Monthly Spark Newsletter
December 2024
This holiday season, we’re diving into a topic that’s more crucial than ever for focus in 2025: workplace wellness.
As burnout rates soar and stress continues to take a toll on both employees and businesses, prioritizing wellness is no longer optional—it’s essential.
In this issue, we explore why workplace wellness matters, the pitfalls of current corporate wellness strategies, and why shifting from quick fixes to holistic, people-centered solutions are needed to transform your workplace.
Why Workplace Wellness Matter
In today's high-pressure work environments, workplace wellness is more than a trend—it’s a necessity for both individual health and business success. The World Health Organization recognizes burnout as a chronic condition, defined by exhaustion, negativity, and reduced efficacy. The statistics are sobering:
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61% of professionals report experiencing workplace stress, according to the American Psychological Association (APA).
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42% of U.S. employees facing high burnout levels experience depression, based on Gallup research.
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Chronic stress is a major contributor to health issues such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and respiratory conditions.
This is not just a health crisis; it’s a business challenge. Organizations without effective wellness programs face increased healthcare costs, absenteeism, employee disengagement, and lower productivity. All of which stems from employee’s poor health (mental and physical), low morale, resistance to change and less collaboration.
Therefore, prioritizing wellness doesn’t just make people feel better—it boosts the bottom line. A Gallup study shows that focusing on wellness can lead to a 21% improvement in profitability. Wellness is not just an expense; it’s an investment in your organization’s future.
Corporate Wellness Today: Why It's Failing
According to the Harvard Business Review, nearly 85% of large U.S. employers offer workplace wellness programs, yet the burnout and mental health needs that they are meant to address have continued to escalate. These programs often include medical screenings, smoking cessation interventions, fitness challenges, tracking apps and rewards initiatives. Despite a projected $94.6 billion to be spent on wellness by 2026, many programs fail to deliver tangible results.
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Participation rates hover between 20–40%, according to RAND Corporation studies.
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Poorly designed programs often fail to change health behaviors or reduce health risks.
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Tick-the-box solutions like apps, rewards, and generic incentives lack the ability to create lasting behavioral change with usage churn after just three months.
According to the RAND Corporation, for every dollar invested in wellness, companies can achieve a return of $1.50, primarily through reduced burnout, enhanced collaboration, and better work outcomes. But to realize this potential, businesses need a paradigm shift in how they approach wellness.
From Tick-The-Box To Transformation
To drive real change, organizations need to move beyond surface-level initiatives to create meaningful and sustainable wellness programs. Here’s how:
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FROM generic stress management TO holistic, bio-individual self-care.
Integrate practices that consider the interconnectedness of diet, sleep, exercise, relationships, purpose, career, creativity, joy and other lifestyle ingredients to prevent and manage stress effectively.
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FROM tools TO people-based solutions.
Shift from using apps, incentives and 'perks' to fostering real benefits and genuine behavioral change through coaching, group sessions, workshops and meaningful engagement and support.
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FROM strictly individual fixes TO cultivating thriving teams and workplaces.
Adopt a holistic approach that empowers not just individuals but also entire teams. Consider a holistic solution that incorporates self care practices for individual employees as well as team dynamics, leadership role models and workplace culture.
Getting Started Now With Practical Steps for Behavioral Change
At Spark & Rise, we specialize in implementing results-oriented wellness programs tailored to your organization’s unique needs. But you don’t need to wait for a consultation and program creation to get started. Here are some quick wins you can implement right now:
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Engage Leadership:
Leadership commitment is critical to the success of wellness initiatives. Encourage your leadership team to champion these efforts, not just in words but in actions. When leaders actively participate—eating healthily, prioritizing physical activity, and setting boundaries for quality sleep—they model behaviors that inspire teams. Research shows that visceral, real-life examples from leaders have a powerful influence on behavioral change, creating a ripple effect across the organization.
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Identify a Wellness Committee:
Form a diverse, cross-functional wellness committee to design and oversee your initiatives. This group serves as a bridge between leadership and employees, ensuring wellness programs are grounded in the real needs of your workforce. It also fosters team building and strengthens interdepartmental dynamics. When employees actively contribute to shaping wellness strategies, these efforts are more likely to resonate and succeed because they reflect the lived experiences of those facing workplace challenges.
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Clarify Purpose and Values:
Align your wellness initiatives with your organization’s mission, values, and principles. Clearly communicate these to all employees to foster a shared sense of purpose. When employees feel connected to the company’s overarching goals and values, they are more likely to feel engaged, safe, and trusted. This alignment reduces stress, strengthens workplace culture, and enhances employee well-being by creating an environment where people feel they truly belong.
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Social Engagements:
Humans are inherently social, and a lack of connection at work can lead to mistrust, division, and increased stress. If employees fear credit-stealing, blame-shifting, or job insecurity, it erodes collaboration and morale. Prioritize opportunities for team bonding and social engagement, both inside and outside the workplace. Shared experiences, whether team lunches or group wellness challenges, help rebuild trust, deepen relationships, and create a supportive, collaborative environment.
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Focus on Core Self-Care Practices:
Educate employees about the critical pillars of well-being: nutrition, sleep, and movement. Go beyond the basics—share data on why these areas matter, strategies for improvement, and bio-individual considerations that cater to unique needs. Highlight the interconnectedness between personal wellness and professional performance, and offer actionable tips for small, sustainable changes. A great starting point? Our February 2025 webinar series, Eat, Sleep, Move, will offer practical insights and tools for building healthier habits. Registration details to be shared soon.
