How to Build a Workplace Wellness Culture

We say ‘healthy body, healthy mind’ but how often do we apply it to work? In the chaos of deadlines, back-to-back Zooms, and caregiving roles, physical wellbeing is usually the first thing we sacrifice. But here’s what research (and real-world teams) are making crystal clear: 👉 Physical rituals = mental resilience. No need for marathons or green smoothies (unless you’re into that). What matters more? Tiny, consistent actions that shift your state, physically and emotionally. In fact, recent UK studies show: 🧠 Employees who move more report significantly less stress 🧠 A 4-week workplace steps challenge improved mood and engagement 🧠 Even 10-minute daily walks can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression And in 2025, we need this more than ever. Burnout hasn’t gone away. But our strategies are finally evolving. The New Work-Wellbeing Equation: Mind + Body Here are 4 rituals that actually work tested by real professionals and easy to adopt: 1/ Morning Motion Start your day with movement: → 10-minute walk → A few stretches → Dance to one song before checking emails You’ll boost endorphins, clear brain fog, and enter the workday on your own terms. 2/ Midday Recharge Instead of scrolling at lunch, try: → A 5-minute “walking call” → 4-7-8 breathing (inhale 4s, hold 7s, exhale 8s) → Standing outside and taking 10 deep breaths Your nervous system will thank you and so will your next project. 3/ End-of-Day Wind Down Don’t let work bleed into your evenings. Try a closing ritual: → Tidy your desk → Quick yoga flow → Walk with your dog or around the block This helps your brain switch off and reclaim personal time. 4/ Share & Lead By Example Are you a founder, manager or HR lead? → Share your wellbeing habits (even imperfect ones) → Host a #MindfulMonday or #WellbeingWednesday chat → Create a space where small acts of care are encouraged Culture doesn’t shift with posters. It shifts with people. Why this matters for business: Burnout = 2.6x more likelihood of job hunting Movement improves decision-making and reduces absenteeism Teams that feel supported in wellbeing are more creative, loyal, and productive 💡 Think of athletes: they don’t train non-stop, they recover on purpose. We’re corporate athletes. Our game is mental. What’s one small physical habit that helps you feel better at work? Do you do squats between calls? Garden on weekends? Walk during 1:1s?

As a manager, your role extends far beyond just overseeing tasks and hitting targets; you're also a steward of your team's mental health. Here's how you can play a pivotal part in fostering a mentally healthy work environment: 1. Be a Role Model for Mental Health: - Your Behaviour Sets the Tone: Model healthy work-life balance. If you're always working late or skipping breaks, your team might feel pressured to do the same. - Share Your Own Journey: Speaking openly about your own mental health challenges can de-stigmatise the topic and encourage others to do the same. 2. Encourage Open Conversations: - Normalise Mental Health Talks: Make mental health a regular part of your discussions. This could be as simple as starting meetings with a brief check-in on how everyone is feeling. - Create Safe Spaces: Ensure that your team knows that discussing mental health will be met with support, not judgment. This might involve training on how to handle such conversations sensitively. 3. Provide Resources and Support: - Know Your Resources: Be aware of and communicate the mental health resources available, whether it's an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), counseling services, or mental health days. - Facilitate Access: Help employees access these resources by simplifying processes or even walking them through the first steps if necessary. 4. Monitor Workload and Stress: - Balance Workload: Keep an eye on workload distribution to ensure no one is consistently overwhelmed. Use tools to manage tasks and projects efficiently. - Intervene Early: If you notice signs of stress or burnout, step in. Offer support, perhaps adjust responsibilities temporarily, or suggest taking time off. 5. Promote Work-Life Balance: - Encourage Time Off: Make it clear that taking vacation time or sick leave for mental health is encouraged, not frowned upon. - Flexible Working: When possible, offer flexible hours or remote work options to help employees manage personal commitments alongside work. 6. Educate Yourself and Your Team: - Training: Invest time in mental health training for yourself and your team. Understanding mental health issues can lead to a more supportive workplace culture. - Awareness Campaigns: Participate in or initiate mental health awareness campaigns that can educate and open up dialogue. Implement a simple, anonymous survey or a brief one-on-one where you ask team members about their stress levels and how supported they feel. Use this feedback to make informed changes. Let’s create space where people can manage their mental health without feeling pressure to be something else. The more we talk the more this decreases. #mentalhealth #leadership #managerenablement

