For years, executives have experimented with different metrics, such as employee satisfaction or engagement, to understand their employees. In 2022, organizations will add in new measures that assess their mental, physical, and financial health.
Many companies expanded the wellness support they provided to their employees in the wake of the pandemic. A Gartner 2020 survey of 52 HR executives found that:
By Tara Santavicca, Kinesiologist
COVID-19 has had profound effects on our levels of physical activity and sedentary behaviour – both here in Canada and abroad. Almost two years into the pandemic, and we have become accustomed to new work and study habits, inclusive of decreased opportunities for physical activity and surges in sedentary screen time.
What is sedentary behaviour? It is the act of sitting, reclined or lying down and exerting very little energy.
By Robert Kraakman
Attaining a healthy lifestyle is a goal for most Canadians. The development and access to convenient health devices and technologies are putting greater control in our hands. These devices can give us information at any time relating to our sleep habits, heart rate, blood pressure, ECG, and among others. This access provides us an extremely valuable way to follow our progress and understand our health. There are things to keep mindful of though as we integrate these commercial technologies into our daily health habits.
By Catarina Martins
As the long warm days of summer come to an end, and we round the corner to Fall, many of us may find ourselves returning to familiar routines or starting new ones. This Fall, take advantage of new beginnings by establishing new and fresh physical activity goals or by refreshing old ones. Whether returning to an existing fitness routine, or looking to establish a new one, the first step is to develop a SMART plan. This begins by setting a reasonable goal for your physical activity which is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time bound.
By Nolan Turnbull, Kinesiologist
The unpredictable nature of the pandemic has made taking time for oneself and maintaining healthy lifestyle behaviours such as physical activity more difficult than ever. Mindfulness is a simple practice that anyone can use to help address stress and uncertainty, and to achieve lifestyle and physical activity related goals.
By Kerri Blackburn and Anna Petrie
Exercising during the COVID-19 lockdown has been a challenge for many Canadians as accessibility to workout spaces is limited. One way to keep active while gyms are closed is to exercise outside with a friend. A study reports the perceived benefits of working out with a friend are safety, similar goal-setting habits, and reduced feelings of self-consciousness.
In addition, exercising outdoors can help with decreasing stress, social isolation, and mental illness. People of all ages, genders, ethnicities, and social classes respond positively to exercising outdoors. Physical activity does not discriminate!
By Alexandre Pare, Kinesiologist
With the more widespread wearing of masks, it is topical to question the issue of wearing a mask during of physical activity. In recent months, our attention has been drawn especially to 2 studies which have attempted to determine whether wearing the surgical mask or the N95 mask has any particular effect on performance when performing intense cardiovascular physical activities.
By Charmi Lad, Registered Kinesiologist
Spring is just around the corner, which means more sunshine, warm weather and outdoor activities and exercise. With the Covid-19 pandemic still going on, having to isolate ourselves from friends and family is having a negative impact on our health and wellness.
By Canadian Mental Health Association, Supported by Kinesiologists
Spring has sprung and hope is in the air, but not everyone is feeling peachy. It’s been a tough winter and your inner world might still be thawing out. That’s ok! Before you let the sunshine in, it can actually help you to sit with the stormy stuff you’re going through. According to scientists, putting negative feelings into words can help us understand and regulate negative emotional experiences. In short, the best thing you can do with unpleasant emotions is not to numb them, but to name them.
By Canadian Mental Health Association, Supported by Kinesiologists
Scientists call it “affect labelling” but more simply it means “putting feelings into words.” Understanding how this works might just change the way you respond to your emotions.
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