Ready to Spark a Change?
Transform your workplace into a thriving hub of health, engagement, and productivity. Our proprietary framework is designed to deliver measurable results and a tangible return on investment. Whether you're exploring ways to elevate your organization or believe your team could benefit from this approach, schedule a discovery session today to uncover customized strategies that align with your unique goals. Share this link with your HR or leadership team and help spark the change you and your workplace deserves.
Monthly Food-For-Thought
A Manifesto for the New Year
As we close the chapter on 2024, we carry forward the lessons learned and turn to the blank canvas of a new one. It’s time to rise—with courage, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to live bravely.
Each month, we share recommended books, media and inspiration to fee our minds, bodies and souls. This month, we are sharing Brené Brown’s Manifesto of the Brave and Brokenhearted reminds us of the power in owning our stories and meeting each day with strength. Let this be the year we rise.
New Year's Manifesto For the Brave & Brokenhearted
By Brene Brown
There is no greater threat to the critics
and cynics and fearmongers
than those of us who are willing to fall
because we have learned how to rise.
With skinned knees and bruised hearts;
we choose owning our stories of struggle,
over hiding, over hustling, over pretending.
When we deny our stories, they define us.
When we run free from struggle, we are never free.
So we turn toward truth and look it in the eye.
We will not be characters in our stories.
Not villians, not victims, not even heroes.
We are the authors of our lives.
We write our own daring endings.
We craft love from heartbreak,
compassion from shame,
grace from dissapointment,
courage from failure.
Showing up is our power.
Story is our way home. Truth is our song.
We are the brave and brokenhearted.
We are rising strong.
Monthly Recipe
Holiday Cheer In A Glass - Mocktail Edition!
'Tis the season to gather, celebrate, and sip on something delightful! Whether you're scaling back or skipping the alcohol altogether, there’s no reason to miss out on the fun. These mocktail recipes suggested by IIN are not only bursting with holiday flavors but also crafted with a health-conscious twist, using natural ingredients and less sugar than most alcohol-free traditional options. 🍊🌿
Raise a glass to enjoying the season’s festivities with mocktails that feel indulgent, keep you refreshed, and let you savor every moment – guilt-free! 🥂
Now, let’s get mixing!
Pom-Pom Teaser
Ingredients:
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Handful of ice cubes
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2 cans (8 ounces) sparkling water, plain or strawberry-flavored
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4 ounces pomegranate juice
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1 tablespoon pomegranate arils
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Sprigs of thyme (for garnish)
Instructions:
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Fill each glass with ice.
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Add sparkling water and pomegranate juice, stirring to combine.
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Add pomegranate arils.
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Garnish with sprigs of thyme.
Mint Cucumber Cooler
Ingredients:
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5 to 6 mint leaves
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1 tablespoon honey, agave syrup, or maple syrup
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1 Persian cucumber, grated
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2 cups sparkling water
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Handful ice cubes
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1 jalapeño, sliced (for garnish, optional)
Instructions:
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Muddle mint leaves at the bottom of a cocktail shaker/glass using a wooden spoon or muddler.
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Stir in honey, agave syrup, or maple syrup to incorporate.
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Add cucumber to mixture.
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Add a handful of ice cubes to glass.
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Pour sparkling water into drinking glasses, then add in cucumber and mint mixture
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Top with optional jalapeño slices.
Apple Cider Hot Toddy
Ingredients:
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2 cups apple cider
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1 green-tea bag
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2 cinnamon sticks
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1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
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4 whole cloves
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2 whole star anise pods
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2 teaspoons of lemon juice
Instructions:
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Pour apple cider into a small saucepan and bring to a low boil.
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Once boiling, lower heat to a simmer and add the tea bag, steeping for 5 minutes
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Add cinnamon sticks, grated ginger, cloves, and star anise.
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After simmering for another 5–10 minutes, add lemon juice.
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Remove tea bag and serve hot, with cinnamon stick and star anise as garnish.
Monthly Challenge
Loving-Kindness Meditation
As we step into the new year, practicing Loving-Kindness Meditation (LKM) can cultivate a kinder outlook and foster emotional resilience. 🌱🕊
Rooted in Buddhist tradition, LKM (or Metta Bhavana) involves silently repeating phrases like “May you be happy” or “May you be safe,” starting with yourself and extending to loved ones, strangers, and even those you find challenging.
Celebrated for its mental health benefits—like reducing stress, enhancing empathy, and building resilience—LKM is a tool for fostering compassion and connection.
We challenge you to embrace this practice during the 12 days of Christmas, 8 days of Chanukah, 7 days of Kwanzaa or now through end of year to spread goodwill into 2025. 💖
How to Practice Loving-Kindness Meditation (LKM):
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Find a Quiet Space: Sit comfortably with your eyes closed, focusing on your breath to settle your mind.
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Start with Yourself: Silently repeat phrases of well-wishing, such as:
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"May I be happy."
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"May I be healthy."
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"May I be safe."
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"May I live with ease."
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Extend to Loved Ones: Picture someone you care for deeply and repeat similar phrases for them:
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"May you be happy."
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"May you be healthy."
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Expand to Neutral Figures: Think of someone you don’t know well (e.g., a neighbor or store clerk) and wish them well too.
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Include Difficult People: Challenge yourself to extend these thoughts to someone you may have tension with, cultivating forgiveness and understanding.
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Embrace All Beings: Finally, send out loving-kindness to all living beings, imagining the world wrapped in warmth and compassion.
