With the arrival of fall and the coming winter season – the days get shorter, and darker the temperature drops in some cases plummets to Arctic lows. Businesses may see a spike in the increased use of health and wellness programs including Employee Assistance.
Seasonality is often a factor in mental health and is frequently associated with shorter darker days. The increasing attention on individual mental health and wellness lays the groundwork for employers to consider methods to offset the winter blues.
The following suggestions coming may go a long way to ensure productivity and office morale stay stable over the coming winter:
- Plan a winter planning retreat for your team it could be a day gateway close to the office where high level plans for the upcoming year are discussed;
- Provide snacks that have contents of vitamin C and D throughout the office;
- Offer weekly meditation or yoga classes;
- Encourage employees to utilize Employee Assistance programs to address personal concerns.
What other strategies have you used in your office to offset the changes brought on by winter?
Marie-Helene Sakowski – Business Change & Transition – info@effectiveplacement.com