This morning I had the privilege of having an amazing conversation with Marsha Wood, Health Director at Rivian, whose career spans leadership roles at Volkswagen and Toyota. Her message? Wellness and safety aren’t just about programs—they’re about people, culture, and connection. Marsha has seen it all with her background deep in the automotive with experiences at Volkswagen and Toyota Motor Corporation as well: 💡 Early engagement works. At VW, “Wellness Wednesdays” and new-hire work conditioning weren’t just initiatives—they were culture from day one. 💡 Customization matters. A one-size-fits-all program won’t reach both a young tech hire and a 20-year assembly veteran. 💡 Competitions build community. Team challenges, monthly fitness events, and family health fairs create momentum—but leaders must intentionally include at-risk populations. 💡 Incentives alone fall short. Gift cards and punch cards don’t create lasting behavior change—connection does. 💡 Measure simply but smartly. Track new participants and improvements over time, and pair your data with human stories to win leadership buy-in. The takeaway: If you want wellness and safety to stick, they have to be visible, personal, and embedded into daily operations—not just something you “offer on the side.” ✅ Engage leadership early and link wellness to performance & safety outcomes ✅ Make it relevant for every demographic in your workforce ✅ Use onboarding as a launchpad for culture ✅ Track both numbers and stories to sustain investment ✅ Break silos—wellness, safety, and HR should co-own the mission Marsha’s insight was a powerful reminder: Programs don’t drive change. People do. #WellnessAtWork #SafetyCulture #EmployeeEngagement #Manufacturing #WorkplaceWellness #Rivian #Leadership #OrganizationalCulture #GCWSC

I hate to tell you this, but healthy culture  doesn’t come from policies. Here's what really matters. 👇🏼 It’s built in small, everyday actions we choose to take. For years, I thought creating a healthy culture required big, bold moves—like grand team-building initiatives, sweeping changes, or flawless leadership. But true culture isn’t crafted through announcements or slogans. It’s shaped by the subtle, consistent behaviors of leaders and teams—behaviors that signal safety, respect, and connection. Here are 15 subtle actions that build a healthy culture: 1. You greet each person by name each morning     ↳ A simple "Good morning, [Name]" shows they    matter. 2. You acknowledge contributions publicly     ↳ Say, "I want to highlight [Name]'s work on this—   it made a difference." 3. You model vulnerability when appropriate     ↳ Share a personal learning moment: "I didn’t get    this right, but here’s what I learned." 4. You ask for input and listen without interrupting     ↳ Ask, "What do you think we could do differently?"    and take notes. 5. You give feedback as encouragement, not criticism     ↳ Replace "Why didn’t you..." with "What if    we tried..." 6. You show empathy when someone struggles     ↳ Say, "That sounds tough. I imagine you may    need [Support]." 7. You celebrate small wins, not just big ones     ↳ End meetings with, "What’s one thing we’re    proud of this week?" 8. You clarify expectations and remove ambiguity     ↳ Follow up with, "What questions do you have, or    should we revisit anything?" 9. You allow space for healthy conflict     ↳ Encourage, "Let’s hear differing perspectives to find the best solution." 10. You prioritize work-life balance for everyone     ↳ Say, "No emails after 6 PM—let’s respect    each other’s time." 11. You encourage rest and restoration     ↳ Share, "Taking breaks helps us think clearly.   Let’s pause here." 12. You offer recognition for effort, not just outcomes     ↳ Say, "I noticed how much thought you put into    this—it’s appreciated." 13. You hold yourself accountable to the same standards     ↳ Admit, "I fell short here, and I’ll work on it." 14. You foster inclusion by amplifying quieter voices     ↳ Ask, "[Name], I’d love to hear your thoughts    on this." 15. You end meetings with gratitude     ↳ Close with, "Thank you for your time and    ideas today." Healthy cultures don’t happen overnight.  They grow through consistent actions like these. Which one will you start practicing this week?  Share in the comments 👇🏼 Bravely On Together, Julia I help executives leverage brain-based strategies for smarter, effective leadership. Effort isn’t the issue—approach is. Learn how to optimize your brain with a discovery call today.

