In all of the years I’ve spent working in the wellness industry the one topic that comes up more frequently than any other is stress. In particular, how employers can help their employees better manage their stress. And I have to admit, while it comes up a lot this is a tough one to address for a couple of reasons—1. most issues affecting stress levels are complex, and 2. how we deal with stress is intensely personal.

One of our seven core values at Gibson is Optimism Reigns: Attitude and outlook impact results.  While I appreciate and think all of our values are important, this one can make or break an organization. Unfortunately, I have personally witnessed the meltdown of teams, work ethic, and overall productivity in past jobs. Optimism and attitude were nowhere to be found. And the health of the organization suffered. Our CEO, Tim Leman, previously shared his take on this core value in his Rejoice! Thorns Have Roses! blog. 

Last month, I talked about Gibson’s mission “To Protect What Matters Most” and submitted that health, and more importantly vitality, is what matters most. A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to hear the acting U.S. Surgeon General, Rear Admiral Boris D. Lushniak, M.D., M.P.H., speak at the headquarters for the American College of Sports Medicine in Indianapolis. At one point during his talk, Dr. Lushniak said “People get elected or not elected based on the economy…but I’ll submit to you today, that economy is doing nothing unless we have healthy people who are able to be part of that economy. So where does health lie on the priority of things?” Good observation. Even better question.

At Gibson, our mission is “To Protect What Matters Most.” Naturally, as the Director of Health Risk Management at Gibson, I would like to make the argument that health, and perhaps to a greater degree, vitality, matter most. Take a moment and think about that—your personal health. If you are like most people, you might equate health to the absence of disease or illness. Now think about your vitality. The dictionary defines vitality this way: exuberant physical strength or mental vigor; the capacity for survival or for the continuation of a meaningful or purposeful existence. In a way, vitality could also be described as wellbeing—a state characterized by health, happiness, and prosperity.

This brings me back to the mission at Gibson—“To Protect What Matters Most”. For the clients we serve, the “what matters most”, varies by organization and is dynamic in nature. In my role, I have the distinct privilege of serving clients who truly care about the health of their employees and their families. Without healthy employees, they know the work won’t get done—on the job or at home—and the vitality of the organization will suffer.

Heart health shouldn't be taken for granted, especially when heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women according to the CDC. Annually, around 600,000 people die from a form of heart disease in the United States. Coronary heart disease, in particular, kills 385,000 people everyyear.

All you need for a workplace strain or sprain to occur are stairs or a floor. While there has been an encouraging decline in workplace injuries overall, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a slight increase in musculoskeletal injuries classified as sprains, strains, and tears. And, that includes an increase in injuries to the lumbar region, which are typically long-term and expensive to care for.

Workplace health and occupational safety programs, when combined, offer more benefits to employee health and quarterly profits than either can when implemented separately, according to recent research by the Harvard School of Public Health.

Over the past 26 weeks, I’ve been studying behavior change more diligently—what is it that motivates someone to begin and then sustain making better choices? The answer is to focus on the intrinsic. By definition, intrinsic means ‘belonging to the essential nature of a thing’. This is unique to every single person. It is also dynamic. Valuing the intrinsic allows a person to elicit his or her best thinking, which in turn enables healthier choices based on what’s important to that person.

Instead of doling out workout plans and diet plans, those of us who want to make healthier choices for the New Year would be better served by asking ourselves a simple, but not so easy question to answer: What is it that I’m wanting for myself that is important to me in relation to ___________ (you fill in the blank)? It’s only when we identify what we want for ourselves based on the intrinsic, and therefore it’s importance, can we truly begin to make lifestyle changes that last.

The holidays are notorious for being the time of year when most people pack on a few extra pounds. While a few pounds may not seem significant, when you add up several years' worth of holiday weight gain, they can make the difference between a healthy and an unhealthy employee.

For most employees, vending machines represent eating based on necessity or impulse. Employees may turn to vending machines when they skip breakfast, miss lunch, have afternoon hunger pains or have to stay late at work – or just have a craving for something sweet. The snacks offered in vending machines are generally unhealthy, but in many situations these snacks are the only food available.

The Problem

Snacking on soft drinks, candy bars and chips several times a week can detract from an overall healthy diet and lead to weight gain. Plus, many of the typical vending machine choices offer little nutritional value or substance, and could leave the employee hungry again soon after – leading to more unhealthy eating. This can drastically affect your health care costs, as obesity is a catalyst for many other illnesses such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. Even employees who are health-conscious often forget to bring healthy snacks to work, leaving the vending machine as the only option.