Walk the Talk: Wellness in the Workplace

Many people may believe that healthy living begins at home. It is a good place to start but the Bureau of Labor statistics shows the average employee spends more time on work or work-related pursuits than any other activity in their lives: nearly nine hours a day. This is why staff members at Samueli Institute started a wellness committee in February of 2013.

“We wanted to make sure that our staff members have the tools they need to make healthy choices in the place where they spend the majority of their time,” said Wellness Committee member and Human Resources Director Juanita Hawkins, “We would like to be the ‘go-to’ organization for health and wellness so we need to get our staff active as well.”

Researchers in the Optimal Healing Environments center at Samueli Institute developed an Optimal Healthy Workplaces framework which is based on a whole-systems philosophy that organizational health is comprised of several intersecting concepts ranging from the beliefs and attitudes of employees to their basic skills in managing stress, family and social circumstances, and the impact of the external and physical environments in which they work. The Institute is translating this knowledge into our own workplace.

Every week wellness committee members sell fruits and other healthy snacks and three days a week staff members lead meditation. The committee is also in the process of building a library of DVDs and CDs for meditation and yoga so employees can practice self-care on their own.

The committee has also planned a series of lunch and learns that include external presenters like a Whole Foods Market Healthy Eating Specialist and Registered Dietician. Additionally, a staff event is planned for June that will be very active and will showcase living a healthy lifestyle, dancing and will feature a healthy menu.

Construction on a wellness center will begin at Samueli Institute’s Alexandria, Va. office. The center will have showers and traditional workout equipment as well as jump ropes, exercise balls and resistance bands.

“We want employees to get up and get moving throughout the day. It doesn't have to be 30 minutes or an hour, it can be 10 minute increments throughout the day.”

Employees are also encouraged to participate in walking meetings as a way to step away from their desk or a conference room and get active while also getting work done.

“Samueli Institute's best asset is our employees so we need to make sure that they are healthy and well so they can focus and be their best,” said Hawkins.

For more information on the science behind optimal healthy workplaces visit www.samueliinstitute.org/OHE.