corporatewellness Archives - laurel blossom yoga

GratiTuesday – Gratitude Employee Wellness Month

On this GratiTuesday, the focus falls upon the workplace in celebration of National Professional Wellness Month. This is important! Employee Wellness is important! Not just because of my role as a wellness consultant and wellness service provider for laurel blossom yoga – lby office wellness, but also because happy, healthy employees make the world go ‘round.

We all participate, in some form or fashion, in the economics of employment. Regardless of the industry or your role within it, such as Owner/Operator, or Chief People Officer, or Team Leader, or Front of House, or Essential Support Team Member, or Driver, Builder, Banker – everyone is involved. Even if you are unemployed, under-employed, or self-employed, you purchase goods and consume services (think groceries or electricity.) You see, everyone participates in the economics of employment.

… happy, healthy employees make the world go ‘round.”

My field of expertise is corporate wellness and culture. Been in this line of work for more than a decade. What’s more, in my capacity as a consultant exploring effective strategies for our clients’ employee wellness and workplace culture, I bring to the table more than twenty-five years of lived corporate experience, in a variety of roles, across multiple industries. In other words, I’ve been there. I’ve probably walked in shoes very similar to yours. I have a whole lot of highway behind me along a career path that meandered from back of house to front line to C-Suite. In my experience – backed up by extensive research exploring relevant independent studies – happy, healthy employees make the world go ‘round.

Which brings us back around to our happy healthy employees and GratiTuesday. I bet you can’t guess the number one workplace motivator? Recognition. Appreciation. Gratitude.

Demonstrating gratitude and appreciation for employees – particularly those who go above and beyond the call, as they say – can easily be achieved through public recognition, including awards for things like “Most Creative Solution”, or monthly acknowledgments for exceeding company goals. Other ways to show recognition for work done well can be made through extra PTO, bonuses, and perks such as company-wide employee appreciation events that feature treats like an ice cream sundae bar, or onsite chair massage.

Here are a few items from Bennett Conlin/Business News Daily list of “18 Creative Ways to Show Employee Appreciation”:

- - Let employees give and receive ‘props’
  - Express your gratitude on social media
  - Offer onsite fitness & wellness programming

However, the most significant action employers can take to demonstrate appreciation for employees is to invest in their health and wellness. For more information about initiating or expanding your company’s employee wellness program(s), visit laurel blossom yoga – lby office wellness, or drop us an email at info@laurelblossomyoga.com.

As always, each Tuesday we invite one another to express one thing – in the comments field – for which you are grateful, and/or Share that sentiment as a post on your favorite social media site. It needn’t be lofty and can certainly reflect something we usually take for granted. I’ll go first… I AM so happy and grateful for more than a decade serving our corporate clients. Now your turn. I AM so happy and grateful now that/for: ________________________________________________

#laurelblossomyoga #lbyofficewellness #corporateyoga #employeewellness #virtual #onsite #yoga #meditation #employeeengagement #corporateculture #gratitude #gratituesday #professionalwellnessmonth

GratiTuesday – Gratitude for Meditation

Marking this particular GratiTuesday with personal gratitude for my meditation practice, as well as my practice of teaching meditation, or facilitating guided meditations for corporate clients and private students of all ages. In addition, dispelling popular misconceptions about ‘what meditation is and is not’ is also fun for me.

Likewise, introducing the practice of meditation to those who have never tried it, or those who – having tried and predictably failed to banish all thought in their meditation effort(s) – feel like meditation washouts. Well, these folks, the so-called washouts… They are my kindred spirits. I get them. I was them. I was them for many years until I explored all the many different way to practice and thus expanded my meditation repertoire.

For example, guided meditations are an easily accessible way for most new meditators to approach the practice of meditation. The teacher, facilitator, or narrator, leads the listeners through a set of mental or sensory prompts, or visual imagery. This narration is built upon an agreement to intentionally pay attention to what arises within one’s field of awareness. Sounds complicated, but it’s really not at all. Participating in a guided meditation is like listening to someone read a story out loud.

This is where things get interesting for nerds like me who are fascinated by ‘sciencey’ stuff such as neuroplasticity. When intentionally listening to a guided meditation the brain follows the story. The brain is engaged, or receptive; interested in what’s next without – perhaps – being invested in what comes next. The brain is essentially along for the ride.

Here’s the kicker: The ride is real for the brain. In other words, the brain can’t tell the difference between real events and the imagined situations or conditions described in the guided meditation. With practice, and often at the conclusion of one’s first guided relaxation – or gratitude – meditation experience, the practitioner reports feeling markedly more relaxed, or grateful. That’s pretty cool, huh?

