Well-Being is for your Whole-Being

Have you heard of the COVID nineteen?  That’s the nineteen pounds someone puts on working from home.  We kind of smile and joke about it, but it’s real; if we don’t help our team members focus on their mental and physical health, staying home can become unhealthy.

Some businesses had a well-being plan when the staff was coming into the office, but what about now?  Has well-being fallen to the old saying, “Out of sight, out of mind.”?

Let’s examine 5 ways to promote well-being while working at home.

1.  Stay Connected. Our teams need to stay connected to each other and people in general.  From a leadership and culture standpoint, we need to make sure our team members know we haven’t forgotten about them and care about what is happening in their world.  It’s not just about the job – it’s about them. 

They need face time to see and engage. The phone is one-dimensional. A video call communicates both verbally and nonverbally.  The smile, head nod, eye contact can say more than the words themselves.

2.  Get Out of the House. As leaders, we need to encourage our teams to change their surroundings safely.  We may have a person or two who feel very uncomfortable eating out or even shopping, but they still need a change of scenery and a bit of sunshine and fresh air.

Here’s a couple of ideas to change the scenery:

I) Many areas are reopening restaurants. In a Thursday e-mail, ask your team to share some weekend plans. Who’s eating out and where?

ii) Encourage your people to take a photo of what they did on the weekend or while on a walk or a bike ride, then share it with the group. Of course, as a leader, you need to participate too.

iii) Have your team meet at a local park for a team meeting. Turn the meeting into an impromptu picnic. Your people are staying connected, getting out, and let’s be honest, not many things are better in the work world than when the company buys lunch.

3. Be Active. Encourage your team members to work on their physical health. A simple idea here is to choose a YouTube yoga or workout video.  Schedule a time once a week where your team members can do the activity in their homes. Everyone can text each other after the workout is over. After a few weeks, select another video for the team to do. 

4. Challenge Their Minds. It’s essential to keep learning, to stay mentally active. If not, the routine becomes a rut. Send out a weekly Brain Teaser.  Form an online book club. Your company might offer a video learning service like RightNow Media, encourage your team members to take advantage of the program.

5.  Be Available. As their leader, you should have a trust relationship with your team members. Remind them you are available to listen. We all need to have a safe space where we can “let it out.” You might learn of a greater need in your person’s life – help them get help. Trust, and a safe space can go a long way to strengthening the well-being of your team.

As leaders, we need to encourage our team members. We need to challenge and encourage them.  We can’t let the routine become a rut.

Staying connected, breaking the routines, offering opportunities to engage, and providing that safe space will benefit your team members. It reflects a company and leadership that cares, and that will be reflected in the company culture.

DREAM4 wants to partner with you to create an environment where team members flourish, leaders mature, and company culture thrives. 

Are you wondering what type of leadership you’re modeling for your team? Take the quiz here. Or Schedule a call TODAY.