Is your workplace a toxic one?

If you’re in search of signs of a toxic work environment, you likely know your workplace is harmful.

​With workers coming back into the office and interacting in person again, it's easier to see ​where bad habits and behaviors may come back into play. It is the job of HR and leadership to tackle toxic behaviors in the workplace ASAP.  

While it’s normal for colleagues to disagree from time to time or get snappy sometimes, it’s not okay for that to be ongoing. Additionally, unhealthy behaviors like harassment, bullying, and ostracism can take a toll on employees’ health and wellness.

Here are the signs of a toxic work environment to keep in mind and rectify as soon as possible.

Trying to train your brain how to fall back asleep after a stressful work day?

It’s hard, right?  

You’re not alone. An estimated 70 million Americans struggle to get proper sleep, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That not only makes it difficult to function at work the next day, but it also can come with a slew of health issues, too. For those who have found their bed makes a semi-decent workstation for comfort, there’s bad news: Literally working from bed causes sleep disturbances even hours later. That’s the first habit to break to help with sleep. 

Want the rest of the hacks to learn how to fall back asleep? Read on.

April is Alcohol Awareness Month, an ideal time to bring awareness to drinking habits.

By bringing awareness to the issue, employees can reflect on how their alcohol consumption impacts their health — both in the short-term and long-term.

It’s worth talking about in the workplace as 232 million workdays a year are lost due to alcohol use disorder — and the rise in alcohol consumption during the pandemic suggests the number is going in the wrong direction.

Take the time this month to discuss with employees the topic of alcohol addiction and its associated health risks.

Healthy workers don’t just appear.

It takes a combination of resources, knowledge, and investment to support employee well-being. However, for some employees, maintaining good health may feel like an uphill battle. Social determinants of health (SDOH) play a significant role in shaping these challenges. These determinants encompass the environmental, social, and economic conditions people experience regularly through work, play, and daily life.

Social determinants have a profound impact on health outcomes, particularly for vulnerable populations. Limited access to health care, inadequate well-being resources, and unequal opportunities for healthy activities can leave many employees feeling left behind.

Creating a safer, more inclusive workplace environment is one way to bridge these gaps. By addressing disparities in access to health care and well-being options, companies can make a meaningful difference in the lives of their employees.

Below, we break down what SDOH means for businesses, how it influences employee well-being, and practical strategies to ensure your company is leading the way in creating equitable health opportunities.

What do healthy boundaries at work look like?

For some company cultures that thrive on fast and furious work ethic, boundaries often fail to exist. Employees may be expected to pick up their phone at all hours of the night; break times are unheard of or not implemented, and more.

​Setting boundaries can be a challenging and uncomfortable move for many leaders and even their employees. But, in order to have a thriving work environment, it's a must to keep both bad behavior and other bad habits in check. It also keeps the workplace healthier and a safe place for other employees to thrive in.

This post takes a look at the importance of boundaries, why they matter at work, and ways to uphold them even when it’s hard.

Wellness privilege…what exactly is it?

It’s no secret some people have much better access to improve their health and well-being than others.

Sure, we all know it’s a healthy choice to eat well, skip smoking, and exercise regularly. Yet how many individuals truly have the tools to do all three and then some in the name of optimal health?

For some, even the most basic of wellness activities aren’t within reach because of societal inequities and the cost of implementing healthy habits.

Look at any low-income areas and it’s easy to see there are more fast food joints than farmers' markets. Take a drive through an affluent neighborhood, and you’ll no doubt see gyms, juice bars, and wellness centers on nearly every corner.

Simply put, being healthy isn’t always an attainable, simple choice. In fact, it’s a term called a wellness privilege.

Below, you’ll learn more about what wellness privilege is, why how you market workplace wellness campaigns matters, and how to better approach well-being at work to focus on giving your employees a more inclusive wellness experience.

In need of some really good team-building ideas? You’ve come to the right place.

With weekly team-building exercises, your team will stay engaged and motivated to work together. It’s easy to go week after week not seeing team members from other departments thanks to work projects. But after a long pandemic that forced many of us into lockdowns, we now know more than ever that human connection — especially with work peeps! — is important. Team activities don’t have to be complicated, either.

Aside from having fun, the biggest benefits of these types of activities include enhanced communication skills, better energy, and even a way to identify leadership quality.

Looking for some team-building ideas? We’ve got 52 of ‘em below. That means this list has you covered for an entire year!

Does running 1-mile a day do anything?

You bet it does.

The benefits of running a mile a day go beyond just improving your best personal running time. In fact, there are amazing benefits worth considering if you’re looking at upping your daily workout or exploring a new fitness routine. Research shows even five to 10 minutes of slow daily running can drastically reduce cardio health risk!

Want to increase your cardiovascular health, lose weight, and more?

Then check out these benefits of running just one mile daily!

Have you been debating about jumping on the Wellness Wednesday wagon? If it feels like too big of a commitment — every Wednesday?! — rest assured it doesn’t have to be as overwhelming as you might think!

Wellness Wednesday ideas can be as simple as dashing off an email with some health-related articles or as time-consuming as an all-day health seminar.

The choice is yours.

But no matter how you look at it, Wellness Wednesdays are an excellent idea. It’s a fun way to promote well-being in the workplace and offers your employees microdoses of wellness ideas each and every week.

Below, we dig into what it is, why it’s beneficial for the workplace, and even a few ideas to get you kickstarted.

Want to make a healthier and positive work environment?

Research shows when leadership puts effort into creating a positive work environment, it benefits both the workers and the company. A third of most people’s lives are spent working, leaving no doubt that the working environment plays a huge role in health and well-being.

Good health = good business. Happy employees also = good business.

It’s a two-way street that leaders play a huge role in. If your company is ready to revamp its health offerings or simply spend more time focusing on employee well-being, that’s a perfect first step.

Here are nine more steps to consider as you reevaluate what a positive work environment looks like for your company.