59 days to Christmas and 65 to the infamous New Year’s Eve! 

Now I know I’m a bit early with the mention of the holiday season but this is a crucial time of the year for Corporations.  Most are sitting around the boardroom discussing next year’s planning of events.  Great for those that have already finished this process but for those companies still making decisions, MAKE IT A HEALTHY YEAR.

A little history about New Year‘s – the Romans dedicated this day to Janus – the god of gates, doors and beginnings.  Janus had two faces – one looking forward and the other looking backward. So as we look back on 2012, we can have perspective on where we are going for next year. If keeping your employees healthy wasn’t on the agenda last year – make it so for 2013.

Most of us make New Year’s Resolutions that involve some type of healthy promise – lose weight, stop smoking, start an exercise program. With the influx of information regarding health coming at us from all directions – it is important to look at the workplace as a venue that provides employees with opportunities to start thinking about getting healthier. Corporately, this is a win-win situation.

So where to start?  Health Fairs are a great way to start the year as local health practitioners are always anxious to share their services with the community. Shopping for health care services such as massage therapist, fitness coach, nutritionist becomes difficult when you are working full time.  Employers can make this easier for employees by taking the time to coordinate a Health Fair that exposes their workers to an array of services that is sure to please everyone.  Don’t restrict yourself to the practitioners you know.  Consider a diverse list of modalities and treatment options from a variety of holistic practitioners too! such as Reiki,Traditional Chinese Medicine, Homeopathy, Naturopathy.

Another suggestion is to create a Health & Wellness Committee with employees and management together deciding on future healthy steps. Better yet – make some long term strategic plans that will place the HEALTH in Health & Safety at the forefront of your programs.

One third of New Year’s Resolutions are broken by the end of January.  Don’t be a statistic!