Borislow Insurance Fosters Culture of Gratitude
Jennifer Borislow, founder (1982) and president of Massachusetts-based Borislow Insurance, realized — along with co-founder Mark Gaunya — that employees needed help to thrive in an intense industry. Notes Travis Horne, Borislow’s Director of Health and Well-Being, “Our staff was not 9-5ers. They worked long hours and senior management knew it would ultimately be detrimental […]
Holiday Well-Being Challenges Work; Here’s Why
Each year, I hear people say that holiday well-being challenges won’t work for their population… I have to disagree. During the season run-up, there’s much to do: arranging travel, gift shopping, preparing for traditional feasts, decorating, attending school and social functions, sending out holiday greetings, and more. The frantic pace can knock anyone off stride, […]
Boost Creativity With 4 Alternative Training Ideas
Like life, learning is something that happens while you’re making other plans. That’s why we’re big proponents of alternative training — encouraging wellness pros to get involved in outside activities, other departments, and personal hobbies/pursuits that have nothing to do with health. You’re more likely to find answers working with people through the local theater […]
6 Ways to Help Remote Workers Thrive
I’ve been a remote worker for 20 years. There’s much to love about working from home; not fighting traffic, getting more done, and wearing yoga pants all day rank near the top for me. I enjoy the perks, but it hasn’t all been peachy… there are some surprising downsides to leaving the traditional work environment […]
The Best Well-Being Programs Foster Hope
Hope: not just a happy feeling It’s also an important precursor to change, concludes counseling expert Fred Hanna, PhD. “At its peak, hope involves not only seeing the future as experienceable but actually inviting or welcoming the future as preferable to the present.”1 “My A1c was 10.2 when I started this program. I went in […]
How to Get Your Wellness Program Unstuck
You’ve found a portal you’re happy with, checked many boxes on best-practice lists, and obtained support from the C-suite. But you still feel like you’re running in place. Participation is stagnant, engagement is a wish, and those employee testimonials you cherish so much have slowed to a trickle or dried up completely. You’re convinced your […]
Zappos Proud of Employees First Culture
“Working here is just a lot of fun, which is part of the appeal and how we retain employees,” declares Kelly Maher, Wellness Coordinator for Zappos in Las Vegas. While obviously concerned about the bottom line, the driving force behind this online merchandiser is to: Attract the best possible employees Create a work environment they […]
The ABCs of Program Communication
Well-being pros often ask how far in advance they should communicate about a program. The better question is: “How frequently should I communicate?” The correct answer is easily memorized with ABC: Always Be Communicating. Effective well-being program communication takes place before, during, and after the program. Before The importance of communicating before a program is […]
Taking Control of Your Well-Being Career
Some well-being professionals are fortunate to work for an employer where career development is planned across every function. In others, “stars” are chosen relatively early and given access to the best mentors and internal/external training. In any case, it’s rare for an organization to have a deep bench or long history when it comes to […]
Why Loneliness at Work Matters… and What to Do About It
Calling to mind a hit song about loneliness (like Only the Lonely or Lonely Ol’ Night) is easy. Why is such a cheerless theme so popular? Because everyone suffers this ache from time to time, for a fleeting moment or season. But what happens when feelings of isolation and loneliness don’t go away… even when […]