Setting Up Your Office Wellness Plan

At Linton and Associates, we whole heartedly believe in bettering oneself and being that the majority of our adult lives are spent in the everyday dealings of the office grind, it is important for employers to be supportive, too.

Previously, we have talked about everything related to office wellness -- from desk workouts to companies supporting healthy eating habits. Simply put, the benefits of company wellness plans are infinite and so are the possibilities.

Whether you own a small business and are juggling just a handful of honest and hardworking employees that you expect to see at your side till yours or theirs retirement, or you run one of the largest national conglomerates this country has seen, supporting employee wellness will not only benefit the livelihood of employees, but it also keeps things flowing smoothly at the office.

An Affordable Wellness Plan

Small and large companies alike have to deal with a budget. It doesn't matter if you bring in $10,000 or $100,000 a day, your company will still have expenses and adding another cost may not seem very appealing.

Luckily, you don't have to pay for a 'company gym' to promote employee wellness. Instead, start small and don't hesitate to accept feedback from employees. 

A few simple tricks include clearing out the snack room of sodas and offer water instead, which is refreshing and free of sugar. Do the same with the snack machine. Take out the candy bars and look for a healthy alternative like one of the many (literally dozens) of low calorie snacks that are now offered everywhere food is sold.

Once you have cleaned out the snack room, you can move onto encouraging physical fitness. For example, you could start a lunch walking committee. At the next Christmas party, why not hold a raffle and give away a couple gym memberships. 

Encouraging physical fitness will not just benefit the employees, but you, as the employer, will have more productive employees hitting those targets you are focused on.

Health Benefits

Health insurance, if you can get it, will help you achieve some of the wellness plans. Don't put it off any longer as health insurance is probably one of the best ways to keep your employees in the office and working strong.

Offering health care will encourage the worker bees of your company to get checked often and lead to less sick days as well as help every staff member focus on their health and well-being goals. 

Offering a flu shot at work or a visit from a nutritionist are two other employee wellness ideas that you can implement. Your employees will appreciate that you are looking out for their welfare and show their appreciation in more ways than one!

Smart Eating Habits at the Office

Whether in an office with a break room, overflowing with day-old donuts, or on the move with the convenience of fast food and gas station burritos to tempt, eating smart and healthy can be challenging. This is especially the case when you are pressed for time and there is something to fill that empty stomach right in front of you.

When your work day is as hectic as most, one can easily see why it's so much more convenient to nuke that frozen burrito. The 'I'll start on Monday' is probably the most common excuse in the book for anything -- from a homework assignment to a workout routine to eating more healthy. And, the result is that it usually doesn’t happen but is moved to the next Monday.

Sure, it's easier to just get that grease laced burger from the fast food joint across the street, but it's not going to help you fit into last year's bathing suit come summer. Here are some tips on developing smart eating habits at the office and on the job.

It Starts in the Morning

Breakfast is the most important part of the day -- people say it all the time and it is actually true. Eating a balanced breakfast in the morning serves two purposes:

1. It gets your metabolism going and active, and

2. It gives you the energy to get on with your day without the aid of an entire pot of coffee.

Wake up a little earlier and give yourself an extra ten minutes to actually eat something of substance rather than just rely on a cup after cup of coffee.

Ideally, protein and carbohydrates with a small amount of natural fat makes up the perfect breakfast. That's right -- one part protein, one part carbs, and a dash of fat on top.  A great example of a quick, healthy, and balanced breakfast would be a slice of toast with a layer of natural peanut butter and half an apple with a glass of water to wash it down.

Office Snacking

If you are working in an office environment, chances are your boss has you all day with a few breaks in-between. It's just as important to watch what you eat for lunch as it is to watch what you eat before and after – and that means those coffee breaks in the morning and in the afternoon.

If it is processed food, don't buy it and don't eat it. For example, instead of potato chips, buy some fruit or some veggies or you could even look into an all natural trail mix. Something with almonds provides you with energy and helps your brain in many ways.

 Perhaps, your office has vending machines and you can ask that they switch to healthier foods. Or, if you are in charge of that, consider switching to healthier options as this will keep your staff healthy and more productive.

Staying Fit Even with a Desk Job

Work can be confined and sometimes overwhelmingly stressful. This can leave you feeling tense and just not right. Workplace stress is a common dilemma, especially in the constricting office environment. Studies have documented that sitting for extended amount of hours is bad for your health.

However, there are ways to keep moving even if you are confined to a cubicle. Here are some great ideas to stay fit while at the office.

Stretching for Success

Stretches are the way to go, and there are quite a few that you can take a few seconds to do right in your desk chair. By interlocking your fingers and raising your arms above your head, you stretch and relieve muscles and open your lungs improving airflow in your body.

