HUMAN RESOURCES Transition to Business By Paul Falcone www.PaulFalconeHR.com
Health and Wellness at Work. . . A Critical Way to Get 2025 Off on the Right Foot San Diego Veterans Magazine’s January issue wisely kicks off the new year by focusing on health and wellness. We live in exceptionally stressful times, whether you’re looking at visceral political differences, catastrophic weather patterns, domestic gun violence, global unrest and warfare, or the introduction of generative artificial intelligence and its potential impact on our lives and careers. Further, Gen Y Millennials (the 45-and under crowd) and Gen Z “Zoomers” (the 25-and-under crowd) continue to test out as the loneliest, most isolated, and depressed generational cohorts on the planet—even more so than retirees in retirement homes. Being the first truly digital generation has many benefits, but the social isolation that comes with digital communication is certainly not one of them. The COVID pandemic certainly didn’t help and only exacerbated the problem. If you’ve ever flown on a commercial airline flight, you’ll be familiar with the pre-flight instructions that in the case of decompression, put your oxygen mask on first before attempting to help others—even your own children. That’s because if you run out of oxygen first, you won’t be able to help anyone else, and you’ll both be at risk. That wisdom applies to the workplace as well. Workers have difficulty checking their frustrations at the front door before they walk into the office or shop floor, and frustrations and incivility may show themselves when people are tense or anxious.
Practice “Desk Wellness” by getting up from your desk and stretching or walking to combat prolonged sitting. Too much sitting is “scary unhealthy,” and setting your mobile phone timer to go off at 20- or 30-minute intervals is an incredibly healthy habit to develop, especially if you have a more traditional “desk job.” Practice work-life-family boundaries, like logging off at designated times and avoiding after-hour emails unless absolutely urgent. Work-from-home policies don’t help in this regard, as employees often have a difficult time applying workplace boundaries when it’s so easy to log in and answer emails. You are what you eat (and drink): Stack up on nutrientdense snacks (like fruit, nuts, or protein bars) instead of sugary treats. Keep a water bottle nearby to keep yourself hydrated throughout the day. And practice healthy ergonomics: make sure your desk, chair, and office tools are set up properly to ensure a healthy posture. • Support Your Peers with their Physical and Mental Healthcare Needs If your company has an EAP (Employee Assistance Program), remind anyone in need of an EAP’s confidential and free services that mental health resources, addiction or depression specialists, or assistance from attorneys or financial planners are available for free initially and may be eligible for insurance coverage if extended care is needed. Companies pay for EAP services so they can provide
Fears—real, fabricated, or grossly exaggerated—cause angst about the speed and impact of eliminated jobs due to the incorporation of artificial intelligence.
a confidential source of support for their workers whose personal challenges might negatively impact their job performance.
• Take Care of Your Physical and Mental Health First
(So, it makes sense for the company and for you, as an employee, to take advantage of an EAP’s services.)
Encouraging health and wellness in the workplace is essential for fostering a productive, happy, and balanced employment experience. Following are some practical guidelines to help you succeed in self-care in the private sector in 2025: Remember that exercise is to the heart what sleep is to the brain. Be sure you’re getting enough sleep in a healthy rhythm to maintain brain health. 46 WWW.SanDiegoVeteransMagazine.com / January 2025
If your company offers wellness initiatives like fitness reimbursements, meditation sessions, or stress management workshops, remind your peers to take full advantage of them. Companies cut programs t hat get little employee participation and enhance popular programs