What does it take to spread happiness at work?

Honestly, not too much. But it does make a difference when employers are intentional with the way they spread kindness and joy in the workplace.

Fall and winter keep many people inside and can be the start of the doldrums for many. Even without the changing of seasons, depression is on the rise, showing an obvious need for some uplifting activities for employees. New research from the Boston University School of Public Health reveals that elevated depression levels persisted into 2021, and even worsened, climbing to 32.8 percent. That’s one in every three adults.

To keep your team’s spirit uplifted this fall, get creative with the ways you can make them happy. It doesn’t have to cost a lot to bring others joy.

Here are 13 fun ways employers can spread happiness at work:

Fall is here.

With the changing of seasons comes the need to make lifestyle changes, too. It’s a great time to reset your health routines and continue healthy habits. A cornerstone of healthy fall habits will keep your immunity strong and your mind clear as you wrap up another busy year. Staying active, taking essential vitamins, and prioritizing self-care are just a few of the ways to do it.

This list will cover fall-specific health tips like:

• Staying mindful of eating healthy foods (not just comfort foods)
• Keeping skin moisturized to prevent chapping and bleeding
• Getting an annual flu shot before the end of October
• Focusing on financial wellness before the holidays

Read on for the full list of smart healthy fall tips!

Ever wonder about the social media effects on mental health?

Given that many working professionals have at least one social media account, it’s a topic employers should explore when it comes to employee mental health. While social media platforms are great for keeping in touch, there’s also a trade-off of decreased mental health for many.

On average, people spend almost two and a half hours on social media sites daily. Mindless scrolling doesn’t come without a price: Researchers are finding too much social media has a negative impact on mental health.

This post will share insights into how social media impacts the mental health of employees and alternative healthy ways to spend time instead.

Here’s a closer look at the social media effect on mental health:

Looking for free health and wellness classes?

Whether you want to share them with your team or wellness committee (AKA your workplace wellness champions), providing resources puts valuable wellness information in front of the people who need it most.

Best of all, if it’s engaging and useful, employees are more likely to be on board with “taking” a class.

In a time when many companies are cutting back on budgets, watching funding is essential. But it’s important to take into consideration the impact it may have on wellness committees and members' abilities to launch new wellness campaigns, attend wellness events, and bring fresh ideas to the table.

This post shares five valuable courses that are worth going through — and all for free!

How good are you at knowing how to handle stressful situations at work?

Learning how to appropriately manage your workplace stress can make all the difference when it comes to your health, mental state, and productivity. No matter how much you love your job or what you do, there is always going to be a certain amount of stress that comes with it.

In the workplace, stress can come at you from all angles. Whether it’s an angry client, an awkward colleague conversation, or making a mistake on a big project, mounting stress that’s not taken care of can lead to physical and mental health concerns.

If you’re looking for some better ways to handle stress, we’ve got your back.

Check out these tips below for tackling stressful situations at work.

Employee wellbeing — how is it faring in most companies these days?

This won’t be a shocker for most: Employees are unhappy. As a result, their wellbeing is suffering, too. Overall, globally, unhappiness has been on the rise for the last decade.

Recent Gallup research found that emotionally, the second year of the pandemic was more draining than the first one. Stress, worry, and sadness plagued more people and set new records in 2021 for Gallup’s Negative Experience Index survey. Unfortunately, those negative feelings leak over into the work experience, too.

So what can you do to help improve employee wellbeing? Here’s a look at some simple ways to take charge of creating a healthier and happier workspace for your team:

Nowadays, many employees work remotely and the lines of when work ends and relaxation begins are quite blurred.

That’s where a workday shutdown ritual can be helpful.

Even if it’s as unceremonious as closing a laptop and putting it away, it’s a way to mentally and physically disconnect from work in a healthy way. By creating an end-of-day routine, workers can create a more restorative period of time off — whether it’s just for the evening or for a whole weekend.

 Here’s a look at why every employee should consider a workday shutdown ritual:

What do employees want?

By the looks of it, a four-day workweek is at the top of the list.

More than 90% of U.S. workers claim they’d want four-day workweeks, according to a January Qualtrics survey. Gone are the days when a traditional 9-to-5 worked for both employees and employers. Workers are shifting the way they want to work and if workplaces want to keep them happy, then dangling four-day workweek benefits may just work.

Below, discover the benefits of a 4-day workweek, studies on how it’s worked out in various countries so far, and the pros and cons of doing so in your own workplace.

Every company culture is uniquely created because of its leadership and the employees that make up the company. While every company’s culture looks different, there are some tell-tale signs yours is fulfilling and joyous.

Signs you have a positive team culture:

• Laughter happens daily on the job
• Candidates eagerly await job openings
• Employees are regularly engaged and excited
• Workers feel more like family than employees

So how do you build a positive team culture?

Gallup research shows that employees who feel cared for by leadership perform better. Forging solid relationships by making time to authentically connect is just part of the equation. Several qualities contribute to a positive team culture that gets team members excited about work. Below, we dive into those.

Here are 13 tips for building a culture your employees all love:

People who have never experienced anxiety before were introduced to it in a forceful way during the pandemic that started back in 2020. The virus and its trickle effect caused increased stress for many who were forced to isolate and changed the way they connected with others.

As the pandemic evolved and stretched on, the impact on mental health became quite clear —the World Health Organization reported a 25% increase globally in anxiety and depression. The lack of socializing impacted everyone from children to avid business travelers and everyone in-between.

Now, in the post-pandemic world, social anxiety, depression, and even OCD symptoms may be impacting your workers more than you know when it comes to re-entry back into the workplace. As the virus evolves and continues to infect people — even the vaccinated — again and again, these issues of mental health can’t be ignored.  

Here’s a look at how post-pandemic anxiety could be impacting your workers as they make their way back into the workplace on a more permanent basis.