Let’s start off on the right foot

“Do not edit your desires.” – Stacey Abrams 

The skinny

Some remote workers are not comfortable returning to the office, even with a vaccine.

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Why?  

Basically, everyone’s comfort level is going to be different when asked if they want to come back to the office. Think of it this way. If everyone could choose a color-coded comfort level wrist band, which color would they choose? Green is: “I’m feeling pretty spiffy returning to work.” Yellow: “I would come back, but only if I feel safe.” Red: “No way, I’m never coming back!” The data suggests, all of the above. 

So, get corporate to buy wristbands?  

That’s an idea. Almost 40% of employees recently surveyed said they were “moderately comfortable” returning to work where only 17% said they feel “very comfortable” (maybe order fewer green wristbands?). On the other hand, the red wristband category of those not comfortable returning to work was 31%.  

That’s a lot of opinions.  

It sure is and there’s a few more to throw in the mix. HR is rearing to go with 75% of HR executives saying they are either moderately or very comfortable coming back to the office, only 18% said they were not.   

  Under pressure?   

Well, some employees may be feeling the pressure more than others. Lower-level employees are the least comfortable returning although they may feel the most pressure to do so for job security reasons. These employees are also less involved in the planning and protocols of returning. So, if your communication is lacking, they will not know all the safety measures being put into place.  

Grabbing my mask.  

Good call. The survey revealed that the most frequent actions businesses are taking to safeguard their workers are purchasing safety equipment like masks, thermometers, contactless entry devices and sanitation areas. Not to mention the 6 ft rule. Many organizations are choosing to limit the size of in-person meetings and also deep cleaning and sanitizing offices every day.   

Ok, so see you at the office?  

Not so fast. Have you thought about public transportation? What about health screening? Temperature checks? What happens if someone gets sick? 

“…” 

Hearing crickets. Many employees won’t feel safe coming back unless these measures are put in place. And, don’t worry, employees aren’t just distrusting your organization, but they are also weary of each other. Thirty percent of respondents to the survey said they have “little faith” in their co-workers to follow proper health and safety protocols when returning to work.  

Fun facts: Top three concerns about returning to the workplace are: 51% fear of contracting COVID, 49% say the risk of exposing family members and 40% say lack of a safe, effective available vaccine.  

Funner facts: HR survey found that 90% said their organizations planned to allow employees to work remotely at least part of the time even after a vaccine is widely adopted. 

Totes quotes: "I'm hearing that employees are worried that their colleagues won't wear masks or adhere to other safety guidelines while at work. Employers need to make sure that all employees are adhering to the safety protocols in the office." – Robin Erickson, principle researcher at The Conference Board 

Further reading: 3 FAQs about COVID-19 vaccine and employment issues 

The skinny

Staying hydrated has direct impact on our mental and physical well-beings.

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Water-you mean?    

The very same my friend. In fact, dehydration is cause for sluggishness, headaches, low productivity, dips in concentration, irritability and worse. Fact: 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.  

Hmm... irritability and lack of concentration you say? 

Yup, turns out there’s more to blame for your doom scrolling than the start of 2021. You may just need to guzzle some H2O to refocus and get back on track. And, other good news: drinking enough water can boost your metabolism and help you drop some major LBs.  

Drip some tips!  

Flow right this way. Try drinking a full glass of water even before you have your coffee. If it’s good enough for the stars, it’s good enough for us! And, if you’re thinking “snooze fest” when you think of water, spice it up with some lemon or other fun additive like cucumber. You’ll feel like you’re in the lap of luxury every time you reach for your glass! Or just go for tea.  

Ok, how much? 

That depends. There’s the 8x8 rule which is 8 ounces of water 8 times a day. But the amount of water you drink also depends on where you live and your size and weight and how active you are. Another good rule of thumb is drinking a half an ounce to an ounce of water for each pound on the scale. So, if you weigh 150lbs = 75 to 150 ounces of water a day.  

Give the gift of water? 

Great idea – a great way to encourage productivity, corporate culture and wellness is to send your employees branded water bottles to use at home. Or maybe something smarter.  

Totes quotes: “Water is the essence of wetness, and wetness is the essence of beauty.” – Zoolander. 

The skinny

You may be eating more sugar than you realize, and that’s not good.

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 But, I already threw out all my old holiday treats… 

That’s a good start. But there are many items in your fridge and pantry that may be hiding secret or “added sugars” you may not be aware of.   

  O really? 

Yes. Think sandwich bread, chicken stock, salad dressing, crackers, yogurt, cereal…The biggest problem with added sweeteners is that they make it easy to overeat. They are usually tasty and high in cals and leaving your tum tum rumbly.  

So, they’re against me!? 

Sweet sweet trickery. Foods that are high in sugar can actually trick you into wanting even more food. Health can wear the mask of a whole bran muffin if you’re not careful.  

How did we get here? 

Great question, because it’s not an accident. The sugar industry has conducted an aggressive, decades-long campaign to blame the obesity epidemic on fats, not sugars. But research shows that an over consumption of simple carbs, and sugar in particular, is the numero uno problem in modern diets. Plus, sugar is the driving force behind the diabetes and obesity epidemics.  

Ditch that spoonful of sugar?  

Chuck it. If you focus on reducing added sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup, honey, maple syrup, sweet n low, stevia and molasses, that’s a good start. Or, a good rule of thumb, try limiting anything ending in *ose*. Think: Sucrose, Dextrose, Fructose, glucose, maltose, etc.  

Is that all?  

 Almose-t. Be sure you look at the ingredient list on all your foods. There could be some added sugars lurking behind a “healthy” label. And remember, breakfast shouldn’t taste like dessert (don’t @ us!). Breakfast is sometimes the most difficult meal to lasso into the lower-sugar arena.  

Yeehaw? 

That’s the spirit! Embrace your sultry savory side! And, if you absolutely NEED to have something sweet in the morning, fresh fruit is your jam. Well, not literally, because jam has insane amounts of sugar…but you get it. Put some fresh berries in your PLAIN Greek yogurt and dress that up with some nuts and maybe fresh mint. Or grab some overnight oats with blueberries and almonds.  

Challenge: 7-day sugar challenge.

Ask your employees to join: too.  

Now a break from the news… The Show of Delights

Compliance Corner  The COVID relief bill explained

Here’s something to…

• Imbibe: Dry January Inspired Cocktails  
• Keep an eye on: 4 major California employment law changes for 2021 
• Consider: Mental health benefits are a key component of DE&I 
• Smile about: Lost cat is a holiday miracle 
• Fake: Can a fake commute help work life balance? 
• Read: COVID relief bill extends tax-free student loan benefits 
• Puzzle: Everything “The Office” fans ever wanted to know about Michael driving into a lake 
• Skim: Staying mentally + physically healthy while WFH 

Benefits Pulse at a glance

New changes, active status employees starting to trend higher this week.