5 Ways To Create A Supportive Environment For Working Moms

Moms truly do it all. On top of being full-time caregivers and teachers, they also have to factor in how to support their children and make ends meet. The pressure COVID-19 added to working moms made it nearly impossible to be fully present at work, home, and in their childrens’ lives.

If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that the time is now to introduce supportive practices that set working moms up for success. Some may argue that we should leave our personal life at the door when we start our work day… And to that we say: there is no clocking in and out as a parent. It’s a full-time, 24/7/365 role that has zero breaks. Because of this, employers must implement progressive benefits to set moms up for success.

Avoid Burnout With Supportive Employee Benefits

Factoring in the amount of pressure on working moms already, failure to introduce benefits that help working moms could result in burnout. This doesn’t require you to create a special program specifically for moms only. Think about new perks or incentives that benefit everyone – including working moms. You’ll find that when employees see you’re doing your part to create a healthy work-life balance, morale is higher and productivity levels rise across every department.

Give Employees Some Breathing Room With Progressive Working Norms

So, what programs can benefit all employees and give moms some time to catch their breath? How are employers supposed to keep operations humming in a way that keeps everyone sane? It all starts with taking a step back (and a deep breath) to look at the bigger picture:

Hybrid Work Schedules

Hybrid work models are quickly becoming an optimal solution to offer employees the work-life balance they need – especially for working moms. Some days are reserved for remote focus work and others are spent in the office to collaborate and move the company forward. This model replaces the corporate norms we once knew and gives us opportunities throughout the day to tune in with our personal lives, be it catching up on some laundry in between tasks or making lunch for the little ones at home.

Finding a win-win hybrid work schedule gives workers the space they need to put their heads down and knock out tasks, while creating a supportive workplace culture at the same time.

PTO: Paid Time Off aka Prepare The Others

Depending on who you ask, PTO can mean a few different things. While universally understood as “paid time off” younger generations like millennials and Gen Z joke that it stands for “prepare the others”.

And they have a point…

It’s not so much about what PTO stands for, rather the principle of employees giving proper notice that they will be out of the office and employers should do their part to equip their team for said employee’s absence. This falls into the work-life balance mentioned earlier. Working moms need PTO just as much as the rest of your staff and how they choose to use their PTO is entirely their prerogative. Instead of finding yourself amid the thousands of businesses suffering from the ongoing Great Resignation try implementing a reformed PTO policy and set expectations that make sense with today’s working norms.

Workplace Amenities For New Moms

If a hybrid work model isn’t feasible with your operations, consider providing resources at work for new moms. Designating a private lactation room new moms can reserve for 30-minute time slots would go a long way in creating a supportive work environment for new moms on your team.

Another way to bridge the gap between family and work life is access to childcare. Progressive businesses have found that employer-sponsored childcare has helped not only attract, but retain the best workers out there. Interestingly enough, 55% of parents said they would accept a lower salary if childcare were to be offered as an employee benefit.

Offering workplace amenities like these not only helps working mothers, but shows your entire staff you care about their wellbeing and lives outside of the office.

Equal Maternity & Paternity Leave

New dads only get a small fraction of the time off from work that new moms do. And while that’s for a variety of physical reasons that doesn’t mean that paternity leave should be any less than maternity leave. New parents need some time to find their footing in this new chapter of life as they get used to the ebbs and flows of parenting. The benefits of extended paternity leave are not only personal, but also helps working moms ease back into the office successfully. With dad at home too, moms have more support behind the scenes to focus on their careers instead of a newborn 24/7.

Workplace Wellness Programs To Empower Mental Health

Implementing workplace wellness programs not only builds chemistry between your employees and their departments, but promotes long-term mental health. Stress management programs like corporate massage, yoga and meditation, and virtual wellness keep the creative juices flowing and productivity levels at an all time high. We all know moving bodies are happy bodies, which ultimately improve our mood, cognitive function, and communication as a whole, so why not explore how workplace wellness can empower your employees?

Working Moms (And Dads) Benefit From Employer-Sponsored Support

Corporate America is evolving right in front of us. Employers must learn that in order to attract the best talent out there, they must have programs in place that support work-life balance. This is imperative for new moms (and dads). Hybrid work models and amenities like lactation stations/rooms, employer-sponsored childcare, and stress management programs all play a huge role in supporting working parents so they can give their children the attention they need without getting behind on daily tasks. When we create environments that empower our employees, we retain people who move our company forward.

Is your workplace shifting? Body Techniques has helped thousands of brands implement progressive policies to support new moms and sustain healthy work-life balances. Talk to us today about your goals for 2022 and get professional insight on the best next step.

April 25, 2022April 21, 2022

Virtual Team Building Exercises For Hybrid Work Environments

We live in a day and age where there is a new “business as usual” unfolding. Some companies are shifting to 100% remote work, while others are adopting a hybrid model to give employees the flexibility to choose where they work on a day-to-day basis. This can create a problem for business leaders as they continue to find their footing in this changing environment. A simple, yet effective way to unite all employees – no matter where they are – is virtual team building exercises for.

Read on to learn more about what you can do as an employer to keep all departments synchronized using tools such as Zoom, Google Meets, and virtual wellness platforms.

Hybrid Working Models Are Here To Stay

Hybrid work models are becoming increasingly popular in every industry, but what makes a work model “hybrid”? In short, it gives employees the option to either work from home completely, or for a few days a week and come into the office for more team-focused collaboration. Commercial environments from healthcare to tech and even small businesses are benefiting from hybrid work models as the dust settles from two plus years of button up shirts with pajama pants and making sure we’re not on mute before contributing to an online meeting. This not only offers employees some well-deserved work-life balance, but it also helps businesses cut on utility costs and other expenses that can add up from a managerial standpoint.