The shoulder stretch can be easily done from a sitting position by holding your elbow (left or right) with one hand and pushing it up your chest to stretch it. Hold for about 15 to 30 seconds and then do the other.

This simple stretch will help to relieve pains caused by stiffness from sitting in your chair all day.

Another great stretch for helping with the stiff neck that often comes with staring into a computer screen all day is the Chin Stretch.

Pull your chin into your chest until you begin to feel the tension in the back of your neck and hold there for 15 to 30 seconds. To further this stretch, slowly rotate your head around your neck as this will further relieve stiffness and stress.

Office Fit

If you find yourself working long hours and spending a little too much time and money in the break room, it might be best to start packing a lunch and working out some. Sure, you will pack a lunch and there might even occasionally be something resembling veggies in it. However, with your schedule, how on earth are you supposed to find the time to develop a workout routine let alone visit a gym?

While nothing beats a hardcore workout outdoors at home or in the gym, should you find yourself without the time or energy to hit it hard before or after work, there are a few awesome exercises you can do in the comfort of your cubicle. 

Bring some dumb bells to work like a set of 5-8 pounds and a set of 15 to 20 pounds. Practice some bicep curls by doing a set of 12 with your heavier weight and then back to work for a few minutes before you then repeat it.

With the small weights, you can get a little more creative and work your triceps by raising your whole arm towards the office ceiling while holding the lighter dumb bell.

Lastly, consider using your lunch break to hit the stairs if your office has them rather than the elevator or see if you can take a few laps around the nearby blocks. This will help keep blood circulating and potentially alleviate that drowsy feeling that comes on every afternoon!

Hot Weather and Energy Drinks

Summer is at our doorstep and most days are breaking eighty first thing in the morning. By the time noon rolls around, it’s well past ninety and sometimes recently it has been pushing one hundred. While it's always important to stay hydrated, in the summer it is even more important as the heat literally boils moisture from your body when you sweat.

Wherever you are – inside or outside – it’s important to drink a lot of water. It’s best to stay away from things like soda and energy drinks as they will actually further dehydrate you.

This may come as a surprise to you as soda companies and energy drink companies do not advertise this fact. And, seeing that these energy and sports drinks are often sold at your local gym, it’s hard to imagine that they dehydrate you – but it’s true!  

The Simple Science

The purpose of an energy drink is to give the consumer a sudden rush of chemically created energy thanks to a lab-developed combination of caffeine, sugar, and an 'energy blend' of select vitamins and minerals. And, it can do the trick.

Many report receiving a burst of energy as well as raised blood pressure and heart rate. If you drink this during an exercise session or while you are undertaking extremely hard labor, such as construction, it can be considered a great boost or a much-needed pick-me-up.

However, in reality, it is absolutely terrible for you and, in some cases, deadly. Studies have concluded that the amount of caffeine in these drinks can be equivalent to the amount in 240 cups of coffee, which is completely insane. In addition, the taurine milligrams found in one of these drinks usually amounts to nearly 4,000mg more than the recommended daily value of supplemental taurine.

Finally, contrary to popular belief, an energy drink does not hydrate you, and the idea that they claim there is 'no crash later’ is also false. The reality is that your body will be dehydrated, your heart will be strained, and there is always a crash to some degree when your body comes 'down.'

What to Do

While it may seem okay to just have one now and again, it may be better to forego them altogether. Of course, be sure to check with your physician about the effects before making any decisions about energy drinks as we are not a medical expert on the subject.

However, with a background in health and wellness, our conclusions are that water is always the best choice in the hot summer sun. Plenty of water will keep you hydrated, which will then keep you energized as well without risking your heatlh!

The HR Department: Smoothing and Streamlining Workflow

If you run a company, whether it's big or small, or maybe a little in between, one thing you are going to need is a Human Resources Department. Even if it's just one guy in a cubicle or an entire floor of staff, it is important that someone handles Human Resources.

The Company’s Backbone

And, if wondering what exactly HR encompasses, it is a kind of catch-all process that includes everything related to staff, including hiring, firing, training, payroll and employee issues. It can often involve a lot of tasks, including mounds of paperwork and time-consuming responsibilities that involve compliance with legal issues.

Behind the scenes, they are also working to help achieve your company’s strategic objectives by working on programs that motivate and incentive employees to be productive and meet targets.

Keeping the Engine of Productivity Running Full Steam Ahead

With so much to do, there is so much that can go easily wrong if there are not structured HR processes and staff in place to handle this role.

At its core, a business of every size and type needs a good and effective work force to keep everything running smoothly and on track. Quality employees and clear practices and processes can equip your company with the right formula for success.

