Why Wellness Managers Need to Spend More Time on Omphaloskepsis
No, it’s not the prevention of the omphalo virus. Omphaloskepsis is the contemplation of one’s navel as an aid to meditation. And while it’s a tongue-in-cheek suggestion, the larger point is that wellness professionals don’t spend enough time in quiet reflection. Why does it matter? Because to be the best version of your professional and […]
Lifestyle Medicine Q&A With Brad Biskup
“Employees Loved It” and Other Signs You May Be Doing the Wrong Thing
At HES, whenever we hear something like the employees loved… we hold our breath, because it’s often followed by the latest flavor-of-the-month wellness activity. While we’re big believers in delighting employees with whatever wellness benefit you’re promoting, if it’s not tied to an overall objective or the program’s mission, it’s probably neutral at best and […]
Choosing Your Next Wellness Vendor Partner
At HES, we’re big believers in checklists for important decisions. Here’s one for you to adapt as you evaluate future or current partners: Focus. The product or service you’re purchasing must be a core competency of the vendor, not some add-on to what they really do for a living. If it’s not their strength, it […]
The Happiest Wellness Managers Have the Biggest Life Outside of Work
We have the good fortune to work with hundreds of highly motivated wellness professionals every year. And from time to time we connect at an industry event and spend some time over coffee or dinner, when we really get to know them. One thing we’ve learned over the last decade: There seems to be a […]
Schindler’s Leadership Odyssey Advances Wellness Through Company Managers
How do you introduce well-being concepts into a traditionally conservative, predominantly left-brained, scientific engineering company? That was the challenge facing Michael Yurchuk, Vice President of HR Field Operations, and his team for Schindler Elevator Corporation. “We’re a Swiss-based company. When we thought about our existing leaders, we knew our strengths lay in developing very good, […]
Living Well at UT: Workplace Well-Being, Texas Style
It’s been said that everything’s bigger in Texas, and by all accounts, Living Well: Make it a Priority lives up to the reputation — in program scope, quality, and effectiveness. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the University of Texas System’s workplace well-being program, serving over 190,000 member employees, retirees, and dependents across the […]
Lifestyle Medicine at Work
Imagine you’ve been diagnosed with prediabetes and visit your onsite primary care clinic for a checkup. A medical assistant documents your vital signs — including physical activity level. During the exam, your provider asks how you feel about your exercise and nutrition habits, and where you see room for the most improvement. Along with prescription […]
Well-Being Managers Need Multiple Mentors
A couple years into my wellness career, I landed a job with The Dow Chemical Company. It was a stroke of luck that rewarded me for many years because I was introduced to my first mentor. She influenced and guided me — not only in the 8 years I spent at Dow, but especially in […]
Power the People: Ways to Train and Recognize Wellness Champions
Having passion for wellness is a powerful thing, but it’s not the only thing. To build a culture of health using a champion network, employers need the support of employee leaders with an abundance of positive energy, strong social skills, and enthusiasm for improving health. So after you’ve recruited or assembled the best possible employees […]