So, what’s the catch?

This may seem like a win-win, but working from home has its own set of consequences that often leave employees feeling disconnected from fellow colleagues and employers as a whole. Virtual team building exercises lay the foundation to help people connect and engage with one another. You can hire the best talent out there, but without internal trust between departments and team leaders, the outlook can be grim for most businesses.

Build Team Chemistry No Matter Where Your Employees Are

Designating a time and space for your team to come together is the first step towards virtual team building. Depending on the inner workings of your business structure, there may be certain activities that are more suitable for your employees over others.

Virtual Yoga & Meditation

Our clients have found the most effective methods for team building can be found through company-sponsored programs like virtual wellness. Online yoga and meditation classes equip employees with mental tools to keep stress levels low while connecting with their coworkers through a shared practice.

Company-Sponsored Online Fitness Classes

It’s no secret that working out boosts endorphins. By introducing virtual fitness classes, your employees can work on mind-body connection and bond with one another at the same time. Our virtual wellness program is designed to keep your team tuned in and active as they build team chemistry and motivate one another to persevere.

Keep Daily Communications Human

If your office uses instant messaging tools like Slack, try introducing Slack bots to keep remote and in-office staff connected. Slack bots can be programmed to humanize employee interactions and group channels. Use GIFs to celebrate employee birthdays, create automated messages for weekly data recaps, set up reward systems, and break the ice as you introduce new hires to the team.

Improve Trust, Productivity, & Morale With Unique Exercises For Team Building

Just because we don’t work like we used to doesn’t mean we can’t come together to empower one another. Don’t let changing work dynamics and hybrid models handicap your operations. Virtual team building exercises make these important get-togethers accessible for everyone and establish trust between departments, leaders, and new hires.

Body Techniques specializes in virtual team building exercises and can guide you in the right direction when it comes to designing a program unique to your business. Learn more about our approach to employee wellness and how we can help unify your team.

April 18, 2022April 18, 2022

6 Ways You Can Show Appreciation to Your Employees

6 Ways You Can Show Appreciation to Your Employees

Whether you own a business or manage a team, you know your employees are one of your most valuable resources. But many companies struggle to show adequate appreciation for the people working to keep the business thriving, with challenges such as daily projects with tight deadlines and continually shifting priorities. This can result in a cycle of constant turnover of skilled and talented employees.

Showing your employees appreciation can boost morale, promote loyalty, increase productivity, and improve the overall wellbeing of your team. Creating space for gratitude and connection helps cultivate a culture that increases individual creativity, all while supporting overall company growth and expansion. We call that a win-win!

If you want to retain experienced workers with knowledge and skill of the work at hand, employee appreciation has to be a normal practice in your business. Pizza parties are a great start, but we’re pushing to help empower leaders to do more for their staff.

Here are a few ways business owners, CEOs or company managers can show their gratitude and appreciation to employees who are making a positive contribution toward helping their company succeed.

Touch Base With Employees Regularly

Making time for daily interactions with your team is one way to connect and share appreciation. If you’re in the office, try to greet your team at the start of the day. It doesn’t have to be formal, a “hello” as you fill your coffee cup or a quick chat on the way to a meeting is all you need to check in and connect. For remote teams, make yourself available to pings and chats. Setting up a fun chat where the team can share lighthearted GIFs and stories can be a great way to connect while remote. Our BT team has a handful of chats we use, from sports to plants, crystals, and pets, and people can opt-out as they please. It’s a fun break during the day that helps to keep the team connected as humans as we log into and out of meetings.

Another way to touch base with your staff is by recognizing their accomplishments publicly during a staff meeting or by sending a personal thank you note to acknowledge your appreciation of the good work they’re doing. It’s often the little gestures of thanks that people value most. By showing your employees appreciation, you help create a positive, satisfying, productive work environment that people look forward to. You’ll also retain valuable personnel that your company needs in order to move forward in the years ahead.

Listen & Take Appropriate Action

Listening to your employees and enacting change when necessary shows that you appreciate and value their input. Every company needs a way of collecting feedback from their workforce to get a clear picture of what’s happening at the ground level of their business. Creating space for open, honest communication is the first step, the second is taking action on the information you learn to make your workplace a better work environment for everyone.

One way to keep the lines of communication open is to set up an effective HR department that looks out for the interests of your employees. Whether your workers are airing grievances, sharing safety concerns, or seeking professional or emotional support, your company’s HR department should be able to meet their needs. As a leader, you can show appreciation for your workforce by hiring competent, caring HR people who have a heart for those who work hard to make your business succeed.

Offer a Fully Remote or Flex Schedule

Listening to your employees gives you a better idea of what works and what doesn’t work in your business when it comes to worker productivity. Ineffectual work schedules are often at the top of the list. One way to tackle this obstacle and show appreciation to those who deserve it is to ffoer flexible work hours or remote work opportunities to the hard-working members of your team.

