This National Employee Benefits Day we encouraged you take a look at your health—not just your physical health, but your overall well-being encompassing body, mind, wallet, community and work.
It’s easy to think of “being healthy” as being physically fit, and physical health initiatives (weight loss programs, smoking cessation offerings, etc.) are often the focus of workplace wellness programs. But this past Benefits Day we encouraged employers to expand their definition of wellness by looking to improve their employees’ overall health, and we challenged each of you to assess your overall well-being with a quick quiz.
[Related: Free On-Demand Webcast: Total Workplace Well-Being: Getting Started Is Easier Than You Think!]
Over 1,500 of you took the poll, and I’m happy to say that overall most of you are doing pretty well. When asked to rated the overall satisfaction of your life from one to 10, 76% rate your life a seven or higher.
Eighty-nine percent of you have a go-to stress reliever that you use to decompress, 92% are saving money for the future and 78% of you find your work to be meaningful and rewarding. Seventy percent of you donate money to charity or volunteer (which, according the Gallup World Poll has a similar effect on happiness as doubling household income!) and 67% of you are even getting enough sleep at night.
An area to work on? Taking time for mind/body practices such as yoga and meditation that can reduce stress and improve your cognitive function and memory—Researchers at Harvard, Yale, and MIT have found that people who meditate grow bigger brains than those who don’t.
[Related: Industry Experts Share Tips For A Successful Workplace Wellness Program]
Employers can help their employees improve their overall health by offering a wide variety of wellness programs such as on-site yoga programs, encouraging vacation time, sponsoring community charity drives or financial literacy education. Find resources to help you kickoff a Wellness 2.0 program at your organization.
Brenda Hofmann
Senior Communications Associate at the International Foundation