Another shocking headline below. Half of benefit managers know their wellness programs are failing. 🙄 Humans are a little more complicated than a program, portal or prize (or a benefit). In my opinion, there are two main directions employers can take to create the best opportunities for employees to be healthier and happier: 👉 Create the institutional infrastructure needed to support employees. 👉 Create a well-being culture that prompts the shared behaviors, beliefs and attitudes that align with health and well-being. What does this mean in practical terms? 1. Choose an organizational assessment tool that is evidenced-based. These tools provide a framework to approach the policies, leadership support, interpersonal strategies and yes, benefits, that support most employees' needs. Examples include: 👉 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Worksite Health Scorecard 👉 The American Heart Association's Well-Being Works Better Scorecard 👉 WELCOA (Wellness Council of America)'s Well Workplace Checklist [now sponsored by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP)] 2. Create a Well-Being Culture. You can't buy this from a vendor and it's certainly not a point solution from a benefit company. You have to roll up your sleeves and build it yourselves. The good news is that you don't have to guess how to build this culture. There is a framework that addresses these six pillars: 👉 Leadership Engagement 👉 Peer Support 👉 Norms 👉 Social Climate 👉 Connection Points 👉 Shared Values The full recipe can be found in 📖 "A Cure for the Common Company". https://amzn.to/3bG1q1D Also not shocking... this is a marathon, not a sprint. Have a 3-5 year plan. #HumanResources #OccupationalHealth #EmployeeBenefits https://lnkd.in/eB_iZT_Y *** Hi, I'm Rich Safeer. I’ve been in the employee health and well-being space for 25 years and continue to learn how the intersection of our workplace, our jobs and the people at work impact our health and well-being. I’m a husband, dad, son and brother, manager, author, speaker and the chief medical director of employee health and well-being at Johns Hopkins Medicine. 📖 Trying to develop a new healthy habit? Try ‘A Cure for the Common Workday’, a journal designed to keep you on track. https://lnkd.in/ex5ywsc5 🎤 Keynotes, Workshops and Podcast Guest 💻 Already read the book and you want to learn more? Try the training program at https://lnkd.in/eeidfsrM 💙 Learn more at RichardSafeer.com Want to stay connected? 🔔 Ring the bell on my profile

Are you planning any workplace wellness activities to kick off the new year? One of my newsletter subscribers recently asked me, “Our employees want us to highlight healthy lifestyles, perhaps by launching a ‘step challenge’ or hosting a 5K. While I love these ideas, we have some employees who use wheelchairs. For example, I struggle with organizing a step challenge because I feel this is not inclusive to everyone. Am I overthinking this? Or do you have suggestions that meet the ask but are inclusive to everyone?” I immediately contacted my friend, workplace wellness expert Laura Putnam. She recommended thinking about the various dimensions of wellness when designing programs. These include physical, emotional, social, financial, career, and community needs. By offering options in these categories, you’ll be more inclusive by design. With her guidance, I then researched possible activities. Here are some ideas: - Physical: Organize a “workout streak,” asking employees to record the number of days in a row they’ve done some workout—cardio, yoga, weights, stretching, or anything they define as a workout. Or arrange “stroll & roll” groups for breaks, ensuring paths are wheelchair-accessible. - Emotional: Designate an “Unplug at lunch” day, committing not to use your phone or devices and enjoying silence or talking with coworkers. - Social: Create a “Get to Know Each Other” week, with prompts to encourage coworkers to find personal connections. - Financial: Provide financial planning or budgeting classes. - Career: Host sessions to demystify the promotion process or other career-related topics. - Community: Organize a donation drive for items that a local non-profit needs. Then, once you have some options, let people design their wellness goals and choose activities that make sense for them. P.S. A few years ago, Laura and I collaborated on a thought paper titled "50 Ways You Might Have Wellness Privilege at Work" (https://lnkd.in/gBGfzhqv). It explores why wellness and inclusion should be considered holistically, with practical actions to take to improve workplaces everywhere.