The last two years have taught us that many roles can be successfully shifted out of the office and into remote work. Remote work can help employees enjoy a better work-life balance, flexible hours, and the ability to work from anywhere. Meanwhile, employers can benefit from increased productivity and lower overhead costs. There are plenty of productivity-boosting benefits that come with working remotely, such as:

No commute: This is probably the most popular remote work perk. When you work from home, you eliminate your commute entirely. This can save time and money on things such as gas, car maintenance, and so on..
More relaxed dress code: With remote work, there’s no need to get all dressed up for an office setting. You can rock your favorite pair of sweats or yoga pants all day long.
Increased focus and concentration: When you work from home, there are fewer distractions and interruptions. This can help you get into a flow state more easily and boost your productivity.
Access to more flexible hours: With remote work, you often have more control over your schedule. This can be a huge benefit if you have kids, need to take care of an elderly parent, or simply prefer to work odd hours.
Increased sense of work-life balance: When you’re not tied to a 9-to-5 schedule, it’s easier to maintain a healthy work-life balance. This can lead to improved mental and physical health, as well as increased productivity.

Overall, everyone can benefit from remote work in some way or another. It allows us to create a more productive and efficient workforce, all while a load of laundry gets washed.

Offer Time Off

Giving an employee time off is a great way to show your appreciation, especially after a particularly busy project or stressful season. After completing a major project or accomplishing a sought-after goal, schedule some paid leave for those who have earned it. You can schedule the PTO so that your team isn’t left short-handed or have employees choose a time that’s convenient or helpful for them.

Everyone needs a little R&R from time to time. It’s a good way of showing your workers you value them and their health and welfare. Time off is important to prevent burnout. A hectic work schedule that requires working late to stay on top of timely projects can put employees at risk of burnout. Burnout can lead to a range of problems, including alcohol or drug abuse. A few days off (with pay, of course) gives people time to recharge, mentally and physically.

Offer Training and Opportunities for Advancement

Giving your employees career training, cross-training, and opportunities for advancement shows that you care about their future. Like you, your workers have goals and dreams. Most people want to advance in their careers and are on the lookout for opportunities to develop their talents and skills. If you offer training programs that help people learn and grow, it will only benefit your business in the long run. This is another one of those win-wins, as you invest in your team they increase their skill set. By giving your people opportunities to advance and take on more responsibility, you show your workers you value what they have to offer and want to invest in their future.

Invest in Wellness

Employees spend long hours at work. So it’s important to make the office as welcoming as possible. One way to do that is by providing programs and benefits that focus on their overall mental and physical health. Whether it’s on-site gym access, corporate massage, or time off to volunteer for causes they support, your employees will be happier, which will increase productivity and reduce healthcare costs.

A Little Gratitude Goes A Long Way

These are a few of the many ways you can show appreciation to your employees. In turn, you’ll retain your workforce and grow them into a tight-knit team. Employees who are valued and appreciated are happier, more productive, and more inclined to go above and beyond in their daily tasks. When you consistently show appreciation for your employees, you help establish a work culture where your people can thrive and look forward to building a future with your company.

April 11, 2022April 14, 2022

How to Celebrate Nurses Throughout Nurse Appreciation Week

It takes a special kind of person to be a nurse. The abundance of compassion and care these healthcare professionals show on a daily basis makes our world a better place.

So, how can we continue to give them the recognition they deserve? With National Nurse Week (aka Nurse Appreciation Week) coming up in early May, there’s no better time than now to start planning out different ways to make the nurses at your medical practice feel extra special.

Nurse Appreciation Week: What It Is & Why It Matters

Did you know Nurse Appreciation takes place May 6-12th every year? It ends on Florence Nightingale’s birthday, who was a female pioneer in the healthcare industry – making hospitals a cleaner and more comfortable place to be. All while training nurses under her during the Crimean War. To this day, nurses around the world are continuously inspired by her dedication to healing others. Since 1896, The American Nursing Association (ANA) has uplifted the nursing profession on a national and statewide level. They encourage National Nurses week recognition programs through the state and district nurses associations, specialty nursing organizations, educational facilities, and independent health care companies and institutions.

More often than not, we tend to take nurses for granted. Healthcare facilities like hospitals would fail to exist without these linchpin employees. That’s why it’s so important for company leaders, Human Resource personnel, and decision makers in the medical field to plan ahead and find unique, genuine ways to express gratitude towards their nursing staff.

How To Show Gratitude For Your Nurses

Nurses do a lot – there’s no question about that. They sacrifice their own needs and wants for the wellbeing of others. This year, consider how you can show gratitude for the nurses in your life.

Help Nurses Prioritize Mental Health & Stress Management

You’d think employee wellness would be top-of-mind for any healthcare facility or medical practice. The truth is, this industry has been hit harder than any other over the last few years. And while there are a ton of employee wellness best practices out there – sometimes you have to go above and beyond when showing recognition.

Nurse Appreciation Week is one of those times.

Body Techniques has an entire corporate massage program dedicated to health care workers. This includes Roaming Massage, which is a mobile solution that meets nurses on their assigned floors or work stations. Our certified massage therapist provides a relaxing chair massage. This keeps operations moving and production levels high across the board.

How It Works

We make coordinating a specialty massage program for your nurses seamless.

Schedule a consultation.
Discovery meeting with a stress management pro.
Receive a custom quote for your Nurse Appreciation Week massage program.
We handle the details!

Treat The Team To A Catered Meal

Nurses are constantly on their feet – sometimes for 12 hours at a time! Ordering a catered lunch will give your staff the fuel they need to keep up with charting, checking on patients, and be on their toes in the chance there’s an emergency. Catered meals could be…

Breakfast buffet
Boxed lunches
Snack bar

Not only does this give nurses something to look forward to, it also shows them you care and want them to nourish their bodies with healthy foods.

Address Them Personally

Sometimes it’s the little things that leave lasting impacts on us. Taking the time to write each nurse a personalized letter thanking them for their perseverance is a great way to show appreciation. By calling out specific things each employee brings to the table, they feel seen and ultimately know you value them as an asset to your practice.

