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Sara on
Friday, May 2nd, 2014 with
Comments Off on 4 Reasons Why Brunch Should Replace Business Lunches for Employee Appreciation Comments
When you understand the importance of employee appreciation — one of the top reasons why people stay satisfied and engaged at their jobs — chances are you make a habit of saying thank you. The only downside to having a culture that embraces appreciation is that it can be easy for the message itself to become part of the routine. When you provide bagels every Monday as a special thank-you, the “special” part is quickly lost. If you order the same Chinese take-out on Wednesdays for a mid-week treat, the “treat” can become an expectation.
Linger over coffee and conversation at an office brunch.
Image source: Flickr user sean mason
Business lunches, catered meetings, even lunch-and-learns: all are wonderful, but to really set a meal apart as a special celebration of employees’ contributions, think outside the typical workweek… and host an office brunch.
Yes, brunch. Email your employees in advance and tell them to clear an hour in the middle of the morning (10:30 is usually ideal, so everyone has time to handle urgent emails beforehand) on the scheduled day, and not to eat a big breakfast, because there’s a truly special, out-of-the-ordinary treat in store.
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Sara on
Thursday, May 1st, 2014 with
3 Comments
Leading by example is one of the most frequently cited ways to make employee wellness programs a success: when the boss makes health a personal priority, others will follow. And this tenet is being played out very effectively on a very public stage: the White House.
Beyond policy decisions, like the first lady’s school nutrition programs, the Obamas are famously – some would say infamously – passionate about health and wellness in the White House itself. And the most well-known examples, such as the president’s pickup basketball games and Michelle Obama’s organic vegetable garden (and toned arms), are only the tip of the iceberg. It turns out that President Obama runs a tight ship when it comes to his staff’s health and wellness.
The kitchen garden is just one way the Obamas are promoting health and wellness at the White House.
Image source: Flickr user USDAgov
“The culture here has shifted pretty dramatically, in direct ways and indirect ways, based on their leadership,” Sam Kass, the White House senior advisor for nutrition policy, told The Washington Post recently. “I think we really live that.”
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Wednesday, April 30th, 2014 with
Comments Off on Spice Up Your Mexican Food Office Meals with These 5 Authentic Dishes – Just in Time for Cinco de Mayo! Comments
Tacos are amazing. Burritos are wonderful. And enchiladas can be downright divine. But, there’s so much more to Mexican food than these north-of-the-border chain restaurant staples!
Make sure your office’s Cinco de Mayo celebration is a festive affair.
Image source: Flickr user Andrew Mager
Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner — a prime opportunity for celebratory office meals or post-work parties. And if you’re in charge of planning the affair, think of the impression your Mexican menu will make on your coworkers: a platter of tacos, chips, and salsa will be surely appreciated, but is also completely predictable. On the other hand, a table topped with less familiar dishes like pozole, elote, or mole poblano will instantly take the excitement up a notch!
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Sara on
Tuesday, April 29th, 2014 with
2 Comments
Stamina is something many athletes must take into consideration, whether they’re preparing for a long hockey match on the ice, or participation in a marathon. However, marathon runners aren’t the only individuals who have to worry about “hitting the wall”. While runners are concerned about their bodies physically running out of fuel during a big race, the rest of us know the feeling of staring at a computer screen or piece of paper for an extended length of time and the toll it can take. It can begin to feel as though we can’t actually read the words in front of us. Long days, conflicting priorities, and endless meetings make it easy for the average employee to hit the wall when it comes to focus and attention — especially when we don’t pay attention to properly fueling our brains the way athletes fuel their bodies.
Marathoners know how to avoid hitting the wall!
Image source: Flickr user edwardopilopilous
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Sara on
Monday, April 28th, 2014 with
2 Comments
All-day meetings and conferences can be a recipe for disaster when it comes to workplace wellness. Sitting all day, mindlessly snacking during breaks, and indulging in large portions of corporate catering buffets: the traditional meeting can break every rule in the book when it comes to keeping employees healthy, attentive, and focused.
Plan a healthier buffet line at your next conference.
Image source: Flickr user techedlive
So how do you break the cycle and make meetings healthier? The Center for Science in the Public Interest (a highly-respected nutrition advocacy group) has a few ideas: 36 well-researched pages’ worth, in fact. They recently published an incredibly informative toolkit for meeting planners and caterers. Those who care about workplace wellness and employee health will find plenty of helpful guidelines for hosting healthier meetings… but we’re willing to bet that not many will take the time to read it through and through.
