Worksite Wellness ProgramsWorksite Wellness Programs

Stress Management

Many simple wellness activities and practices can help workers understand the role stress plays in effecting health, safety, and productivity. It is significant to help workers understand simple stress management strategies for decreasing stress levels.

• Stress kit check out. Have stress management tools available for employee use during a scheduled break time. Consider offering relaxation music or programs including player and headphones; mat or blanket to lie on; neck pillow; eye mask; and stress massage rollers.
• Offer a stress management brown bag event at which workers can try different types stress management tools.
• Urge workers to take 10-minute relaxation/exercise breaks. Display reminders.
• Offer a comfortable employee break area.
• Establish a “quiet room” for meditation and relaxation, if possible.
• Work with Senior Management to keep supervisors informed about the effects of stress in the workplace. Supervisors are often the first step in helping workers find different ways of managing work related stressors.
• Contact the Employee Assistance Provider (EAP) for a variety of stress management information and self-assessments.
• Offer stress management self-assessments to interested workers. Follow these up with a stress management videotape, a brown bag presentation, or a community guest speaker.

Mental Health and Wellness

Emotions and mental health greatly affect central health and wellness. Every Worksite Wellness Program ought to incorporate some services, programs, resources or activities to address mental health concerns. Mental health subject matters can be sensitive areas for workers. Therefore, it is important to support information in a variety of ways, worksite presentations being just one possibility. For example, put domestic violence resource cards in the restrooms to support useful information in a private setting that does not embarrass anyone. Other considerations include:

• When planning to offer an oratory event or presentation a neutral class title will be sure potential participants won’t be put off by the name. For example, “Parenting in 2004″, “Positive Parenting”, or “Parent University” is much more appealing than “Stress and Parenting”.
• Be sure to allot enough time when hosting EAP/mental health seminars for a question and answer session so participants may ask specific questions. Always remind participants that individual help is available through the EAP and also through their health benefits. Offer written contact information for your EAP, but do so discretely.
• The EAP is an great partner and resource for wellness programming in these areas. The EAP can help learn ways to address mental health, stress, coping, and other related concerns.