How Will You Celebrate Nurse Appreciation Week?

Building trust amongst your employees and team leaders is critical in any industry. Healthcare professionals need validation just like anyone else. Show your nurses you care by planning a special event (or a surprise) for Nurse Appreciation week be it a specialty massage, catered event, or a simple handwritten note thanking them for all they do for you, your patients, and your practice!

Body Techniques is well-versed in crafting custom employee wellness programs for medical professionals that improve morale and productivity – send us a message to start planning your appreciation event!

March 31, 2022October 22, 2024

Yoga Poses To Combat Sitting All Day At Work

Desk job employees: when’s the last time you took a moment to stretch your muscles?

Stretching is so much more than being able to touch your toes or being flexible – it’s an opportunity to build a healthy mind-body connection that so many of us seem to lose sight of because our desk jobs are so demanding mentally.

The hard truth? Humans aren’t made to sit 8-10 hours per day. In fact, long periods of sitting can actually be harmful in the grand scheme of things. But don’t worry, our certified yoga instructors have created a beginner-friendly sequence of poses to combat sitting all day.

But before finding your zen, it’s important to understand how desk jobs can harm us when we sit for hours on end.

How Your Desk Job May Be Harming Your Health

This may be a wild guess, but if you’re reading this you’re most likely hunched over your desk (or phone). You landed here because you know your desk job can quite literally cause aches and pains in your lower back, wrists, and even result in headaches.

Long story short – our bodies suffer at the hands of our desk jobs. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing we can do about it. Taking a few moments each day to stretch can improve our posture and mood – ultimately resulting in feeling better. Yoga is an ideal way to loosen tight muscles and address certain areas on the body that don’t get as much movement as they should when sitting all day.

The Best Yoga Flow For Desk Jobs

From breath work and grounding poses to Warrior II and balancing, we’ve prepared a simple, yet effective sequence of yoga poses to help you feel better after sitting all day at work. Hold each pose for 5-10 breaths. As with any exercise, listen to your body. No pose should be painful or uncomfortable. It’s all about finding that balance between effort and ease.

Balasana (Child’s Pose)

Start off in Child’s Pose. This shape not only lengthens the spine, but opens your hips and grounds you before setting an intention for your practice. From here, find your breath – breathe in and out through your nose.

How To Find The Pose: Come on your hands and knees and bring your toes to touch and knees wide as you move your hips toward heels. Walk your hands forward until your forehead comes to the mat or floor. If it’s comfortable, close your eyes.

Marjaryasana/Bitilasana (Cat/Cow Pose)

Cat/Cow Pose improves spine flexibility and stretches your back muscles. Perfect if you have to drive long commutes on top of sitting all day.

How To Find The Pose: From Child’s Pose, come onto your hands and knees making sure they’re shoulder and hip width apart. Inhale and press through your palms. Round your spine as you drop your head to find Cat Pose. On the exhale, drop your belly towards the floor, then lift your gaze and look up – coming into Cow Pose. Match breath to movement and cycle through 5-7 rounds of Cat/Cow.

Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)

Downward Facing Dog Pose provides a juicy stretch in all the right places. It improves circulation and helps release tension in the neck.

How To Find The Pose: Root down into your palms and begin raising your knees off the mat. Lift your hips and straighten your legs if possible. In your first Down Dog, pedal the feet to ease into the pose. Firm the outer arms and shoulder blades. Look back at your toes. Shake the head yes and no to release tension in the base of your skull.

Uttanasana (Standing Fold Pose)

This inversion pose is ideal to alleviate anxiety and reduce tension headaches. For beginners, make sure to bend your knees as much as you need to avoid pulling a muscle. Standing Fold Pose is known to help with digestion, as well as stretching your hamstrings.

How To Find The Pose: Root down into your palms and begin raising your knees off the mat. Lift your hips and straighten your legs if possible.

Tadasana (Tall Mountain Pose)

Tall Mountain is another key pose in any yoga flow. It’s in this shape that you’ll have to practice your drishti (focused gaze) to keep the mind and body still. This pose is beneficial if you’re working on your balance and helps lengthen your spine.

How To Find The Pose: Root into your feet and come all the way up until you’re standing with your arms overhead. Depending on how your body feels, you can stand with your feet together or hip-width distance apart.

Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II Pose)

Warrior II pays homage to the Hindu god, Shiva. This pose is a test of endurance and strength for any yogi because your legs are doing most of the work to hold yourself still while the core is engaged to stabilize the torso. Another benefit of Warrior II? It’s a beloved hip opener that is easily modified to be accessible for all levels of fitness.

How To Find The Pose: From Tall Mountain, step your right foot back and bring the edge of your foot in line with the short edge of your mat. Bend the left knee. Your hips should be open towards the right side of the room. Bring your arms into a T and look over your left hand, again finding your drishti. Repeat on the left side.

The Cooldown

After you’ve gone through the poses above, come onto your back and take a few deep breaths. Add in an additional twist by lifting your legs, bend at the knees, and let them fall to either side of you. You can use blankets, yoga blocks, or books to bring the floor up if your knees don’t quite touch it yet. After this, extend your arms by your sides, legs go long, and close your eyes as you find the best pose of all: Savasana.

A Little Yoga Goes A Long Way

Finding just 15-20 minutes a day to stretch your body has lifelong benefits – especially if you work a desk job. No matter if you have perfect posture or not, these yoga poses keep your mind-body connection intact and improve circulation. Practicing yoga is all about listening to what your body needs and that changes by the day.