If your curiosity is piqued and you are now interested in learning more about meditation, consider popping around to the FAQ page about meditation on my website: https://laurelblossomyoga.com/benefits-of-meditation/

As always, each Tuesday we invite one another to express one thing – in the comments field – for which you are grateful, and/or Share that sentiment as a post on your favorite social media site. It needn’t be lofty and can certainly reflect something we usually take for granted. I’ll go first… I AM so happy and grateful for guided meditations! Now your turn. I AM so happy and grateful now that/for: ____________________________________________________________________

#laurelblossomyoga #lbyofficewellness #corporateyoga #employeewellness #virtual #onsite #yoga #meditation #employeeengagement #corporateculture #gratitude #gratituesday #guidedmeditations

GratiTuesday – Brains & Business

Hello Yoga-Friends ~ GratiTuesday musings during the week of our country’s national holiday of Thanksgiving – The Brains and Business Edition.

While I have little interest in the popularized myths our culture (?) have promulgated for the history behind this holiday, I am committed to the idea of thanks giving. My commitment is so strong that I practice the giving of thanks intentionally, every day of the year. What’s more, at least once a week I push my appreciation agenda as a public service for you all, with a gentle re-minder of the many benefits of gratitude for us individually as well as collectively – for our brains and our business.

What do I mean by brains and business? First off, your brain on gratitude will have an affect on your perspective and experience of life. Next, your business can refer to whatever occupies your time and energy — family, friends, clients, colleagues, and/or community. Whether you are expressing gratitude toward them, or simply walking your gratitude talk, when your brain is on gratitude there is a ripple effect that affects those around you.

In past essays, I’ve shared the results of many research studies regarding the neurochemical responses to gratitude. To sum up, whenever we engage in gratitude practices, our brains release the ‘feel good’ hormones serotonin and dopamine. In addition, a regular gratitude practice over time can essentially re-wire our brains from a glass-half-empty world view to glass-half-full frame of mind.

Should we intentionally bring the benefits of gratitude into our actual work environment? In a word, yes. Just yesterday Forbes featured an article expounding the virtue of expanding gratitude in the workplace. “The Science Of Gratitude: How Thankfulness Impacts Our Brains And Business”

Feeling undervalued is one of the main reasons employees leave their jobs.”

According to Kevin Kruse, CEO of LEADx, “Feeling undervalued is one of the main reasons employees leave their jobs.” Among his recommendations for engaging employees through gratitude is to shift from the standard annual — or even monthly! — recognition event, to making gratitude a part of everyday company culture. One example offered in the article which serves onsite just as well as remote meetings, suggests beginning with some form of gratitude practice such as a quick round robin of, “Who is a colleague you’re grateful for and why?”

The type of culture shift noted above is only a first step. The most impactful methods for demonstrating how employees will feel that they are valued may require re-vamping company policies around compensation, perks, benefits – including wellness!, and individual recognition practices. However, sincerely communicating appreciation for work done well is a smart place to start.

I’ll go first. I am enormously grateful to our Om in the Office Team of Wellness Service Providers for their individual dedication and resourcefulness throughout the pandemic. You all have been an inspiration both to me, as well as to the clients we have served. Thank you!

As always, each Tuesday we invite one another to express one thing – in the comments field – for which you are grateful, and/or Share that sentiment as a post on your favorite social media site. It needn’t be lofty and can certainly reflect something we usually take for granted. I’ll go first… I AM so happy and grateful for our team. Now your turn. I AM so happy and grateful now that/for: _________________________________________________________________________________

#laurelblossomyoga #omofficeyoga #corporateyoga #corporatewellness #virtualyoga #virtualmeditation #reiki #om #meditation #mindfulness #gratitude #gratituesday #thanksgiving2021

GratiTuesday – June 29th

Hello Yoga-Friends ~ On this GratiTuesday, the 29th of June, the focus will fall upon the workplace because there’s only one more day here in the month of June to celebrate National Employee Wellness Month. This is important! Employee Wellness is important! Not just because of my role as a wellness consultant and wellness service provider for Om in the Office, but also because happy, healthy employees make the world go ‘round.

We all participate, in some form or fashion, in the economics of employment. Regardless of the industry or your role within it, such as Owner/Operator, or Chief People Officer, or Team Leader, or Front of House, or Essential Support Team Member, or Driver, Builder, Banker – or the job title I was so proud to live up to as “Solutions Consultant,” when I worked for DreamWorks Records Nashville – everyone is involved. Even if you are unemployed, under-employed, or self-employed, you purchase goods and consume services (think groceries or electricity.) You see, everyone participates in the economics of employment.

