If your “wellness program” is a step challenge and a salad bar, that’s not wellness. That’s PR.
Your people are navigating real life—chronic illness, caregiving, menopause, and a mental load that never clocks out. A once‑a‑year campaign won’t touch that.
Wellness has to live in how you run meetings, set deadlines, make decisions, and lead—every week.
“If your people bounce from hype to silence and back to survival, you don’t have an engagement problem—you have a design problem.”
Why “Theme Weeks” Don’t Fix Culture
Let’s keep it plain:
· Activity isn’t change. A fun week in March doesn’t reshape workload or leadership habits.
· Real needs aren’t scheduled. Medical care, caregiving, and energy dips don’t fit a calendar invite.
· Early signs get missed. Disengagement starts quiet—short replies, more mistakes, fewer ideas—until it isn’t quiet anymore.
The Hidden Bill You’re Already Paying
You may not line‑item it, but you feel it:
· Missed deadlines & rework: Tired brains make expensive mistakes.
· Turnover & backfill: Your “glue” people leave, and the team wobbles.
· Presenteeism: Folks are “here,” but not well enough to do their best work.
· Reputation hit: Word travels fast when a place burns people out.
Reality check: When you can measure it, you can change it. Start with a few simple signals below and improve them on purpose.
What Real Wellness Looks Like (No Yoga Mats Required)
This isn’t about perks. It’s about the way work actually happens.
· Make rest normal. Leaders model boundaries. Recovery after big pushes is planned—not begged for.
· Support medical care. Flexible scheduling for appointments. A private, safe path to share needs. Real resources people use.
· Teach managers real skills. Spot overload early. Talk about capacity without blame. Protect the team and the work.
· Value more than output. Reward quality, collaboration, and smart risk reduction—not just “more, faster.”
Red Flags Leaders Shouldn’t Ignore
If you’re seeing two or more of these, it’s not a motivation issue—it’s a design issue:
· After‑hours pings… every night
· PTO mostly used for medical needs instead of rest
· “Always‑on” people get quiet or sarcastic
· More rework and missed handoffs
· 1:1s keep getting canceled “because there’s no time”
Words Managers Can Use Today
Capacity check (5 minutes)
“Give me green/yellow/red for your workload this week. If you’re yellow or red, what would move you one shade lighter?”
Boundary reset (team)
“No DMs after 6 p.m. unless it’s client‑critical. If it can wait, it waits. I’ll model that too.”
Medical/caregiver support (private)
“If health or caregiving is affecting your schedule, we can flex. We’ll prioritize outcomes, not hours. What would help you keep doing great work?”
A Quick Reference (Keep it Simple)
No spreadsheets today—track these once a month and look for trends:
· Absenteeism & Presenteeism: Are fewer people “here but unwell”?
· PTO Mix: Are more days being used for real rest (not just appointments)?
· Burnout Pulse: Are energy/focus/fairness scores moving up?
· After‑Hours & Meetings: Are late pings down and calendars lighter?
· Cycle Time & Rework: Are you delivering faster without losing quality?
· Voluntary Turnover: Are high performers and caregivers staying?
Ready to move from activity to strategy?
I help organizations build healthier cultures that protect people and performance. No performative programs. Real change you can feel on Monday morning.
Ways we can start: Wellness & Workload Audit • Leadership & Manager Training • Policy Tune‑Up • Pilot & Scale • Executive Strategy Session
Email: info@exaltingwellness.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/exaltingwellness