Corporate Yoga: Practice Yoga With Your Coworkers

Not only do our bodies benefit from yoga, but our relationships can, too. There’s a certain kind of chemistry that happens between groups of people who practice yoga together. Bonds formed on your mat carry into the workplace and can improve communication within and between departments. Body Techniques provides both in-person and online yoga classes for workplaces with desk jobs just like yours. Learn more about our corporate yoga programs and why stress management is so important in corporate settings.

March 29, 2022March 29, 2022

5 Ways to Combat Zoom Fatigue

A change in workplace trends has taken place over the past two years of uncertainty and has left numerous people working from their homes instead of being in an office. In doing so, employees lost the ability to walk over to their coworkers to ask questions or just to have some friendly conversation. This workplace adjustment led to a rapid increase in virtual meetings, more popularly known as Zoom calls.

While the ability to communicate with employees who are potentially all over the world is extremely beneficial, it also has its downfalls—a major one being Zoom fatigue. Similar to feelings of burnout, Zoom fatigue refers to the exhaustion that comes from excessive virtual meetings. If you’re struggling to overcome Zoom fatigue, this is for you.

Come to Meetings Prepared to Focus

A large contributor to Zoom fatigue is the physical impact it can have on your eyes as most virtual meetings expect you to have complete focus on the video during the meeting. The blue light emissions from the screen can cause migraines, which only enhances Zoom fatigue by the end of the day. On top of this, long-term exposure to blue light can alter your circadian rhythm and negatively impact your sleep cycle. While you may spend most of your days in front of screens you simply cannot escape, comfortable blue light eyeglasses are a great option to help protect your eyes from your increased screen time. Wearing these glasses while you are in meetings, looking at your calendar, or simply looking at your phone can help reduce symptoms like blurry vision, dry eye, eyestrain, and more. Incorporating these glasses into your daily life may also positively impact your work/life routine and allow you to get a good night of sleep.

Creating the right environment is important when it comes to maintaining focus. With that in mind, we additionally recommend taking meetings in a designated workspace, making sure that the lighting of your room is optimal, and even wearing headphones to ensure you are in the right mindset for your meeting.

Turn Video off if it’s Not Mandatory

While some virtual meetings require your undivided, visible attention and presence, not all are this way. If possible, opt for turning your video off if it’s not necessary. It’s a small adjustment, but it can make a big impact. Having your camera on puts added pressure to look and act a certain way, which inevitably leads to those feelings of Zoom fatigue. Have you ever been in a meeting that you can’t seem to focus on because your brain is running through a daily to-do list? Take advantage of opportunities that you don’t need to have a camera on, and maximize your time if possible.

Rotate Who the Host is

Having to be the meeting host for every meeting can quickly become exhausting. As the host, the expectation is that you are “on” at all times and prepared for anything. While it may seem like it’s not that difficult of a task, it can take its toll by the end of the day. If you find that you’re ending calls feeling tense and listless, consider creating a rotation for who hosts the meetings. Best case scenario, you only have to host one meeting a day, or possibly even one a week.

Make Time to Decompress

Creating pockets of time to decompress throughout the day is essential to avoiding burnout. There are days that feel overwhelming and stressful with constant to-do lists forming and finding time to take a breath and step away from the computer screen can help immensely. From taking a walk during your lunch hour to meditating during breaks between meetings, scheduling time for yourself to level-set your feelings and stress levels can help make the daily grind more manageable.

When your days seem to never end with back-to-back meetings with no breaks in sight, it’s important to make time to decompress when you log off. Reducing your screen time after work hours can give your eyes and brain much-needed rest. Consider creating a meditation routine that can help you alleviate residual work-related stress, and if you find it usual for yourself, finding opportunities to meditate together with your coworkers may help foster self-care routines for them as well.

Institute a No Meeting Day

Structuring your week to include one meeting-free day can really help reduce Zoom fatigue. Limiting the days you have meetings will make those meetings you do have feel more important and create a sense of efficiency with each agenda you run through. These particular no-meeting days give you the opportunity to focus on complex assignments that require your undivided attention. Dedicating time to these tasks without the interruption of call after call can help you feel accomplished and can cross items off of your to-do list faster.

Choosing your meeting-free day is up to you; it could be a day in the middle of the week to give you a nice break, or it could be on Fridays to help end your week on a more relaxing note. Consider speaking about this with your boss or coworkers to see if a team-wide no-meeting day would be beneficial for everyone. Creating a work environment that ensures efficiency and wellness is important to the success of all.

Participating in Zoom calls takes a lot of effort. Being focused, looking presentable, and preparing for every meeting, sometimes at a moment’s notice, can take a great deal of mental strength. Virtual meetings are here to stay, so it’s important to implement a few of the strategies listed above and prevent the sometimes unavoidable, but incredibly manageable, Zoom fatigue.

March 17, 2022March 29, 2022

Employee Wellness Best Practices For Health Care Workers

Making mental health resources accessible for health care workers is no longer a desired benefit, but a necessity. As most doctors, hospital administrators, and patient care managers know – sound mental health requires a lot more work than the occasional day off of work. From maintaining healthy diets to company-sponsored massage, employee wellness is attainable with the right stress management program in place.

Read on to learn how implementing just a few employee wellness best practices around your healthcare facility can keep staff in the right state of mind to continue helping those in need.