My field of expertise is corporate wellness. Been in this line of work for the past eight years. What’s more, in my capacity as a consultant exploring effective strategies for clients’ employee wellness, I bring to the table more than twenty-five years of lived corporate experience, in a variety of roles, across multiple industries. In other words, I’ve been there. I’ve probably walked in shoes very similar to yours. I have a whole lot of highway behind me along a career path that meandered from back of house to front line to C-Suite. In my experience – backed up by extensive research exploring relevant independent studies – happy, healthy employees make the world go ‘round.

… happy, healthy employees make the world go ‘round.

Which brings us back around to our happy healthy employees and GratiTuesday. I bet you can’t guess the number one workplace motivator? Well, according to Adrienne Selko’s slideshow article found on EHSToday.com, a 2019 study revealed only 1 in 3 employees feels sufficiently appreciated. Feeling underappreciated can lead to resentment, subsequent under-performance, or worst of all – loss of a valued employee. The solution is both simple and easy: Recognition. Appreciation. Gratitude.

If you are interested to know what the other ten employee motivators are from Selko’s piece, then click on this handy link, “10 Ways to Motivate Employees.” Incidentally, the investment mentioned above came in at number 5 out of the 10 motivators, headlined as “Better Benefits.” Woot woot!

*Wistful for the ‘times before’ and hopeful for moving forward to a time when it is safe to engage in onsite company-wide activities again. Side note inside the side note: July is National Ice Cream Month!

As always, each Tuesday we invite one another to express one thing – in the comments field – for which you are grateful, and/or Share that sentiment as a post on your favorite social media site. It needn’t be lofty and can certainly reflect something we usually take for granted. I’ll go first… I AM so happy and grateful for ice cream sundaes. Now your turn. I AM so happy and grateful now that/for: ________________________________________________________________________

#laurelblossomyoga #omofficeyoga #corporateyoga #corporatewellness #virtualyoga #vitualmeditation #reiki #om #meditation #mindfulness #gratitude #gratituesday #gratitudeatwork #corporateculturematters #corporateculture #employeewellnessmonth

GratiTuesday – February 9th

Hello Yoga-Friends ~ On this GratiTuesday I am reminded of an upcoming annual celebration near and dear to my heart. Employee Appreciation Day is set for Friday, March 5th this year and will most likely be celebrated virtually or safely socially distant. As a corporate wellness consultant and service provider, through Om in the Office, I am quick to rally to this good cause because it is always a win win for everyone in the workplace.

When companies make an effort to acknowledge and appreciate employees, that company’s culture improves. What’s more, these employees are more likely to be engaged and stick around for a while. Ultimately, engaged, long-term employees make more money for the company and save that business a bundle in turnover expenses.

Turns out employee recognition and appreciation are more important now than ever before. *Gartner reports that an employees’ desire for recognition of their contributions increases about 30% during periods of disruption, such as the one we’ve all been experiencing for almost a year now with the ongoing pandemic. Employees working remotely, who may already be feeling more than a bit disconnected, seriously want and need this type of acknowledgement for their specific contributions. Seriously. Regardless of whether their ‘bit’ is grand or comparatively nominal, being called out and lauded as critical to ‘mission success’ is key to cultivating a winning company culture.

So, yeah, Employee Appreciation Day is super important this year. However, it is my humble opinion that regularly tapping individuals and/or teams for company-wide kudos is just smart company culture practice. Consider the following list as best practices for a smart company culture practice for appreciating employees:

- C-Suite Out Front

In other words, it is incumbent upon leadership to demonstrate the values of company culture by actively engaging in employee recognition and appreciation. Beyond the obvious boost to an individual employee’s morale, a culture of top-down gratitude contributes to a company-wide culture of gratitude and goodwill.

- It’s ALL Good

Aside from the obvious workplace successes, consider acknowledging employees’ personal milestones, such as running a local 5K, or earning a certificate or degree – even if unrelated to their role within the company. This will demonstrate the organization’s investment in them as whole people, and not simply as contributors to the company’s productivity.

- Encourage Self Care and Personal Development

This is my particular favorite. Offer employees virtual self care and/or personal development classes during the work day as a perk. These types of programs demonstrate the company’s interest in their wellbeing and the value placed on that wellbeing. Oh and C-Suite, you need to participate to nail that point home.

Couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t include a shameless plug for Om in the Office’s Virtual Corporate Wellness Services available for your company’s Employee Appreciation Programs:

- - Self Care Workshop Series
  - Mindfulness/Resiliency Training Programs
  - Yoga & Chair Yoga Series
  - Guided Meditation Programs
  - Yoga Nidra
  - Fitness Class Series
  - Nutrition Seminar Series … and more!

Happy Virtual Employee Appreciation Day, Everyone!!!

As always, each Tuesday we invite one another to express one thing – in the comments field – for which you are grateful, and/or Share that sentiment as a post on your favorite social media site. It needn’t be lofty and can certainly reflect something we usually take for granted. I’ll go first… I AM so happy and grateful each time I am acknowledged and appreciated for my contributions. Now your turn. I AM so happy and grateful now that/for: _______________________________________________________________________________

#laurelblossomyoga #omofficeyoga #corporateyoga #corporatewellness #virtualyoga #vitualmeditation #reiki #om #mindufulness #gratitude #gratituesday #employeeappreciationday2021

GratiTuesday – September 22nd

Hello Yoga-Friends ~ Happy happy GratiTuesday! I am happy happy. I am filled with gratitude. I am feeling celebratory for a series of notable events.

This morning at 9:30AM EST, here in the Northern Hemisphere, the Autumnal Equinox marked the transition from summer to fall. While I dearly love the summer season for its long days, autumn is a time to harvest and rejoice in the bounty of all that we nurtured during ‘the hot.’

Yesterday we observed and celebrated World Gratitude Day through a variety of regular activities. For example, I have a daily practice upon awakening of ticking off three things for which I feel gratitude. Then there was the pause along my walk-in-the-woods to reflect on my deep appreciation for access to nature trails.

Yesterday was a banner day for another reason, as well. My corporate yoga business, Om in the Office (OITO), in collaboration with Bedford TV MA celebrated the premier television broadcast and YouTube launch of “More Om in Your Office,” an informational video hi lighting OITO’s full range of wellness services.

This video project has been a long time coming. Pre-production began in the fall of 2019. Fun. We shot all the footage on the last day of January this year. Super fun! So impressed with both cast & crew! Post-production ‘voice over’ recording completed. Still having fun! In early March we began the typically arduous and tedious task of editing several hours worth of ‘footage’ down to a tight sixty-second spot. Instead of tedium it was laugh-a-minute fun (for me, at least!) The entire experience was joyful and expansive.

“Wait. Hold up,” you may be thinking, “It’s September. Near the end of September. The editing process can’t possibly have eaten up nearly seven months!!!” Yeah, you’re absolutely right. We were all set to visit Bedford TV Studios to sign off on the video and schedule its release, when COVID-19 basically shut down our fair state of Massachusetts. In the weeks that followed when it became clear that onsite anything was basically off the table, we shelved the video project and went about the business of ensuring the health and safety of family, friends, colleagues and communities.

Along about August, in spite of our resignation that virtual wellness would likely be de rigueur for the foreseeable future, I felt a renewed impulse to ‘get it out there!’, if for no other reason than all the joyful effort made in its production. The cast and crew must be acknowledged! Their skills, talents, and bright shining faces must be seen!

Voilá! At 1:00PM EST, September 21st, 2020, Bedford TV MA broadcast “More Om in Your Office”, while simultaneously launching on both Bedford TV’s and OITO’s YouTube Channels. Throughout those sixty seconds, my heart was full to overflowing with gratitude.

Should you wish to share in our joy, the video is uploaded to OITO’s web-blog: https://laurelblossomyoga.com/omintheoffice.com/2020/09/21/more-om-in-your-office/

You can also watch the video on YouTube at:
Om in the Office YouTube Channel – https://laurelblossomyoga.com/youtu.be/sfLsXp2miic
Bedford TV MA YouTube Channel – https://laurelblossomyoga.com/youtu.be/1JKXi1ymXPo

All is possible when we work together. Thank you all, each and every one of you.”

Permit me to acknowledge these tremendously generous friends and colleagues who shared in the production of “More Om in Your Office”:

Cast: Chandra Cantor, Esteban da Cruz, Michelle Marie, Hariet Vanderput, Margot Fleischman, Sarah Blackman, Johnny Vaught, Kenny Hyland, Helen Maloney, Peter Courtemarche, Jennifer Puhle

Crew: Katie Duval , Jennifer Puhle, Matthew Bergman, Michael Davis, Sonal Patel, Marc Gustafson

A special shout out to the entire OITO Roster of professional wellness providers, our genius web-designer – Charlotte Hyland, and my business partner, Katherine Bicer. All is possible when we work together. Thank you all, each and every one of you.

