Health Tips A to Z

Stress Management

Many simple wellness activities and practices can help staff members understand the role stress plays in effecting health, safety, and productivity. It’s necessary to help staff members understand simple stress management strategies for lowering stress levels.

o  Stress kit check out. Have stress management tools available for worker use during a scheduled break time. Consider providing relaxation music or programs including player and headphones; mat or blanket to lie on; neck pillow; eye mask; and stress massage rollers.

o  Give a stress management brown bag event at which employees can try different kinds stress management tools.

o  Make sure to encourage staff to take 10-minute relaxation/exercise breaks. Post reminders.

o  Give a comfortable staff member break area.

o  Designate a “quiet room” for meditation and relaxation, when possible.

o  Make certain to work with Management to keep supervisors informed about the effects of stress in the worksite. Supervisors are often the first step in assisting staff members find different ways of managing work related stressors.

o  Contact the Staff Member Assistance Provider (EAP) for a selection of stress management information and self-assessments.

o  Offer stress management self-assessments to interested personnel. Follow these up with a stress management videotape, a brown bag presentation, or a community guest speaker.

Mental Wellness

Emotions and mental health greatly affect overall health and wellness. Every wellness program should incorporate some services, programs, resources or activities to address mental health issues.

Mental health topics can be sensitive areas for personnel. As a result, it’s vital that you provide information in a selection of ways, worksite presentations being just one possibility.

For  instance, put domestic violence resource cards in the restrooms to provide useful information in a private establishing that doesn’t embarrass anyone. Other considerations include -

o  When planning to offer an oratory event or presentation a neutral class title will ensure potential participants won’t be put off by the name.

For example, “Parenting in 2004″, “Positive Parenting”, or “Parent University” is much more appealing than “Stress and Parenting”.

o  Make sure to allot enough time when hosting EAP/psychological health seminars for a question and answer session so participants may ask specific questions.

Always remind participants that individual help is available through the employee assistance program and through their health benefits. Provide written contact information for your EAP, but do so discretely.

o  The Worker Assistance Program (EAP) is an excellent partner and resource for health promotion programming in these areas.  The employee assistance program (EAP) can help find ways to address mental health, stress, coping, and other related issues.