How To Implement Stress Management Programs For Health Care Workers

When narrowing down employee wellness options consider asking your nurses, receptionists, hygienists, and administrators what they need in order to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Starting this conversation shows your employees that you see them as real people and not just a means to an end. This can be done in the form of an email survey or hosting a company meeting to get their feedback. Body Techniques has several options to help you implement wellness best practices specific to the healthcare industry. With our expertise, you can easily show gratitude to your employees.

Employee Wellness Ideas For Health Care Workers

We’re all too familiar with the saying, “Actions speak louder than words.” This also rings true for prioritizing employee wellness. Giving your faculty and staff guidelines for maintaining a healthy work-life balance equips them with different outlets to look and feel their best. As a result, they’re happier at work and more productive in their daily roles. Our clients tend to see the most success from their company-sponsored stress management program when it’s supported by additional mental health best practices:

Keep Healthy Snacks Around The Office Or Breakroom

While everyone loves a mental health donut every now and then, we all know that sugar is one of the worst things someone can consume when they’re having a bad day. Instead of surprising the office with sweets, try keeping fruits and/or vegetables around for your employees to snack on throughout the day. If this isn’t feasible for your medical practice, an engaging alternative could be hosting a monthly potluck where everyone brings in their favorite healthy dish. These events not only build morale amongst your staff, but equip their bodies with the right foods to power through each shift.

Create A Collaborative Work Playlist

Find the right tune and you’ll improve just about anyone’s mood. If your healthcare facility allows, create a playlist that employees can add their favorite work-appropriate songs to. If your practice doesn’t have speakers throughout the office, try adding a bluetooth speaker to your breakroom or employee lounge to help ground your staff when they need to take a break.

health care workers at a lunch and learn

Host Lunch & Learn Sessions

A huge part of employee wellness is nurturing growth. Host a quarterly lunch and learn session to keep staff members at the forefront of any updates either within their field, or something totally off the wall and fun!

female health care worker receiving a corporate massage with body techinques

Stress Less With Corporate Massage

Corporate massage is quickly becoming a must in terms of maintaining mental health for doctors, EMTs, nurses, practitioners, and really everyone who works in healthcare. Body Techniques has helped hundreds of medical practices empower their employees through corporate massage. The most successful? Roaming massage.

If you’re wondering to yourself, “What is a roaming massage?” It’s an all-encompassing solution for busy healthcare facilities (like hospitals and urgent care) that brings a much needed massage right to your staff. One of our certified massage therapists meets your nurses on their floors or stations and provides a chair massage. This is ideal for nurses who are sitting in front of their computers or need a mental health break after charting.

Encourage Balance, Not Burnout

Keeping your staff in the best mental state possible is essential to operate a successful medical practice. Body Techniques is here to help you turn the page when it comes to prioritizing employee wellness. By taking the time to hear what your staff is looking for in terms of work-life balance, you can create a custom program that meets their needs so they can, in turn, provide the highest quality of care to your patients.

Getting started is easy – talk to us today to learn the value of maintaining mental health at work.

February 10, 2022February 10, 2022

Diet & Nutrition Tips To Promote Mental Health At Work

diet and nutrition tips for better mental health at work

Mental health at work. It’s something Millennials and Gen Z have made us think twice about as they take the workforce by storm. While employers can implement different stress management programs that prioritize mental health, there are numerous ways employees can promote their own mental health at work.

One of the best ways? Maintaining a healthy diet.

Fueling our body with the proper nutrients it needs is essential for mental health. Incorporating a few diet and nutrition tips into your daily routine can make all the difference in your mental state on the job.

But how does your diet relate to mental health? Read on to learn how what we eat impacts how we look and feel no matter where our workday takes us.

How Your Diet Impacts Mental Health

Eating well should be included in anyone’s wellness plan. Our brain and stomach are so intertwined that most refer to the stomach as our second brain. This relationship is the foundation of a sound mind-body connection because billions of bacteria live in the gastrointestinal tract. When we eat healthy food, good bacteria grow, which positively affects neurotransmitter production. The brain receives these positive signals and can brighten our mood as a result.

The catch? This process is flipped when we eat unhealthy foods: poor neurotransmitter production can contribute to a poor mental state. Knowing how food impacts our mood helps us navigate diet and nutrition best practices – ultimately empowering our mental health at work.

Diet & Nutrition Tips That Can Boost Your Mental Health At Work

When we eat healthy, we feel healthy. What you choose to snack on or prepare outside of work (and during) contributes to your overall mental health. Keep the following diet and nutrition tips in mind as you grocery shop for those desk snacks.

Color Your Plate With Fruits & Veggies

Brightening up your plate with portioned fruits and veggies is a fun way to practice better nutrition. Take advantage of your break room fridge or invest in a small office fridge to keep healthier snack options like grapes, mini sweet peppers, or blueberries nearby!

Incorporate Omega-3 Fats Into Your Diet

Depression and other mental disorders have been tied to low omega-3 fat intake. You can easily add omega-3 fatty acids into your diet by taking fish oil supplements, grass fed meat, or pastured eggs.

Steer Clear Of Added Sugar

This can be hard if you’re accustomed to snacking on processed foods throughout the day, but worth it in the long run. Added sugar can be identified on nutrition labels in a variety of ways including high-fructose corn syrup and sucrose (table sugar). Eating too much added sugar can lead to illnesses like type 2 diabetes and heart disease and, without a doubt, weigh on your mental health. An important mindset we practice here at Body Techniques is that moderation is key, so go ahead and treat yourself to a breakroom donut, but try not to go overboard!