As always, each Tuesday we invite one another to express one thing – in the comments field – for which you are grateful, and/or Share that sentiment as a post on your favorite social media site. It needn’t be lofty and can certainly reflect something we usually take for granted. I’ll go first… I AM so happy and grateful to acknowledge the contributions of friends and colleagues. Now your turn. I AM so happy and grateful now that/for: ________________________________________________________ #laurelblossomyoga #omofficeyoga #corporateyoga #corporatewellness #virtualyoga #vitualmeditation #reiki #om #mindufulness #gratitude #gratituesday #bedfordtvma #omintheoffice

GratiTuesday – September 15th

Hello Yoga-Friends ~ It is GratiTuesday… again. Yup, each week on Tuesday we re-visit, re-mind and perhaps re-commit to a gratitude practice. Why? Because it works. It works as a tool for alleviating stress, diminishing depression, adjusting perspective… feeling better, happy or at very least, happier. It just works.

The ability to empower yourself through gratitude is a key to self-care, lifelong well-being and satisfaction, and yes, less stress.”
Najma Khorrami

Skeptical? Well, there is a growing body of scientific research supporting the positive benefits of gratitude. Google it. Or consider this Positive Psychology article, “The Neuroscience of Gratitude and How It Affects Anxiety & Grief.” The article reports on the neural mechanisms and chemistry responsible for feelings of gratitude and related positive effects on physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. All very scienc-y stuff, if that’s your thing. https://laurelblossomyoga.com/positivepsychology.com/neuroscience-of-gratitude/

Science is my thing. Gratitude is my thing. The science of gratitude is soooo my thing! Not only for my personal edification, but also useful in my vocation, as a corporate wellness consultant and service provider (omintheoffice.com). The capacity to offer clients science-based evidence regarding gratitude practices, such as meditation, to address increased anxiety and depression related to the COVID-19 pandemic, supports our clients’ commitments to investing in the health and well-being of their employees.

Now whether you or your loved ones are employed or not – and I am oh so aware of the great numbers of people who have been laid off, furloughed, or found their businesses unable to survive the ripple effect of pandemic safety protocols – gratitude practices are accessible to virtually everyone. And I mean that quite literally. Virtual gratitude practices, such as online meditations – either prerecorded or live-streaming – are widely available to anyone with access to the internet. Confused by the dizzying array of what’s ‘out there’? You are welcome to shoot me an email for specific resources. Follow the contact link or visit laurel blossom yoga on FaceBook. https://laurelblossomyoga.com/www.facebook.com/laurelblossomyoga/events/

What’s more there are meditation and gratitude apps for our smart phones. One such gratitude app, the relatively new Gratitude Circle, https://laurelblossomyoga.com/www.gratcircle.com/ developed by Najma Khorrami M.P.H., is a social media platform for sharing expressions of gratitude. The FREE app is available for download onto your smart phone in Apple and Google Play stores. Ms. Khorrami, who holds a Master of Public Health in Health Policy from George Washington University, and a Global Health Certificate from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, wrote in a recent article for Psychology Today, “The ability to empower yourself through gratitude is a key to self-care, lifelong well-being and satisfaction, and yes, less stress.” https://laurelblossomyoga.com/www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/comfort-gratitude/202007/gratitude-helps-minimize-feelings-stress

For example:

Gratitude lowers stress hormones in the body.
Gratitude has the ability to minimize caregiving stress.
Gratitude also has the ability to minimize job-seeking stress.

If apps are not your thing, and moving away from our culture’s tendency toward technology-immersion is your preference, then perhaps a more analog approach to practicing gratitude would be more your thing. You might elect to begin a gratitude journal, or perhaps begin again with a previous gratitude journal practice. There are numerous ways to play at gratitude. Skeptical? Google it. Or poke around in the laurelblossomyoga.com/blog post archive for additional resources.

However, whenever, how often you choose to express gratitude is entirely up to you. Thank YOU for reading this (almost) all the way through. Press on to the final paragraph for another gratitude practice opportunity. ; )

As always, each Tuesday we invite one another to express one thing – in the comments field – for which you are grateful, and/or share that sentiment as a post on your favorite social media site. It needn’t be lofty and can certainly reflect something we usually take for granted. I’ll go first… I AM so happy and grateful to begin again. Now your turn. I AM so happy and grateful now that/for: ________________________________________________ #laurelblossomyoga #omofficeyoga #corporateyoga #corporatewellness #virtualyoga #vitualmeditation #reiki #om #mindufulness #gratitude #gratituesday #psychology #psychologytoday #scienceforthewin #neuroscience #gratitudecircle #NajmaKhorrami

Tag: corporatewellness