If you're trying to encourage your workers and help them be their best, one of the ways you can do that is to show them how to work with their emotions as well as with their thoughts. Since people attach so much emotion to what they're thinking a lot of the time, one of the biggest goals is to help them experience emotional agility. But what that means, how it can be used properly in the workplace, and why it's important may all be foreign concepts. Here's what you need to know.

Mental health isn’t often spoken about at work. We’ve seen more high-profile conversations about mental health pop into the news, but many people struggle to take mental health seriously. On the flip side, the World Health Organization (WHO) considers mental health in its definition of health, and about 1 in 5 U.S. adults struggle with mental health issues. Employees are struggling due to COVID-19 and the isolation that comes from remote work, so it’s imperative that organizational leaders support their employees’ mental health.

Social interaction is vital in the workplace, but in the last year, more employees than ever before have been experiencing a different kind of workspace — one that doesn't come with a water cooler or shared conversations next to the morning coffee pot. Some of these people will eventually return to life as they once knew it, while many will continue on the remote path. Without the proper skills or tools, remote work can become very lonely and isolating. This, in turn, can lead to many health problems, both physically and emotionally.

A recent survey led by Great Places to Work® revealed surprising results: employees are just as productive, if not more productive, while working from home rather than in the office. Over the span of two years, from the year 2019 to 2020, Great Places to Work® surveyed over 800,000 employees from 715 companies to measure employee productivity. They examined the degree to which employees are “willing to give extra to get the job done,” and “quickly adapt to changes needed for their company’s success,” and compared the results over a six month period from March to August of 2019 and 2020.

In 2020, companies worldwide had to make a tough decision for their employees’ safety and wellbeing. A rapid transition to remote work meant that employers had to make the best of the resources they had at the time — and many are still trying to catch up.

As evidenced by a recent employer-employee survey from Aetna International, employees are prioritizing their mental and physical well being more than ever before. With responses from 4,000 employees and 1,000 employers, 66% of employer respondents feel that Covid-19 has increased employee expectations in regards to health and wellness benefits offered by employers — and 63% say there is now a greater expectation for them to take responsibility for employee health beyond the workplace. In other words, employees expect more.

Trying to balance work and home life is getting harder and harder. To meet today’s financial needs, many work long hours or multiple jobs. It is easy to give work precedence over everything when you are living paycheck to paycheck or working to meet financial goals. Making work a priority means less time for yourself and your family, though.

Grokker is always looking for new, exciting ways to delight and inspire our members to fit more movement and balance into their lives — and have fun doing it. That’s why we are thrilled to announce the release of our brand new program, 21-Day Cardio Sculpt, with one of Grokker’s most popular fitness experts, Sarah Kusch! This 3-week, full body program features dynamic cardio flows fit for anyone who wants to improve their fitness levels and tone their bodies in a fun, low-impact way.

Leapgen’s Jess Von Bank welcomed Lorna Borenstein, Grokker’s founder and CEO, to her company’s Now of Work Podcast for a lively discussion about the “business of caring” for employees. Here are highlights of their conversation and key takeaways for employers, plus a link to the podcast so you can enjoy it in its entirety.

2020 has been a year for the books! In spite of the many challenges that came our way, we also found unique opportunities for growth. We learned that we’re truly “better together,” even when we’re working apart and staying connected virtually. We’ve come to appreciate what’s really important to us in our personal lives, and to prioritize what matters most professionally for our clients and partners. We’ve experienced, first-hand, that going the extra mile for each other at work and at home makes a meaningful difference in people’s lives. 

With its recent state of stress research, Grokker Innovation Labs, a research organization committed to advancing employee wellbeing and workplace culture, set out to understand the stress levels of U.S. workers as the damaging effects of 2020 continue to linger. Seeking to reveal how stress is impacting workers' lives and what they're doing to manage it, the insights provide focus on the specific areas where greater support is needed from employers. Let's take a look at the research highlights.

COVID-19 and its aftermath has made 2020 a downright challenging year. In the blink of an eye, the very definition of work/life balance has taken center stage — instantly changing from what was once just a desirable goal to the global imperative for employers everywhere. Keeping employees healthy and safe so that businesses can keep their doors open is now every employers’ top priority. Though some semblance of a new normal is beginning to take shape as digital environments begin to repair the disconnectedness we feel at home and at work, there’s a lot of good yet to be done.