Create A Plan With Your Healthcare Provider

While there are best practices for a healthy diet and eating nutritious foods, it’s important to talk to your doctor to create a plan based on your unique needs. Your healthcare provider will be able to help you navigate mental health, diet, and long-term nutrition goals in a way that makes sense for you!

Change Doesn’t Happen Overnight – Be Kind To Yourself

Shifting our diet takes a lot of practice and time to “relearn” how to eat healthy foods. When everything is said and done, what we eat impacts our mood. You can prioritize your mental health by being mindful of the food you eat and how it makes you feel. Don’t be afraid to go outside of your comfort zone and try new fruits, vegetables, or meal prep recipes if you think it’ll promote better mental health. After all, you deserve it!

Talk To Your Employer About Nutrition Benefits

More and more employers are rolling out wellness benefits for employees. Body Techniques works with businesses in every industry and can provide holistic wellness programs that help you and your colleagues be mindful about wellness at work. Discover how easy it is to get a custom quote and take control of your mental health today.

January 26, 2022February 1, 2022

A Simple Way To Show Gratitude For Healthcare Workers

mental health programs for healthcare employees

It goes without saying – healthcare workers are at their limit. Physically and mentally. Medical practitioners and healthcare employees across the country are at a breaking point.

And who could blame them? They’re caught up in the perfect storm: being on the frontlines of a pandemic, focused on providing care to others, with little-to-no access to mental healthcare of their own (like stress management programs).

It’s past time to express gratitude and move away from burnout culture with tailored care for the doctors, nurses, and allied professionals. After two years of navigating this pandemic, these teams are in need of support and lasting change.

But what is the best way to support healthcare workers in a way that prioritizes their mental health? We’re here to support healthcare organizations that are going ready to go the extra mile to keep employees’ mental health a priority.

Why Mental Health At Work Matters Now More Than Ever

Two years into a pandemic, healthcare workers are facing staffing shortages, continually shifting guidelines, as well as juggling their own personal responsibilities at home, all while trying to provide the highest level of patient care.

This is why promoting mental health at work is imperative for healthcare facilities. Nurses and others in healthcare are constantly understaffed, and many are reconsidering their career paths. It’s time for those who have a say in hospital benefits to implement new programs, packages, mental health days; whatever it takes to show your healthcare workers you value their contributions and wellbeing.

How To Show Gratitude for Frontline Healthcare Workers

Healthcare workers deserve a benefit package positioned around mental health. What that looks like is up to you, but know we can help to design and tailored programs to suit your environment and needs. Managing stress levels is a key element in any successful healthcare career. Body Techniques creates customized corporate massage programs that provide the mental break your frontline workers should have access to.

We make implementation seamless thanks to our trained and certified massage therapists. The massage therapists come to your facility to set up and carry out one-on-one massage sessions to keep stress levels low. As you create your benefits package, you can choose from several on-site massage programs for employees including:

Chair massage therapy: This convenient method of massage uses chairs specifically made to provide a soothing massage experience. We suggest this option for employees who spend a lot of time at desks or nurses and staff who are required to be on their feet for long periods of time.

Roaming massage: Busy healthcare facilities like hospitals need solutions that work with daily operations instead of slowing them down. Roaming massage is specifically designed to solve this problem by bringing the massage directly to your staff. Our massage therapists meet your nurses on their designated floors and provide massages as they’re sitting in chairs in front of computers before or after charting.

Table massage therapy: If you’re planning an internal mental health day or employee celebration ideas, a table massage is a great way to show gratitude for your staff. Our massage therapists use a series of techniques to make employees instantly feel relaxed. After their massage experience, they feel lighter, happier, and ready to take on whatever comes next.

Reflexology: We have taken this ancient practice and transformed it into a proven method of stress release for healthcare professionals. Our therapists gently apply pressure to the reflex points to help energy flow to help your employees find a state of balance and calm to help them make level-headed decisions in high-stress situations.

Choosing to celebrate mental health by subsidizing a corporate massage program keeps your employees healthy and present on the job. Body Techniques works with the unique layout of your facility to have a designated massage “space” be it a breakroom, empty meeting room or meeting nurses on their assigned floors at their stations.

Remember, the biggest benefit (and goal) of implementing corporate massage is to promote mental health amongst your healthcare faculty and staff. Without resources like this, your employees will continue to feel burned out.

Tip: Our clients have the most success when an internal “mental health day” is celebrated. Healthcare workers can get a 15-minute chair massage in before making their rounds or returning to their stations. Make it an employee appreciation event with catered food and mental health resources specifically for those in healthcare.

Say Thanks Through Actions, Not Words

Show your staff and faculty you appreciate the hours they’re putting in by improving your benefits. Pizza parties are a great start, but today’s workforce is demanding a healthy work-life balance that goes beyond. Encouraging mental health through employee perks like corporate massage or other stress management programs sends a message that you truly care about your employees and want them to feel good mentally and physically.

Celebrate Mental Health With A Corporate Massage

With a consulting physician guiding our safety policies and protocols, we are confident we can work with you to start shifting healthcare work from burnout to balance.

Do your part: equip your healthcare employees with the right tools they need to keep mental health top of mind. Talk to us today about how to build a benefits program designed to combat the unique challenges that come with healthcare stress management.

December 22, 2021February 15, 2022

10 FAQs To Help Prepare Your Office For A Corporate Massage

The benefits of corporate massage go a long way – a really long way. Not only are routine corporate massage sessions beneficial to the staff who receive them, but your business also thrives with the newly added employee perk. Let’s be honest… Who doesn’t want to work for a company that has free massages available to anyone who wants or needs them?

