From a company HR department to employees about their wellness program and related communications.
Sadly, I'm not surprised some naysayers were vocal with their petty grievances (I mean shoot you can just delete the email and instead of stressing and taking your "valuable" time to send a negative comment...how about go for a walk or take a deep breath to reduce your stress?) and so appreciate her thoughtful reply.
Subject: Another Annoying Wellness Email
Body: That’s right, another one… why do we bother?
Well, I’ve gotten feedback that some employees feel that our Wellness Program is a waste of time and effort and that some find the communication a bother. I want to assure you that there are important reasons for all this Wellness “stuff.”
Actually closer to a $million reasons – as that was the initial amount of our insurance cost increase earlier this year. Due to the health status and claims utilization of our organization, we were facing a very large renewal increase. I don’t know about you, but if given the choice of spending another million dollars towards insurance—and that cost increase would be shared by the company and employees—or spending those same company assets instead on merit increases, stronger 401(k) match and more wellness activities, I know where I would like those dollars to go.
And we DID fund those other items – we did increase our 401(k) match and had merit increases at [our company] in part because we were able to significantly reduce our insurance renewal. How did we do that? A big factor was how [our insurance company] viewed our wellness program and associated activities: biometrics so employees know their health numbers and can take actions to improve; step challenges to show we are increasing our activity levels; and they especially valued wellness incentive focus. By showing our commitment to improving the overall health of our employees, we were able to negotiate with them and reduced our renewal substantially.
[Our company] also needs healthy, productive employees to be successful. The company is committed to helping you reach better levels of health which brings benefits to both you and us. We are focusing on activities that are good for everyone but that also target the areas identified as needing serious attention: prevention and management of chronic conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes, improving eating habits and increasing fitness levels, and better stress management.
We know that a wellness program won’t “cure” all of our current claim issues. Prevention isn’t going to immediately help someone who is already battling cancer or who has had a heart attack. Thankfully, just a small part of our population is experiencing these serious health situations that are so difficult to fight and tend to have high medical expenses. But, a much bigger part of our population has health conditions that, if not attended to, may turn into conditions that are personally and financially challenging.
As we reported earlier in the year on our Wellness Report Card:
· 22% of employees have high blood pressure that is not yet being managed by medication or behavior modification.
· 64% of employees have a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 25 or higher putting them at risk for weight related health issues.
· 25% of employees report that they have high levels of stress.
These aren’t folks in the hospital (yet) causing large claims – these are folks who have a chance to NOT be the next heart attack or dialysis patient. Knowing the numbers of your blood pressure, your waist circumference, your cholesterol levels, etc. are the first steps in preventing a bad outcome for you later. This is where our Wellness Program comes into play. We want to help you improve your health by providing data, information, resources and opportunities to take action, prevent future health issues and have accountability for your own health.
The promise of an employer to create a culture of wellness is not a waste of time or money – it’s a risk management approach that has positive outcomes by creating healthy, happy and more productive employees who also see the benefit of improved health in their lives outside of work and with their families.
So, why Wellness? Wasted time and a bother? Not when you see behind-the-scenes and realize how important your health is to us all.
Monday, October 20, 2014
Monday, September 15, 2014
Lessons in Seva, Gratitude, Fun, and Love - The MS Challenge Walk
I have been involved with the National MS Society Challenge Walk in Southern California since the same year my yoga practice started: 2004. I raised the minimum donation ($2500) for TEN years, walking in all but one of the events (my son was born during the walk in 2009). This year, year 11, I was unable to commit the fundraising and unable to commit to the training, the time and effort it was going to take to prepare for the walk. With a son entering elementary school, a technology part-time job and a new yoga studio/coop blossoming, there was just no time.
But I couldn't give it up altogether. I squeezed in a few hours here and there to help build a blog for the people who wanted to map out training plans and schedules, and ran a fundraiser for some friends who were doing the walk.
But even that wasn't enough. I still wanted to be part of the event. After 10 years of sharing 72 hours with an amazing group of teachers, moms, lawyers, scientists, fathers, children, cousins, partners brothers, philanthropists, friends, families, and therapists all walking for a a cure, I couldn't NOT spend time with them. I needed to see these people I have grown to adore, support, befriend...the ones with whom I've laughed, cried, blistered, ate, slept (the snoring kind), and for lack of a better word, BONDED.
For a few years prior while also being a walker, I volunteered to do the (very) early morning (humor-based) pre-walk stretch at the starting line and for the 2nd day of walking (by day three, there's more groaning and sense of urgency than there is patience to wait for someone to lead a stretch!). That means I had the unique and humbling opportunity to strut my yoga stuff on a (small) stage in front of (a few hundred) people, make jokes, and basically support them with as much love as one can muster balancing on one foot, reaching high into the air, and singing along to some pop inspirational tune at a very early hour.
So this year, I made sure to make my intention of leading the stretch clear. And thankfully, they took me up on my offer. Allow me to share a few photos that deepen my smile -asana every time I look at them!
