Four Ways to Cultivate a Culture of Wellness

I would argue that managing stress is the most important facet for a workplace culture of wellness. Not because stress management trumps healthy eating or spending 45 minutes in the gym, but because if a company puts effort into it, they can dramatically improve their employees’ quality of life and, through that, their health. These four steps can ease stress and encourage wellness.

1. Allow flexible schedules

According to a study reported by Forbes, a flexible workplace led to a happier, more productive workforce that called-in sick less. This flexibility requires trust on the part of a manager, but a trusted employee is a happy employee. “The more employees feel like their bosses trust them, the happier they are and the less likely they are to look for a new job,” Business News Daily reported.

2. Incorporate movement

At aSweatLife, we start our week with a Monday morning workout before having our one and only project meeting of the week. But we also take it a step further to treat a workout – just 60 minutes out of a day - as a meeting that’s not to be missed. If employees are empowered to hop into the gym or roll out their mats at off-peak times, they may be more likely to exercise and they may not rush out of the office right at 5 p.m.

And it’s not just good for your body – your mind is sharper as a result. Harvard Business Review reported on the link between your physical regimen and your ability to think at a higher level, noting that regular exercise leads to “improved concentration, sharper memory, faster learning, prolonged mental stamina, enhanced creativity and lower stress.”

3. Eliminate meetings

In the book Rework, authors Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson call meetings toxic, and there’s a good reason. When your day is filled with unnecessary meetings, your focus and productivity are shot.

Think back to a day that you described as “back-to-back.” Did you feel productive, fulfilled, like you were in control of your schedule? Probably not.

4. Be accountable

In the book Leaders Eat Last, author Simon Sinek explains a culture in which leaders empower teams to succeed.

This takes accountability on the leader’s part and accountability from the team. The leader needs to put the team in a position to be great and the team needs to band together to achieve a common mission. When the leader creates a culture of excuses rather than owning and learning from mistakes, the result will surely be politicking, in-fighting and personal disputes that crush productivity and increase workplace stress.

Here’s to working differently and enjoying your days.

Jeana Anderson Cohen is the founder and CEO of aSweatLife.com a destination for living your best life, with fitness as the catalyst. After graduating from University of Wisconsin with a degree in Journalism, she spent much of her career - before leaving agency life - creating and executing social media strategies for brands. aSweatLife fuses her experience and her passion for wellness. You can find Jeana - who’s certified as a personal trainer and is a Nike trainer - coaching group fitness classes and hosting aSweatLife’s monthly #sweatworking events across Chicago.