Body Techniques has perfected our corporate massage services for every kind of setting. No matter if you’re looking to book a one-time employee celebration event or seeking to enhance the wellness package you offer employees, we make onboarding easy by handling the logistics.

And while we facilitate the nuts and bolts, businesses should keep a few things in mind as they prepare the office for our most popular service. In this article we’re highlighting our top 10 FAQs on how to plan for a corporate massage event.

Corporate Massage Event Planning Tips

Planning a successful corporate massage event starts with organization. At Body Techniques, we guide you step-by-step so you’re always ahead of the game. In your initial assessment, we’ll identify what kind of corporate massage you’re interested in:

Chair massage
Table massage
Reflexology

If you’re in the initial decision making stage and not sure what kind of massage would be best for your employees – ask them! Taking the time to add a benefit crafted around your staff’s specific wants and needs builds trust in their employer, which ultimately helps you avoid the fallout from a widespread resignation.

Now, onto our top 10 corporate massage planning FAQs.

1. How Soon In Advance Should I Book My Corporate Massage?

We’ve found clients have the best planning experience when they book a month in advance. Sometimes this isn’t possible, so we suggest a minimum of 2 weeks to plan your corporate massage event. Learn more about how corporate massage works here.

2. What Space Or Room Should We Use For The Session(s)?

Planning a one-time event at a health and wellness conference looks a little different than a recurring in-office corporate massage. Luckily, we’ve had plenty of experience with both and found the following works best:

Special events like conferences, fairs, and conventions typically have a designated area for the massage table to be set up ahead of time. This can either be around other vendors or in a quiet space to help participants tune out the bustling crowds.

In-office corporate massage – recurring or single sessions – ideally have a space or room that’s semi-private so the rest of your office isn’t distracted. Conference spaces, communal areas, or empty offices all work well for employees to trickle in throughout the day to receive a massage.

3. How Should I Notify Employees?

We all benefit from reminders. Blame social media or a world dependent on screens, but regardless you have to have a plan when it comes to marketing your employee event! Both single and recurring sessions can be included in your internal company newsletter or distributed by email. If you have a break room, create a flyer and hang it up! Bigger corporations can task department heads with relaying the who and what to help streamline communication.

All in all, there’s never a wrong way to notify employees about a perk like this.

4. What Else Can I Do To Host A Memorable Employee Event?

We love seeing employers going above and beyond for their team! If you’re looking to add a little something extra to your upcoming corporate massage, consider one of the following:

Company merchandise table: Think t-shirts, notebooks, tote bags, etc.
Refreshments: Set up a table with snacks, drinks, or go all out and get lunch catered.
Photo booth: If you’re hosting a big event, photo booths are a great way to encourage employee engagement and they’ll most likely share their pictures on social media! Two PR birds with one event.

5. Do I Need To Do Any Setup Preparations?

All you need to do is have a space for our certified Massage Therapists (MTs) to do their thing. On the day of your event, our MTs will arrive early to set everything up prior to the scheduled start time. Because each employee’s body is built differently, we take the time to listen to them and provide a comforting massage tailored to what they need. To make sure your event runs smoothly and as scheduled, you can utilize our proprietary booking software to keep everything on track.

6. What Can I Do To Promote Employee Attendance?

We already mentioned having special merch and refreshments to create interest in your upcoming corporate massage, but if you’re looking for something more, we’ve seen a lot of success when clients host raffles for prizes like full or have days of PTO. Other prizes we’ve seen include:

Preferred parking spots
Additional massage credits (recurring events)
Lunch
Technology like smart TVs and Apple products

If your organization decides to host a raffle, be sure to include it in your internal promotions of the event to create more buzz!

7. What If I Need To Cancel Our Corporate Massage Event Last Minute?

Even the most organized managers can’t plan for last minute schedule conflicts (hello COVID-19). If you need to cancel your event, notify your Body Techniques contact ASAP and we will help you navigate next steps. Never hesitate to reach out to us for additional support – we are here for you! Remember, this is all about showing gratitude for your employees. They’ll appreciate the event no matter what – even if it needs to be rescheduled!

8. How Can I Continue The Fun After The Event?

Keep the celebration going by sharing photos to your company social media accounts or add them in your next newsletter. Be sure to include any raffle prize winners should you decide to host a giveaway!

9. One-Time Events Or Recurring Corporate Massage Sessions: Which Is Better?

One-time events are great, but life happens. Deadlines creep and all employees may not be able to take advantage of this onsite benefit when the massage event is only hosted on one specific day. Instead, consider making this productivity-boosting benefit a regular occurrence in the office so that your team can all enjoy some rest and relaxation.

10. What If My Employees Cancel The Day Of?

If there are day-of cancellations, our massage therapists are able to fill those slots with employees who did not register in advance. If all appointments are filled, our MTs are able to put together a waitlist so that any last minute cancellations can be filled. We work hard to get everyone a session, and are always happy to return onsite if there are employees who did not get a chance to receive a massage.

If you do have recurring sessions and notice a large amount of employees are either cancelling or not RSVPing at all, we can support you in finding out why. Sending out an email survey or asking for direct feedback is always a great first step.

In the end, you can always rely on analytics to solidify the best next step. Body Techniques can provide you with analytics to gauge how many people received massages, cancellations, and how many people were on the waitlist.

Talk To Us About Your Corporate Massage Needs

Sometimes companies need an extra hand to manage workplace stress and show their employees they care. Body Techniques uses state-of-the art software and analytics tools to make your upcoming event a breeze. Talk to us today about how you can take your employee appreciation up a notch.