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Friday, April 25th, 2014 with
Comments Off on Admin Assistance: 7 Tips to Avoid Sad Salads at Business Lunches Comments
Salads are awesome: you just feel healthier while you’re eating a big pile of leafy greens and crisp vegetables. They make great fare for business lunches, too, since they’re rarely messy and easy to eat while working. But if you’re a busy admin in charge of ordering salads for meetings or conferences, don’t make the mistake of choosing the wrong kind of salads — the ones that will leave your coworkers feeling unsatisfied once they clear their plates (and already planning their afternoon snacks).
No fiber, no protein, no satisfaction. This is not a meal!
Image source: Flickr user Ged Carroll
When a salad is created to be low-fat and low-calorie, it’s almost always low-protein and low-fiber — which means while it may satisfy our desire to stick to a restrictive diet, it probably won’t satisfy our appetite. That’s why many people who aren’t interested in watching their waistlines may dismiss salad as “diet food”… but you can prove them wrong with your next menu selection!
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Sara on
Thursday, April 24th, 2014 with
7 Comments
Sushi day in the office can be amazing: gathering around a table full of healthy, fresh, flavorful sushi with your coworkers, tasting and trying a wide array of dishes. Or, it can be miserable, particularly if you don’t know much about sushi or its seemingly complicated etiquette. If you’ve learned to add the familiar, yet bland “California roll” to the food delivery order and retreat to your desk with a clandestine fork, well, no wonder you don’t like sushi day.
The fun of eating sushi is trying different kinds of fish and ingredients.
Image source: Flickr user daiki_moriyama
But despite the intimidating vocabulary of a sushi menu, and what can seem like a mysterious web of etiquette to the uninitiated, sushi is actually very straightforward. The point of the cuisine is its simplicity: high-quality, perfectly seasoned rice, the freshest fish, and just a few garnishes. And if you’re not used to eating raw fish, no problem. There are alternatives, and an easy path to slowly getting comfortable with the idea (and it’s a delicious one).
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Sara on
Wednesday, April 23rd, 2014 with
Comments Off on From Business Lunches to Better Parking, 7 Last-Minute Ideas for Administrative Professionals Day Comments
Today is Administrative Professionals Day — a holiday that’s been celebrated in the U.S. since 1952 (albeit under the less politically correct name National Secretaries Day). And if you’ve forgotten, well, that’s probably because your own administrative assistant didn’t think it was in good taste to remind you.
Flowers are lovely, but we have some less predictable ways to say Happy Administrative Professionals Day.
Image source: Flickr user Michael Coghlan
Showing appreciation for hardworking admins is more than a formality or a Hallmark-sponsored obligation. Rather, employee appreciation is key to maintaining a positive work environment and employee engagement. And when it comes to administrative professionals, taking special time to communicate that appreciation is even more important! Many admin roles are supportive and meant to make the office (or an executive’s life) run smoothly… so by their very nature, no one might stop to notice when a successful admin is doing their best work!
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Sara on
Tuesday, April 22nd, 2014 with
Comments Off on Is Your Break Room Ready for Earth Day? Here’s How to Host Eco-Friendly Office Meals Comments
On Earth Day, everyone tends to feel a little greener! Take advantage of the good vibrations to get your team together and celebrate with an Earth-friendly lunch — going green together during meal breaks can help boost teamwork and a sense of pride in the workplace. Here are a few ways to make sure your break room is ready to host eco-friendly office meals, every day of the year:
Meatless meals with plant-based proteins (like quinoa) are earth-friendly alternatives.
Image source: Flickr user Brook
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Posted by
Sara on
Monday, April 21st, 2014 with
2 Comments
Watery eyes, sneezing, scratchy throat — ah, it must be spring. Along with beautiful blossoms and rising temperatures comes the yearly onset of seasonal allergies, commonly called hay fever, which affect nearly 18 million American adults each year. But before you head to the drugstore or resign yourself to weeks of misery, take a second look at what you’re eating each day. Your diet can have a big impact on how your seasonal allergy symptoms show up, for better or for worse.
If this is you at the office, don’t just load up on medicine: pay attention to your diet, too.
Image source: Flickr user Lis Ferla
And while it’s easy to plan ahead for the dinners and weekends you cook at home, your office meals can be a little trickier… so here are six ways to ensure allergy-alleviating dining in the workplace.
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