confidential counseling services.
- Offer training to managers and supervisors on how to identify and support employees with mental health concerns.
- Celebrate mental health awareness days and events. This could involve hosting a lunch-and-learn session on mental health, displaying posters around the office, or participating in a community mental health walk.
By taking these steps, employers can help create a workplace that is supportive of mental health and well-being.
Marci Kenon is the founder of Preventive Lifestyle Assistance Network (PLAN), a New York City-based virtual provider of workplace wellness services. She is an IFPA-certified personal fitness trainer who has trained at Gold’s Gym, Equinox and Blink Fitness. Marci is an Institute for Wellness Education (IWE)-certified lifestyle coach who has helped numerous clients reach their health and fitness goals. She has a B.A. in journalism and International Relations from the University of Southern California (USC).
Contact Marci at mkenon@joinplanglobal.com to schedule a FREE workplace wellness assessment for your organization.