Thank you to the Pacific South Coast Chapter of the National MS Society for allowing me to continue to be part of this amazing event. Thank you to all the teams that have walked with me, fundraised with me, befriended me each and every year - I cherish you. Thank you family and friends who have donated funds and time, effort and love to create the space for this to happen. Thank you universe for leading me on the path to find this amazing event, these amazing people, and even be able to share yoga with them. Thank you son and spouse who supported me in this time and heart consuming venture. Until there is a cure, this is why we (they) walk.
But I couldn't give it up altogether. I squeezed in a few hours here and there to help build a blog for the people who wanted to map out training plans and schedules, and ran a fundraiser for some friends who were doing the walk.
But even that wasn't enough. I still wanted to be part of the event. After 10 years of sharing 72 hours with an amazing group of teachers, moms, lawyers, scientists, fathers, children, cousins, partners brothers, philanthropists, friends, families, and therapists all walking for a a cure, I couldn't NOT spend time with them. I needed to see these people I have grown to adore, support, befriend...the ones with whom I've laughed, cried, blistered, ate, slept (the snoring kind), and for lack of a better word, BONDED.
For a few years prior while also being a walker, I volunteered to do the (very) early morning (humor-based) pre-walk stretch at the starting line and for the 2nd day of walking (by day three, there's more groaning and sense of urgency than there is patience to wait for someone to lead a stretch!). That means I had the unique and humbling opportunity to strut my yoga stuff on a (small) stage in front of (a few hundred) people, make jokes, and basically support them with as much love as one can muster balancing on one foot, reaching high into the air, and singing along to some pop inspirational tune at a very early hour.
So this year, I made sure to make my intention of leading the stretch clear. And thankfully, they took me up on my offer. Allow me to share a few photos that deepen my smile -asana every time I look at them!
YNW and Team Diane colors.
Okay, everyone, hands on your hips...
...lunge to the left...
...lean to the right...
...again to the left...
...wait, I mean to the right...
oh heck, squat in the middle...
...then take flight!
Partner yoga for 170? SURE!
Captain Morgan Arrrrgh-asana!
Thank you to the Pacific South Coast Chapter of the National MS Society for allowing me to continue to be part of this amazing event. Thank you to all the teams that have walked with me, fundraised with me, befriended me each and every year - I cherish you. Thank you family and friends who have donated funds and time, effort and love to create the space for this to happen. Thank you universe for leading me on the path to find this amazing event, these amazing people, and even be able to share yoga with them. Thank you son and spouse who supported me in this time and heart consuming venture. Until there is a cure, this is why we (they) walk.
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Trying New Things
Today is the day, that maybe, you change your life. Not drastically, but subtley. Mindfully. Gently. Authentically. Not by taking a yoga asana class, not by doing a power workout but by simply thinking about what (simple) things you need to create a sense of physical and emotional well being, clear cognitive function, spirituality, and ability to express your self creatively. SIMPLE THINGS. Like, providing your body with nutrition. Like, breathing. Like, reading something that inspires you. Like, connecting with a friend. Like maybe, ok, doing some asana, but more simply, how about just standing still, tall, aligned, grounded and connected, breathing in prana and exhaling to relax?
Make a list of all the things you value in life. Short or long list, no matter. Now, make a list of things you can do to SUPPORT those things (support the vitality, well being, spirituality, creative expression). And now, make a list of things (you may or may not do) that disrupt vitality, well being, spirituality, creative expression.
Can you, will you, commit to doing ONE of the supportive things, for some specific period of time, and be accountable for it? Make it doable, make it non-self-effacing (for example, committing to reading 2 hours every day would never work for my schedule and I'd only be upset with myself for not reaching my goal... so make it accessible but appropriately challenging).
Now, call a friend. Or post it on your blog, Or tell your yoga teacher, or post it on facebook. MAKE YOURSELF ACCOUNTABLE, not to open yourself up for disappointment (remember, these are reachable goals, doable exercises that create a better sense of self for you, try to not set yourself up to fail) but to make sure you have some reinforcement!
Here, I'll share mine.
1) Meditate for 5 minutes a day, every day of the week. Morning or night doesn't matter. But just sit, breathe and deepen.
Every time I take the time to do this, no joke, I feel like a weight lifts off my physical and psycological being. The transitions easier, I have more patience, I feel more grounded and yet more open hearted and spiritual. The transformation is obvious to my family, and so why would I not embrace this.
2) Eat a good, healthy, nutritious, non-rushed breakfast at least 5 of the next 7 days.
If I slip into poor eating habits and skip breakfast, or eat something too filled with carbs, my entire day body/mind balance is thrown off - blood sugar drops, craving for short term energy foods, foggy thinking, mid afternoon exhaustion, general impatience... nothing that makes me feel good about being. SO, breakfast it is.
3) Spend at least 10 unadulterated minutes with my son playing. That doesn't sound like much, but I mean, 10 minutes of focused time on something (reading, building train tracks) where neither of us is not trying to multitask, read email, watch tv, post on facebook, watch a video, do laundry, clean, etc. FOCUSED loving attention with eye contact, genuine love and vested involvement.
Ok, you have my list. Feel free to post yours. We can check in :)
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