Without our team, the amazing work that happens here on a daily basis wouldn’t be possible. But beyond that, without a healthy, happy team, the work we do simply wouldn’t be worth it. One of our company’s overarching goals is to create a positive impact in our communities. That starts right here with our own staff. So that’s why this year, Buckeye Innovation has been working on prioritizing a few different initiatives for its employees.
One such initiative that we wanted to share with you today has been revitalizing our wellness program. Our program is employee-led, and when we were looking to revamp it, our employee wellness program leaders surveyed the rest of the team to gather their thoughts on what would help contribute to their overall wellness. The team collected and reviewed numerous ideas, and got to work. This included enlisting the help of our partner, Healthy New Albany (HNA).
Buckeye has partnered with HNA multiple times over the years for different projects, including revamping their website, which we currently help maintain. During our team retreat back in November, we did a restorative yoga session with them, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. So when it came to our wellness initiative, we knew we had to bring them in. Currently, our team participates in twice-monthly virtual sessions with HNA. One session is a 15-minute mindful meditation exercise, the other is a 45-minute restorative yoga exercise. These sessions are geared around helping our team center, find balance and calm, and minimize anxiety and stress. They’ve been a welcome reprieve, especially during busy times, and have been something we’ve looked forward to each week.
Aside from our sessions with HNA, we’ve re-introduced quarterly wellness challenges. This was something our team had previously done, but that had admittedly fallen by the wayside for a time. Each of these challenges come with prizes, helping to incentivize our team to care for their own well-being. So far, we’ve had a “choose your own wellness goal” challenge, a steps challenge, and a fan favorite, the Arctic Challenge, which had our team getting outside during the winter to get some sunshine and fight the winter blues.
Finally, we’ve expanded our annual wellness budget for each employee, where we’ll reimburse them for different wellness items they purchase. This could range from gym memberships to Headspace subscriptions, and even equipment that helps contribute to their overall wellness within their home office space.
We’ve been working to address our team’s physical, mental, and emotional health. By making these concerted steps and investing in our team, we know it will result in happier, healthier, more well-rounded people. This in turn ultimately benefits both our employees and clients alike, enabling us to amplify not only our own impact, but the impact of those with whom we partner.
We’re excited about this initiative, as well as others we have in the works. And since we’re constantly growing and learning, and we love hearing about different ideas, we want to hear from you! How does your company invest in its employees? What are some of your favorite employee initiatives? We’d love to hear all about it.
