Your New Chance to Invest in a Healthier Planet, Healthier People
2-minute read After the nonstop roller coaster ride of the US presidential election, a lot of us are exhausted. And we’re ready to be done with the ordeal that politics in this country has become. But we’ll all benefit if we shake it off and power up instead of throwing in the towel. Our democracy […]
A Vote for Climate and Health
2-minute read Before COVID-19 swept the world, few Americans had heard about the 1918 pandemic (aka Spanish Flu). 100 years from now our grandchildren’s children will similarly view the current pandemic as a footnote in history. Of exponentially greater significance is the climate crisis; there will be no vaccine for a world on fire. And […]
Give Gratitude More Latitude
3-minute read When I was a kid, we were prompted every Thanksgiving to inventory all we have to be grateful for. But ever since positive psychology confirmed that gratitude goes hand in hand with happiness, we’re made to feel less than whole if we don’t live every day like it’s Thanksgiving. Self-help gurus and bandwagon […]
If You’d Tone Down the Positivity, That Would Be Great
3-minute read We all know people — many of them wellness colleagues — who go overboard on positive… from exhibiting exorbitant enthusiasm to insisting on a perpetually optimistic attitude from everyone to posting cheery but hollow platitudes and memes. Though people mean well, excessive positivity is toxic. Psychology research has long established that suppressing less […]
Employee Yearning for Normalcy Met by HES Well-Being Programs
4-minute read Success Relies on Outdoor Activity, Optimism, Mindfulness. In mid-March it was clear that the world was changing, and we were uncertain how it would affect program launches and participation. After a short-lived slowdown, when managers hit the pause button, the interest from nearly all sectors has been impressive. We’re seeing more momentum today […]
How Wellness Leaders Can Help Restore a Sense of Normalcy
3-minute read Social distancing may never feel natural. And while wearing a face covering in public places is the tiniest of inconveniences, it’s become a political issue for some who choose not to, further eroding our ability to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In a nation resistant to learning from our own experiences in managing […]
Defrosting Corporate Culture With Acts of Kindness
3-minute read Our most profound well-being experiences often are born from the simplest actions. I rely on a secret mood-booster, for example, when I work at the office during the bleak winter months. On snowy days… I sneak out of the office a few minutes early. I grab the snowbrush from my car then, before […]
Sustainability Inspiration From Sweden’s Eco-Driven Culture
3-minute read What happens when children receive a sustainability-infused education that begins in preschool, where a strong sense of environmental stewardship permeates national culture? Citizens develop a profound affinity — and sense of responsibility — for the natural world. Hats off to Sweden. Public education in this Nordic nation integrates environmental science with other subjects, […]
Big Impact Wellness Programs: How Little Things Add Up
4-minute read At HES we have the good fortune to work with organizations that generously fund their wellness programs and the extra good fortune to work with others operating on a shoestring. While both are capable of success, programs with limited funding and high engagement levels often have managers who show exceptional attention to the […]
5 Best New Year’s Resolutions for Well-Being Pros
3-minute read Know Your Role Your wellness program/portal/coaching service/challenge/incentive isn’t the center of anyone’s universe. 100% of the people working for your organization were hired to do a job, not participate in your wellness offerings. What we attempt to do for them or with them is tangential at best. And if executed poorly it can […]