It’s no surprise that in 2020, workers were more stressed-out than ever.

In the workforce, adapting to a “new normal” must include workplace health initiatives focused on improving workplace well-being. A special focus on mental health and stress management is an absolute must, according to the Mental Health America’s new Mind the Workplace 2021 Report.

The major takeaways of that report included:

• Employees don’t have stress management support
• Most employees are dealing with burnout symptoms
• Employees are worried about their current financial situations
• Workplace stress is severely impacting employees' mental health

The data compiled is from the Work Health Survey, which gathered insight from 5,030 U.S. employees across 17 industries. The survey ran from February to September 2020 and included details on burnout, supervisor support, workplace stress,  financial insecurity, and mental illness.

Chances are good your employees are dealing with these very same issues with or without your knowledge. As lockdowns ease and workers return to the office, productivity will thrive in companies where employee well-being is a daily consideration.

If you’re seeing these same concerns in your own workplace, there is hope to fix it.

Below, you’ll find strategies to tackle issues like burnout, stress management, and other employee concerns with ease.

Work doesn’t have to be a drag.

In fact, striving for a happy workplace is a near guarantee of productivity and loyal employees. Research confirms workers are indeed 13% more productive when they have a reason to smile at work.

As a leader, looking for ways for employees to enjoy — not just endure — work is a priority that can easily get overlooked for daily business operations, especially in survival mode. Making time to ensure employees are feeling happy and fulfilled goes a long way. Plus, the perks are good for companies, too.

Happy workers are:

• Loyal
• Motivated
• More productive
• More successful

The happiest of workplaces are ones where employees feel appreciated, productive, and have a sense of control over their own work goals. A workplace where they feel well taken care of is one where most employees will happily thrive.

 This article covers 17 different ideas to make that happen.

National Walking Day is right around the corner.  

On April 7, walkers everywhere will hit their local sidewalks in stride.   

That makes this time of year the ideal time to start discussing the benefits of walking for health. The quarantine weight eventually has to come off — no excuses even if gyms are still closed — and walking is the perfect way to do it. It may also be the very easiest way to get fit.

Given that over 40% of Americans are obese, talking about physical activity needs to be a priority sooner rather than later. For some workplaces, this may include extending walking programs beyond National Walking Day.

Ready to share with employees the benefits of walking?

Read on to learn more and discover how to host your own walking event for National Walking Day in five simple steps!

Looking for some self-care books for your team?

This list contains the perfect list of self-care books every workplace library needs. If you haven’t started a workplace library, it may be time to consider one. After all, research shows reading is a healthy activity that benefits both the mind and body.

A few reasons to encourage your team to read:

• It helps reduce stress
• It can improve memory
• It may help writing skills
• It can create more empathetic feelings
• It expands one’s knowledge of various topics
• It increases vocabulary and comprehension

Plus, reading itself can be considered a self-care activity that’s a healthy, relaxing way to unwind. It’s important to build-in self-care activities daily to keep stress levels low and create a life balance. Self-care books are one way to help your employees learn how to do just that.

Read on to see our reading list full of book choices to keep your employees reading all year long.

Need a few good reasons to talk about food for brainpower?

Here are two: March is National Nutrition Month and Brain Awareness Week is March 15-21.

This month, consider ways you can bring food into your wellness campaigns and discussions. Food is fuel and there’s no doubt putting good fuel into the human-machine that is the body makes it run more efficiently.

Everyone has the power to improve brainpower characteristics like memory, cognitive recall, and more just by changing the way they eat daily.

 Ready to feed the brain?

 Check out the menu below of the best foods to boost brain health.

These days, instant stress-relief is a welcome opportunity.

That’s why stress busters are a great option to have in your back pocket to use anytime.

With more cases of anxiety popping up in the general population, along with other pressing stressful events, having a healthy way to cope with stress can reduce blood pressure, ease nerves and evoke calmness.

Stress is associated with a variety of unpleasant potential health conditions like anxiety, depression, fatigue, heart disease, and more. Because of this, it’s helpful to have several stress busters you can use any time you feel stress building up.

Here’s a look at 17 ways to knock stress down, plus 17 correlating challenges to help you mellow out!

World Sleep Day is March 19, a perfect time to share sleep facts with your staff.

Prior to the pandemic, millions suffered from insomnia. Now that we’re a full year into the pandemic, those who never had sleep issues suddenly do. Because sleeping is a powerful way for the body to repair itself, its importance can’t be emphasized enough.

When you don’t get enough quality sleep, it does more than make you feel exhausted. It impacts everything from your physical and mental health to your daily functioning.

Below, we take a look at sleep facts that make a solid case for the importance of sleep. You’ll also find a roundup of our best sleep content to help yourself and your team get some good shut-eye tonight!

How often are you paying attention to your employees’ computer posture?

These days, we’re all sitting in front of our computers a lot more — many of us at kitchen tables or makeshift workstations due to an abrupt need to work from home. Even if you’re still in an office, are your employees’ desks set up in an optimal way to avoid aches and pains?

Unfortunately, all that leaning over a make-do workspace can lead to serious health problems if it isn’t set up in an ergonomic manner. The link between poor posture and pain is evident.

The negative impact of poor sitting posture includes:

• Headaches
• Muscle fatigue
• Rounded shoulders
• Back, neck, and bodily pains

Ready to learn how to make your employees’ workspace a healthier space to work in? This post will cover computer posture tips and why an ergonomic workstation is essential to your team’s overall good health.

These days, engaging employees is even more challenging, but especially remote workers.

Luckily, it’s possible to promote wellness even from afar with virtual activities that are fun and easy-to-do. Best of all, they don’t require a ton of pressure on participants, making it much more enjoyable to join in.

Don’t let employees lose their favorite health perks or wellness activities just because they’re working remotely!

Ready to get started with connecting your team to engaging wellness activities?

Here are 13 wellness virtual activities ideas to try:

There’s no doubt we need to talk about mental health in the workplace a lot more.

Even prior to the pandemic, researchers found mental health concerns increasing.

“We are beginning to see a significant impact on the mental health of everyday Americans as a result of the pandemic,” stated Dr. Anthony Hassan, Cohen Veterans Network President and Chief Executive Officer in an early 2020 press release. “Before the pandemic, there was already a mental health crisis in America, with high demand and relatively limited resources, the pandemic appears to be making it worse. And we know isolation can have negative consequences in terms of anxiety, depression, and suicidality.”

In the workplace, employers are likely to notice stress and anxiety levels rising. When workplace and life uncertainty arises, mental health concerns often follow for many individuals.

Luckily, there are ways to help your team stay on top of their mental health. Whether you start having more open workplace discussions or promote extra health programs, a combo of mental and physical health interventions can help.

Below, we share tips — including from a licensed clinical mental health counselor — on how to tackle the topic of mental health to destigmatize it and create a culture of mental wellness at work.