There’s no better time to focus on workplace wellness than during Global Employee Health and Fitness Month.

The international observance begins May 1 and is an ideal time for employers to continue promoting healthy lifestyle benefits.

Whether focusing on health is the norm in your workplace or your company is just starting out with wellness perks, companies of all sizes are encouraged to participate.

If you want to highlight your wellness programs, kick off a health campaign, or simply just have fun at work with health and fitness, this post is for you!

When was the last time you encouraged your employees to use vacation days?

The benefits of vacation can’t be denied — if you’ve ever looked at the face of an employee who recently returned from vacation, you know how relaxed they look. On the other hand, workers who don’t get to take time off are often exhausted and negative, which can spread throughout an organization quickly.

Worse yet, it can lead to burnout and even quiet quitting.

On average, Americans aren’t great about taking all their vacation days. In fact, by the end of 2021, Americans had 9.5 unused vacation days left, according to a 2023 January study by Qualtrics, a software company. For companies looking to promote a healthy work-life balance, a vacation is a necessity for employees to have.

Don’t let that happen to your workers. Vacations are the perfect time for employees to take a much-needed break and renew their energy — mentally and physically.

If you’re not sold on the benefits of vacation, you’ll find all the research below that backs why employees do better when they can enjoy quality time off.

When was the last time you did a well-being activity you loved? 

If you say there’s never time, remember that focusing on wellness doesn’t have to be an all-day event. In fact, it can be done in spurts as short as 10 minutes!

Both physical and mental well-being matter and there are short and simple activities for both that can make you feel your best.

This post offers a variety of ways for adults to bring more well-being moments into their lives. Whether it’s picking up a jump rope, coloring, taking a walk with a neighbor or colleague, or just stretching — these ideas are easy for anyone to do any day of the week!

April is Stress Awareness Month. 

How well-equipped is your team to handle stress? No matter how enjoyable jobs may be or wonderful personal lives are, stress still manages to creep its way in.

That’s why this month is an ideal time to remind workers of the damaging impact stress can have on their health. Helping workers keep their stress levels in check may help them avoid serious health issues like anxiety, depression, weight gain, and high blood pressure.

This post will share a variety of easy activities and resources employers can provide employees with throughout the month.

Read on to learn how to help your workers stress less.

Spring has just about sprung.

With the change of season comes a variety of concerns to think about as an employer when it comes to your workers’ springtime health and wellness. Plus, there are some health and safety tips it would be wise to refresh everyone on!

From having a tornado drill plan in place to replacing air filters to keep pollen away to keep asthmatics safe, there are plenty of ways to improve office health and safety this spring.

Below we share 17 simple ways to welcome spring (and employee well-being!) into your workplace today.

Do you treasure outdoor time?  

If not, you may not have found your ideal outdoor activity just yet. But with warmer weather approaching, it’s time to start warming up to the idea of spending more time with mother nature. The health benefits are huge, too.

Those who spend time outdoors are happier and often experience both physical and mental health benefits. Outdoor time offers vitamin D boosts, decreases stress, and can even improve sleep habits. It can also strengthen mental capacities and increase attention spans, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Start planning to soak up the sun and nature time. Here are 23 easy ways to do it.

In recent health news: Despite the U.S. spending the most on health care, America still has the worst health outcomes among high-income countries.

The report, published by The Commonwealth Fund in its U.S. Health Care from a Global Perspective, found Americans are more likely to die younger — from avoidable causes — than residents of other countries. For example, the U.S. obesity rate is nearly double the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) standards.

For American employers, providing useful healthcare coverage is essential in keeping employees well. But it comes at a cost — especially for unhealthy employees who continue to develop more chronic health concerns — and that cost isn’t getting cheaper. Adding more fuel to the fire is the fact that starting April 1, about 15 million people will lose Medicaid coverage, with many switching to employer-based plans instead.

If you provide health insurance to workers or just want to see them generally healthy, this post is for you.

Here’s a look at important recent health news and ways for employers to keep healthcare costs down while also encouraging workers to stay healthy.

What is work-life balance?

Ask each of your employees and you’ll likely get similar answers. For every person, what they feel they need to prioritize at work and home is personal. And it will always change.

But one thing that doesn’t change is the importance of ensuring harmony in one’s personal and professional life. Keeping a healthy balance (and love of) work and life activities are essential to good health, happiness, and strong relationships. Without a delicate balance in each area, stress, overwhelm, and burnout can take even the best employees down.

Here we dive into the question of “What is work-life balance?” and the benefits of making an effort to keep both work and life in equilibrium.

When was the last time you reviewed your company’s bereavement leave policy?

If your company is invested in providing better mental health resources, updating that essential policy is a great start. Grief is often heavy and can cause a variety of mental health concerns for workers — everything from fatigue to depression and even anxiety attacks.

Sadly, our culture lacks a standard for dealing with workers who experience a painful loss. One of the most challenging aspects of grief is getting back to a normal routine, including work. If an employee is unable to properly grieve and is forced right back into work, it can create an unhealthy mental state.

Consider this a grief-in-the-workplace guide for managers to build a better and stronger bereavement leave policy that supports employees in the best way. You’ll find insights into what grief looks like and wisdom from grief expert Michelle Cramer, author of Unshattered Grief who is also an Advanced Certified Grief Recovery Method Specialist.

How often do you think about how powerful your thoughts are?

Your thoughts have the power to make you feel energized or drain you. They also have the power to influence your mood and how you perceive the world.

Just like muscles, your mental health needs exercise, too. During stressful times — like the flailing economy, lay-offs, and more — thought exercises can be helpful in keeping you grounded. These simple mental health activities can help you better cope with life’s challenges, too.

If you need to break your negative thinking loop, this post is for you.

Below, learn what thought exercises are, how they can benefit anyone, and ways to boost mental health through exercises.