September is the month of new beginnings and with it comes shorter days and busier schedules. Even if you’re not going back to school, September seems to be a stressful month as we begin to readjust our schedules after the lull of the summer months.
In the field of worksite wellness, there are plenty of ways to alleviate stress. Here are a few things you might consider doing at your place of business to help employees alleviate some pressure during this time of year:
- Offer chair massages or reflexology sessions
- Dedicate “stress-free” zones with meditation music or a quiet space for reflection
- Sponsor a day of laughter that includes funny videos, comics, or funny employee stories
- Organize a support group to discuss healthy ways to alleviate stress
- Encourage lunch breaks away from workstations (go out to eat, eat in the lunchrooms or eat outside in nice weather)
- Host lunch and learns on the benefits of mindfulness based stress reduction, stress relaxation techniques, guided imagery or visualization, yoga, physical activity/exercise, etc.
- Encourage employees to post positive messages, affirmations, or sayings around their workstation to spark creativity, motivation and resilience
- Host a “Take a Hike” event and have employees participate in a lunchtime walk-a-thon
- Host “A Day of Giving Back” and encourage employees to share their personal stories of how they gave back to their communities
- Sponsor a “bring your pet to work day” (actually, that one might be stressful)
The list goes on! Lastly, don’t forget about any EAP services or local community supports like hospitals, wellness centers, city/town Health Departments, Park and Recreation Departments, etc. for additional ideas on how to reduce stress in the workplace.
Whatever you decide, make it fun and stress-free!