Even with the best processes in place and a talented team at the helm, your HR team is still human and capable of mistakes. There are also times where an organization is undergoing growing pains and the HR staff may be struggling to make the right decisions about how to alter their processes to accommodate this growth.

Calling in HR Support

That’s when it may be a smart decision to partner with a HR consulting firm on the development of a formal HR department or a redesign of your current HR structure to ensure that the engine of productivity in the company continues to run at full steam ahead.

A HR consultant firm has the experience and know-how to visualize the necessary changes to reporting structures, roles and responsibilities, or processes because they have seen and designed all types of HR departments for a wide range of companies across many industries.

For instance, they may be able to suggest that you take an outsourcing route to some or all of your HR processes or help design a custom HR department that fits your company’s size, budget, and strategic needs.

An HR consultant might also be able to help with specific HR roles, including designing company policies to be compliant or developing a hiring, firing, and training process that helps you attract and retain the best staff.

These are just a few of the many ways a HR consultant can ensure your HR department keeps things running smoothly so you can focus on your core capabilities.

Accommodating Small Business and Big Business Insurance Needs

Having your very own business is something that just about everyone thinks about at least once or maybe even fantasizes over time and time again. While some succeed, some fail and others don't even try. Part of the concern for those that have started and those not yet ready is how to understand and create the right set of benefits and insurance coverage to sustain and protect the business as well as attract talent.

Business insurance is a critical part of every business with employees both large and small, so this blog provides some great ideas on what you need to consider as a business owner.

The Benefits of Benefits

On the benefits side, one area to include is insurance for your employees, such as health and sometimes vision and dental. More than anything, these benefits serve as an incentive to gain new employees and keep talent on board. Sometimes, having medical coverage is more attractive than getting a raise in an hourly rate or some type of bonus.

That’s because going to the doctor and dentist can be expensive, so having this additional financial support can give employees peace of mind that they can take care of themselves and their families.

For you, as the employer, you know that a healthy worker is a happy and productive worker, so these types of benefits pay great dividends.

Qualifying for Business Insurance Plans

With so many small businesses now helping our economy grow and thrive, insurance companies recognize the importance of providing business health insurance plans for even the smallest of companies.

A number of these firms offer multiple packages and full support to small businesses, especially with the growing popularity of companies offering health care benefits to their employees. A small business, in the insurance world at least, is decided by its number of employees.

Typically, 2-50 employees defines a small business, and 51 or more employees a large business, with the numbers ever increasing beyond that.  Small business health insurance plans cover a small business and its 2-50 eligible employees, and a large business health plan would cover any employee amount over 51 with obvious increases in fees to accommodate the additional employees.

There are also many flexible plans that allow a small business owner to offer other insurance benefits, including dental, vision, and life insurance, which many employees will also enjoy having as these can help cover other important areas that they may be concerned about handling on their own.

Albuquerque's Small Business Owners

Linton and Associates is an insurance firm that has been working to please clients just like you since 1988 and now has over 1,000 clients! We are locally owned and still deeply rooted in the community. Let us know what type of business insurance needs your small business has so we can provide a wide range of suitable options that fit your company size and budget.

Go Back to School with MyCare

Don’t worry – you don’t actually have to go back to school, but you may need to be schooled in the facts about the Affordable Health Care Act in play. Americans everywhere will need to educate themselves about the new benefits, rights, and laws, concerning the new health care plan.

That is where the MyCare initiative comes in as a way to school Americans all over the country about the available programs and benefits that are active under this new health care law. Time to get your learning cap on so you can know all there is to know about MyCare and the Affordable Health Care Act.

How it All Started

The beginning to it all was March 23, 2010 when President Obama first signed the Affordable Health Care Act. This event led to about $730 million in grants being handed out to community health centers everywhere (chances are even one near you). These grant funds are being used all over the country to improve equipment and conditions for these community health centers  as well as even helping to provide more job.

Employment at the health centers has gone up about 15 percent not to mention that nearly 200 health centers are either under construction while 60 are in the works as brand new construction.  It’s a formula that works: new construction = new jobs.

These community health centers serve dual purposes as job centers, social meet-ups, and places to get everything from prescriptions to dental work. These centers are often times all people have for miles, so without them there would be a plethora of problems that no one wants or even deserves. This aspect of the new Act has certainly provided some positives well-needed in this country right now.

More on MyCare

You may still be wondering what exactly MyCare is and what it means for you. MyCare is a program that is focused on providing Americans everywhere (not just here in New Mexico) with the information they need to understand how exactly they are affected by the Affordable Health Care Act. This includes educating them about new laws, programs, benefits, etc.

The MyCare program has also been encouraging those who have been affected in some way by the health care act to share their stories via Twitter or Facebook, encouraging engagement and interaction through these social media platforms. For more information on sharing your own MyCare story, please check them out here.