If you can’t be honest, you can’t be well. True or False? When this line came out of my mouth raw, unrehearsed and true : “We end up keeping a secret from ourselves. Pretending we’re okay when we’re not. That’s the thing that’s killing us.” That landed hard.  Because so many people are quietly holding it together… Kevin Goh and I discussed this in our first HRHD MythBusting session… and the chat exploded. Yup, we went there. You’ve got a wellness program, but no one’s well ✨ Free yoga? Offered 🧘♀️ Mindfulness Zooms? Available 🗓️ Mental health days (No one dares take) 🤯 Psychological safety? Nowhere in sight We talked about how the most dangerous wellness program is the one that looks good on paper But no one feels safe enough to use. How wellness becomes another performance when people : - Don’t feel safe to say they’re struggling - Are too scared to rest in fear of losing their jobs - Quietly burn out because being honest at work feels too risky Because wellness isn’t about offering more to do but creating a culture where people feel safe enough to do less. - To rest  - Speak up  - Make mistakes To be Human And if you're in HR, a manager, a founder, or just trying to figure it out… It’s okay to get it wrong. We all are. This isn’t about blame. It’s about doing better, together. Occupational wellness without psychological safety isn’t wellness at all. It’s just silence, masked with incentives. Real well-being at work means : 1. You can make mistakes and still be trusted. 2. You can say “I’m not okay” without fear. 3. You feel seen, not just surveyed. This isn’t a campaign. It’s a culture shift that starts with language. So I made  a free PDF to support you : “How to Ask for Help at Work Without Feeling Weak” You’ll find practical scripts you can actually use to : 1. Speak up even when your voice shakes 2. Ask for help without feeling like a burden 3. Support someone else without overstepping 💌 Download it here: https://lnkd.in/gWmXd_Ap Kevin and I are thinking of more HRHD mythbusting conversations soon. Want to join the next one? Comment "Me" and we'll send you a reminder No jargon or fluff. Just truth, humanity and real culture change. Because you deserve more than a wellness program. You deserve to feel safe. love, Melissa xxx P.S. What’s the biggest unspoken barrier to real wellness at work?

The #1 reason talented people leave? It’s not money. It’s not workload. It’s culture. As a workplace wellness expert and physician, I’ve seen this truth play out across industries: Burnout is a symptom. Culture is the cause. Here are 5 ways business leaders can create a fantastic work culture, starting now: 1. Lead with Empathy to Build Trust - Train managers to truly listen and respond with understanding. Psychological safety begins with empathy. 2. Prioritize Mental Fitness Like Physical Health - Normalize mental health conversations. In our 8-week brainSHIFT at Work program, when leadership participated, engagement and performance improved. 3. Equip Managers to Coach with Clarity - Confusion creates stress. Clarity calms the brain. Set expectations and give feedback with compassion. 4. Create Clear Pathways to Purpose & Growth - When people see how their role connects to a mission, and they’re growing, they stay. 5. Recognize & Celebrate Often - Frequent, specific praise boosts morale more than any pizza party ever could.   ✅ Great culture is a business strategy.  Great culture addresses the mental fitness and mental health needs of your people. It retains talent. Drives innovation. And fuels performance from the inside out. People often ask me, “Which companies truly embody these cultureSHIFT principles?” Delta Air Lines always comes to mind. When I spoke to their operations team, you could feel it. Empathy, care, and celebration weren’t just words; they were alive in the room. 🔗 Full interview via Authority Magazine: https://lnkd.in/ebtZkCZm — Follow @DrRomie for more brain-based strategies to create healthy, high-performing workplaces. 📸 by David Grano-De-Oro, Delta Airlines #cultureSHIFT #mentalfitness #leadership #KeynoteSpeaker

Too many organizations confuse wellness with window dressing. A meditation app won’t fix a 60-hour work week. Yoga won’t heal a culture that glorifies overwork. And “resilience training” means nothing if people are burning out in the process. As a Social Worker and Licensed Mental Health professional, I’ve seen this pattern in every sector — from nonprofits to corporate teams to higher ed. Leaders say they value wellness, but their systems tell a different story. When employees are exhausted, disengaged, or quietly quitting, it’s not because they lack grit. It’s because the environment they’re in is unsustainable. You can’t “self-care” your way out of a toxic system. And you can’t build a healthy culture by asking people to breathe through dysfunction. If your organization is serious about wellness, start with the workload. Audit expectations. Name the harm. Rebuild the system. -- That’s the work I do — helping leaders and organizations create trauma-informed, sustainable cultures that don’t confuse exploitation with excellence. If this resonates with you, I share insights like this: reflections, frameworks, and conversations about what it means to build truly humane workplaces. 👉🏾 Follow for more on human-centered leadership and organizational wellness. #OrganizationalWellness #TraumaInformedWorkplace #WellbeingAtWork