Ah, team engagement.

If it’s one of the areas your business does well in during every season except summer, you aren’t alone. Studies report between June and August, workplace productivity dips by about 20 percent!

Certain industries tend to experience a summer slowdown when more workers and leadership take vacations and generally soak up the short-lived summer season.

While your workforce may be ready to hit the road for multiple vacations and long weekends, that doesn't mean it needs to disrupt your regular programming for wellness at work. Keep employees excited about wellness by making it engaging and exciting to focus on their health.  

Here’s a look at 11 fun and easy summer team engagement ideas!

How many of your bad habits at work are slowing you down?

Whether that means physically, mentally, or just stalling out on a project, your daily habits play a huge role in productivity. The pandemic forced many to work from home and in turn, no doubt created some bad working habits — ahem, like that third trip to the pantry in less than an hour…

No matter your undesirable habit, you can break it. Below, we share tips on how to beat bad habits like procrastination, mindlessly snacking, tardiness, and more.

If you’re looking to reset your mindset and improve your habits for the better, this read is for you.

Looking for some simple summer wellness tips?

We’ve got you covered.

Yes, your workforce may be ready to hit the road for multiple vacations and long weekends, but that doesn't mean it needs to disrupt your regular programming for wellness at work.

Keep employees excited about wellness by making it engaging and fun for them to focus on their health. Make summer's wellness campaigns all about connection, enjoyment and liveliness.

Read on for tips to share with your team and ideas to implement in your workplace this summer!

May is Mental Health Awareness Month.

That makes it the perfect time to refresh employees' minds on the importance of mental health activities. Embrace the need to discuss mental health in the workplace and talk about the importance of exploring mental health activities on a regular basis.

With one in five adults experiencing mental illness, it’s essential to remind your staff of ways to stay mentally healthy. With hybrid workplaces, it can be particularly challenging to figure out ways to have those discussions, but this list makes it easier.

Below, you’ll find ideas that are easy for employees to do that don't demand a ton of time, but that are still beneficial to mental health.

Even for employees who love their jobs, work-related stressors still happen.

In fact, a recent survey from Future Forum compiled results from 10,000 workers globally showing anxiety and stress levels in the workplace are at their highest since June 2020. In-house workers in particular were found to have 1.5 times worsening work-related stress and anxiety compared to remote workers. 

Without a doubt, the pandemic’s lingering effects don’t just include long-haul COVID. Some are still grappling with being back in the office, work-life balance, staff shortages, anxiety, and other life and work stressors. Even pre-COVID, the American Psychological Association found work to be one of the top stress sources for Americans.

Below, learn more about the top work-related stressors that may be impacting your employees and how to help them better manage work-related stress.

How’s your workplace morale these days?

When a team is humming like a well-oiled machine, it can feel like there’s not a project or problem they can’t tackle together.

But throw in an unexpected roadblock — ahem, COVID — and morale can take a nosedive, quick.

This post highlights the workplace low morale signs employers should never ignore like chronic bad attitudes and poor work performance. Plus, we share insight on how to address each issue that pops up along with strategies to keep morale high — all throughout the year, even during tough times.

When was the last time your company checked ergonomics for the office?

If it’s been a while — perhaps before the pandemic — it may be time to look at how employees' computer workstations are set up.

This is especially important given that four out of five workers are now experiencing musculoskeletal pain since working from home has become the norm. Carpal tunnel is one of the most well-known, especially for computer-based employees. As most workers are now working a full 40 hours in hybrid or remote-style environments, setting them up with the best possible workstation is key to their health and productivity.

Want to know more about how ergonomics increases morale and improves health and productivity?

Here’s a look at the importance of ergonomics for the office and the negative impacts of a poorly designed workstation.

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.

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.