The average person will spend 90,000 hours of their life at work. That’s a lot of time on the clock, giving employers a good reason to maintain a healthy work environment.

In fact, it’s essential.

If you’ve ever walked into a toxic work environment, you can spot the signs nearly immediately: Unengaged workers, zero communication, dim lighting, a lack of general camaraderie, and more. On the other hand, those workplaces with a focus on health promotion thrive.

For organizations with healthy environments, the benefits include:

• Lower turnover rates
• Productivity increases
• Reduced absenteeism
• Improved staff morale
• Positive company image
• Reduced healthcare costs
• Minimized risk of fines

Workers who are subjected to unhealthy work environments have more stress, get sick more often, and have a decreased production output. They also tend to suffer from more mental health issues, too.

Even if your company isn’t operating at toxic levels, there’s always an opportunity for improvement, right?

Here’s a look at how your company’s leadership can create and maintain a healthy, safe work environment employees enjoy.

Everyone — including your employees — could use a bit more positivity in their lives right about now.

Since September 13 is Positive Thinking Day, now is an ideal time to spread hopeful messages like positive thinking quotes. Research shows optimism can help individuals through tough times. And, being happy can improve health and wellness.

The perks of optimistic thinking include:

• Increased life span
• Reduced stress levels
• Decreased depression risk

Plus, positive thinking can increase resistance to the common cold. It may also improve psychological well-being while providing a tool to better handle life’s hardships. With practice of increased positive self-talk, negative outlooks can turn around.

What are some examples of positive thinking thoughts?

Read on to find a new favorite inspiring quote to change negative outlooks!

Chances are good your employees are seeking out anxiety management techniques as a way to cope with the challenges of returning to work during a pandemic.

Even if they aren’t, they may be quietly suffering from extreme anxiety or fear.

The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed mental health into the wellness spotlight along with a need to learn self-care. In particular, anxiety about going to work has many employees on edge about returning to the workplace.

As of late June, 31% of adults were dealing with anxiety and depression symptoms.

If employers don’t address anxiety and help their employees learn how to manage their mental health, many will find it difficult to return to the same productivity levels prior to the pandemic.

Luckily, there are simple techniques that can be used anywhere to squash anxious thoughts.

That’s why we’ve rounded up expert advice from psychologists, CEOs, social workers, meditation instructors, and mindfulness coaches down below.  

Here’s what they are doing right now to help reduce COVID-19-related anxiety in their clients, employees, and themselves.

Have you or your employees tried meditation for stress?

If not, there’s no better time than now.

With stress and anxiety in workplaces at an all-time high, leadership can step in and offer tools — like meditation — to help quell the stress during these tricky times.

Stress is one of the top causes of illness in the workplace, according to the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD). Too much stress for too long isn’t good for your workers or your workplace. It can cause tension headaches, chronic pain, and even fracture work relationships.

While there are tons of techniques out there for stress reduction, meditation for stress may be the most fast-acting one.

In as little as 10 minutes, a meditation practice can reduce anxiety and stress. It can also help individuals feel relaxed even in the most stressful of situations. Whether working from home or working in an office, all employees can benefit from meditation.

Ready to help your workers feel cool, calm, and collected?

Below we share about meditation for stress benefits, plus simple techniques that can be used starting today by you and your employees.

How empathetic are you toward your employees?

If you struggle to showcase empathy in the workplace, you’re not the only one.

While the pandemic environment has brought to light the need for company leadership to better understand workplace empathy, many are finding it a struggle to implement empathetic practices.

In fact, 68% of CEOs think companies are empathetic. Yet only 48% of employees believe the same, according to The Businessolver® State of Workplace Empathy Study.

It’s a big enough deal to employees that one out of three employees would opt for a job switch to a more empathetic company culture. In an era where there needs to be more flexibility than ever, a focus on empathy from leadership can turn workplace harmony around.

Are you missing the key ingredient of empathy in your workplace?

Read on to learn about the importance of empathy at work and easy yet practical ways to incorporate it into the daily grind.

How much are you thinking about employee satisfaction these days?

With business operations changing and new economic pressures mounting, it may be on the bottom of the list of things to think about these days. Despite external pressures, it’s important for leadership to remember engaged employees are the ones who ensure business goes on.

Even in tough times.

Changes to the workplace will be ongoing due to the pandemic, but satisfied, engaged employees will continue to show up and face challenges head-on. Plus, employee engagement and wellness are also tied, making healthy employees a big asset to any company right now.

Satisfied employees will be your most hard-working allies in the upcoming months.

Curious about what makes employees happy?

Below, check out the most current studies on happy employees and four ideas to try out today to increase employee satisfaction ASAP.

The need to manage remote teams doesn’t seem to be fading anytime soon. 

Right now, 71% of employers are struggling with the new remote work style, according to a Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) survey released last week.

Given the current need to switch working styles so quickly, it’s understandable how challenging the current health crisis is on businesses everywhere. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of easy-to-implement tips to minimize the struggle of managing remote workers.

There’s no better time than now to start using the best remote working practices for your team.

Doing so will ensure you’re getting work done as efficiently as possible. It will also help you hone in on what works well for your particular business structure in a remote setting.

Here we share how to tackle remote team management with ease.

Have you forgotten how to de-stress?

Given the current world circumstances, stress is at an all-time high for many people. It may even seem like you just don’t have time to fit in stress-relieving activities.

Quarantine life and schedule changes from the last few weeks have many people on edge. Not to mention the everyday stressors on top of that. Add in that 83% of American workers have work-related stress, and it only makes sense to take a look at the impact it has on productivity, relationships, and more.

With that being said, self-care is a must right now.

Now is the perfect time to remind yourself what it means to unwind — both your body and your mind.  

Here are 11 simple ways to teach yourself how to de-stress right at home:

With much of the globe’s workforce working from home unexpectedly, it’s no wonder everyone is Googling tips for working remotely.

Even if working from home feels challenging, it does have its benefits.

One study found remote workers are more productive when doing so from home. That same study found remote workers felt their work-life balance was a bit out-of-whack.

You may be feeling the same way right about now.

Luckily, there are plenty of ways to be productive and shut your work down at the end of the day — even if your office is less than 20 feet from your couch.

It’s all about scheduling, nailing your most productive time periods, and getting a bit creative.

And, given current projections that 25-30% of the workforce will be working from home one to two days per week in the next few years, it’s time to start getting comfortable with the idea.

Whether you’re working alone or working from home with kids, here’s a list of tips on how to create a productive work day:

Your employees are the reason your company is thriving — so why not show them some love on Employee Appreciation Day?

This year, it falls on March 6. That’s a Friday, which makes it the perfect time to have a low-key celebration honoring your employees.

Not only is showing your employees appreciation great for engagement purposes, but it also is a chance to reflect your company culture. 

Plus, it’s healthy for your employees! According to psychological studies, when a person is shown gratitude it can increase their metabolism, lessen stress, and even improve their sleep habits!

Need some affordable and quick ways to show your employees how you adore all that they do in the workplace?

Here are 11 Employee Appreciation Day ideas your employees will love: