Envisioning corporate wellness programs is one thing – implementing them with success and high employee participation is another! Keeping in mind that the participation levels will either ‘make it’ or ‘break it’, we must always strive to make them meaningful and practical when we set them forward. In this article, we’ll cover six ideas including fitness, stress management, nutrition and more. Source: IncorporateMassage.com   1. Food and Nutrition Finding ways to eat healthy food with a busy work/life schedule can be tough. Some people struggle with knowing what kinds of foods are best for their body, others may want to know more about portion controls, or simple ways to clean up a diet.  There’s no one-size-fits-all diet for everyone, because we’re all dealing with different issues. But there are some good basics that generally apply to everyone.  Bring in a nutritionist to talk about healthy snacks to bring to work Provide a cooking demonstration To make the biggest impact with a session on nutrition, a company should also make sure the food they provide on a regular basis are minimally processed, nutritious whole foods.  2. Fitness Exercise is the second only to nutrition when it comes to keeping healthy. Keep your employees motivated for hitting the gym — or inspire them to start — with a lunch and learn session on fitness.  Learn some quick do-anywhere exercises. Body-weight exercises require no equipment, other than perhaps a chair or wall to use as leverage. Ask WorkWell about our Office Yoga program An easy to do and remember set of exercises using one’s own work chair   Review a variety of 7-minute workouts. Seven minutes? Really? Yep, it’s true. It’s called high-intensity interval training (or HIIT). This kind of fitness regime is designed to target major muscle groups and elevate your heart rate enough for an efficient full-body workout.  Hold an employee to employee talk Got a team member who has seen serious results with their personal fitness goals? Ask them to talk about their experience with their peers.  No one needs to be at body-builder status to make this work   3. Breathing It’s not just super-stressed out people who don’t breathe properly. At any given moment, we could be breathing improperly and making life harder on ourselves. A session on proper breathing techniques can help employees learn simple tricks to better breathing. Breathing right reduces stress hormones, and creates a clearer mind. Want some ideas of where to start?  Ask WorkWell about our Mindfullness Techniques   4. Stress-busters There’s a whole industry of desktop gadgets to relieve stress: mini zen gardens, squishy stress balls, soothing light boxes. The list could be endless. But these desk toys are just a small part of reducing workplace stress. Hold a wide presentation to review some effective ways to combat workplace stress. Employees can share what works for them, and learn some simple tricks for minimizing the everyday causes of stress. Of course, much of your employees’ stress could be due to larger company issues that a bandaid won’t fix. But a little stress relief can go a long way. Talk about how the following ideas could work for your company:  Leaving work stress at work, and not taking it home Taking frequent breaks reduces stress and improves concentration Using the pomodoro technique for better focus and clarity How better organization and communication can reduce workplace stress   5. Exercises at your desk Staying in one position for hours at a stretch takes it’s toll.Whether your employees sit or stand all day, some muscles are getting overly tight while others get neglected. Talk about ways to keep their bodies as nimble as possible throughout the workday. Whether it’s simply learning tips for better posture, or easy stretches to do at your desk, exercising at work is definitely possible.  Hold a presentation where employees can learn about all the ways to keep their bodies happy and healthy at work. Depending on what kind of work your employees do, they may be encouraged to move a little more, or a little less, during the work day.  6. Best local activities for health Send a monthly group email where employees can get an overview on up-coming local events that will be a boost in their wellness. Solicit local fitness companies or event managers to come speak to your employees about their events. Theme races Traditional 5k or 10k events Hiking groups Commuter bike challenges A simple tip: You can’t become a Wellness Oriented Employer overnight as you most certainly already know. But, you can start with any of the above meaningful proposals and work your way up. What is certain though, is that for every single cent and energy you will invest, the ROI will amaze you 🙂