Nurturing Hearts: American Heart Month with Purpose

Among the top 10 costliest health conditions for employers, four—angina pectoris, high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart attack—are cardiovascular-related. - Centers for Disease Control

The Centers for Disease Control highlights that chronic conditions, particularly those tied to heart health, contribute significantly to the escalating costs of health insurance and employee medical claims in the United States. Work stress, surpassing physical inactivity and obesity, is the primary workplace health concern. These conditions inflate healthcare costs and impact productivity, costing US employers $36.4 billion yearly due to loss of productivity and absenteeism linked to high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, physical inactivity, and obesity. Health awareness months are beneficial reminders to organizations to prioritize well-being and engage in initiatives that positively impact their workforce and the broader community. Implementing workplace health activities supports organizational strategic workforce planning initiatives.

As we enter February, a month dedicated to heart health, it is an opportune time for organizations to highlight essential health imperatives. One company was recently highlighted in the news for providing bonuses to their employees based on the number of miles they run. How is that for the heart? However, rather than overdoing engagement, extending your budget, or resorting to short-lived gimmicks, leaders can choose initiatives that resonate authentically with employees, customers, and organizational values, which is crucial to sustainability.

[Heart-based] conditions inflate healthcare costs and impact productivity, costing US employers $36.4 billion yearly due to loss of productivity and absenteeism. - Centers for Disease Control

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration reports that workplace stress and poor mental health can negatively affect your workforce through:

• Job performance

• Productivity

• Work engagement and communication

• Physical capability and daily functioning

Creating A Heart-Based Impact Within Your Organization

AllProfit HR recognizes the importance of learning and employee engagement in contributing to a workplace culture that values the holistic well-being of individuals. Thus, we aim to partner with organizations in their strategic goals to build sustainable and stellar cultures of belonging. Our mission revolves around supporting business transformation while actively engaging employees for more significant internal and external impact. This month, we share intentional and authentic ways to observe American Heart Month:

Wellness Challenges

Kickstart the month with heart-healthy wellness challenges. Organizations can encourage employees to engage in daily walks, mindful eating, and stress reduction techniques that are not just limited to the month of February. This fosters a sense of community and shared commitment to well-being. 

Educational Webinars

Empower your workforce with knowledge through free or low-cost webinars on heart health topics. Collaborate with local healthcare professionals or leverage online resources to provide insightful sessions on nutrition, exercise, and stress management. This fosters continuous learning and development.  

Fitness Classes

Infuse energy into the workplace by incorporating virtual or in-person fitness classes. Whether it's yoga, meditation, or high-intensity interval training (HIIT), numerous free and low-cost resources are available. Promoting physical activity fosters a culture of health and vitality. Ready to go the extra mile? Like these companies, explore how to expand your total reward benefits to incentivize healthy living. 

Heart-Healthy Recipe Sharing

Create a digital cookbook or shared document for employees to contribute their favorite heart-healthy recipes. This not only promotes a sense of camaraderie but also emphasizes the importance of mindful food choices for heart health. Collaboration and shared success activities connect employees with a common cause.

Wear Red on February 7, 2025

Encourage staff members to wear red on National Wear Red Day. This simple yet impactful gesture symbolizes solidarity in acknowledging and promoting heart health. This also fosters a sense of belonging and shared commitment among colleagues.

Virtual Engagement Background

Add a touch of creativity by designing a virtual engagement background for video meetings. Incorporate the American Heart Month theme and your company logo. This emphasizes your commitment to the cause.

Share Heart-Healthy Resources

During staff meetings, or also via a newsletter or in your email signature throughout February, take a few minutes to share valuable heart-healthy resources. This can align with your organization’s commitment to evolving leadership mindsets and fostering a culture of continuous improvement by centering health and well-being.

Work With AllProfit HR

Engaging in these heart-healthy activities is a fantastic step towards positively influencing your organizational culture. Yet, without the guidance of an HR professional to ensure consistency, you might be missing out on the full potential impact on your bottom line.

Ready to elevate your total rewards or employee engagement strategy? Seize the moment with a 20% discount on new AllProfit HR engagements. Schedule your consultation today and take the first step toward a transformative journey in building a sustainable and stellar culture of belonging for all.

Let's cultivate a workplace where hearts thrive, employees flourish, and the result is not just profitability but profits for all.

Share Your Thoughts

Join the conversation on the transformative power of wellness initiatives in the workplace. Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Think big - what additional wellness imperatives do you desire to see incorporated into the workplace?