Endless tasks and expectations from colleagues and employers can make getting things done hard. There’s always something else to add to your to-do list and, as that list grows, it starts to feel like there’s never enough time to do it all. Productivity hacks can seem gimmicky and semi-helpful at best. But what if there was a time management strategy that could help you tackle your to-do list, meet others’ expectations, and help you feel more productive and balanced? That’s where the Pomodoro Technique comes in. This popular time management strategy can help you better plan your workload, overcome distractions, and check tasks off your list. And it doesn’t require working overtime or jamming more work into your day. Instead, it encourages frequent breaks in between stints of work. Perhaps one of the best aspects about it is that it’s easy to use. We’re here to help you make your workdays better and more productive. In this guide, we’re breaking down the Pomodoro method — how to use it, why it works, and its advantages and disadvantages. And don’t worry, we’ll cover what Pomodoro means while we’re at it. Add reading this guide to your list of to-dos for today, and let’s get started. What is the Pomodoro Technique? The Pomodoro Technique is a productivity or time management method created in the early 1990s by Francesco Cirillo. A university student at the time, Cirillo struggled to focus and get his assignments done. Feeling overwhelmed, he realized he needed to try a new way of working and held himself accountable for committing to 10 minutes of focused time while studying. As he committed to the challenge, he found a tomato-shaped timer (you guessed it, Pomodoro is “tomato” in Italian), and the Pomodoro Technique was born. Cirillo wrote an entire book about the Pomodoro Technique, but the gist of it is simple. The method encourages short bursts of manageable chunks of work with breaks built in between. With this method, you work for 25-minutes sessions separated by five-minute breaks. After every four or five Pomodoros (think of these as work sessions), you indulge in a more extended break for 15-20 minutes. With a sense of urgency built into it, the method forces you to think through your to-do list and eliminate distractions while progressing on your tasks for a limited amount of time. And you can eliminate distractions knowing that you have breaks built into your day to look forward to. Let’s start by understanding what exactly the word “Pomodoro” means and where it came from. What does Pomodoro mean? Pomodoro quite literally means “tomato” in Italian. But what does a tomato have to do with time management? Like we mentioned earlier, Cirillo used a tomato-shaped timer to help him manage his focused work time. He later named his famous technique after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer that helped him do his best work. When we talk about the Pomodoro Technique, a Pomodoro also refers to one 25-minute focused work session. You’ll use a timer to work for one Pomodoro. Get it? Don’t worry — we’ll walk you through the nitty-gritty of how to use the Pomodoro Technique next. How to use the Pomodoro Technique One of the best parts of the Pomodoro Technique is that it’s super simple to use without any training. Depending on who you ask, these steps may vary slightly. But that’s one of the best parts about the method — you can customize it. Here’s how Cirillo’s Pomodoro method works: 1. Make a list of the tasks you need to accomplish To make the best use of your Pomodoro sessions, consider starting your day by creating a to-do list and outlining the tasks you need to accomplish. Don’t panic if your list becomes lengthy! Remember, you’re going to split up your work so that it’s more manageable throughout the day. You just need to make a note of what you need to accomplish today. Tip: When you make a list of your tasks, think about how much time you need to complete each task. For example, one task might take you a full 25-minute Pomodoro. Or you might have three short tasks that you can group during one Pomodoro. Write down how many minutes each task will take. That way, you can pair up tasks that will take less than 25-minutes to complete. Your estimations don’t have to be perfect, but you want to avoid having gaps of time to fill or going past time during your Pomodoro sessions. 2. Set a timer for 25 minutes You don’t have to mimic Cirillo exactly and use a tomato-shaped kitchen timer, but to live the complete Pomodoro Technique experience, give a real timer a try. It doesn’t matter if you use a virtual or physical timer; any will do. Here are a few options to choose from when selecting a Pomodoro Technique timer: Pomodoro tomato timer Online tomato timer Focus Keeper app Pomodoro Timer Lite app The timer you use doesn’t need to be overly cumbersome or have any fancy capabilities, so don’t get caught up in the details. Keep it simple to make it most effective. 3. Focus on your tasks until the timer goes off This is the tricky part. Once you’ve set your timer, you need to work on the task or tasks you’ve chosen for 25 minutes without any interruptions throwing you off track. Combating distractions is no easy feat, and it may take practice to nail this step. Tip: If possible, alert those around you when you’re using the Pomodoro method. This can help reduce interruptions and external distractions. If you find yourself with spare time during a Pomodoro and aren’t sure what to focus on, Cirillo recommends taking advantage of the opportunity for overlearning. Use the time to make improvements and tidy up your work, reflect on the tasks you completed, or make a note of what you’ve learned until the timer goes off. Use the 25 minutes as best you can and avoid starting your break early if possible. 4. Enjoy a short break for five minutes You made it! Time is up and you can enjoy a break for five minutes or so. Consider using this time to use the restroom, grab a snack, or fill up your water bottle. Give your eyes a break and try to limit screen time if you can. Get up and stretch your legs or move your body around. Taking care of your well-being will help you stay motivated throughout the remainder of the day. 5. Repeat steps the first four steps Are you getting the hang of it? Rinse and repeat the above steps. After you’ve completed four Pomodoros, skip step four and jump straight to step six. 6. After every four or five Pomodoros, enjoy a more extended break You’ve earned it! Enjoy a longer, restorative break this time. Take 15-20 minutes to rejuvenate yourself. Maybe it’s time for breakfast or lunch. Or perhaps you want to spend a few minutes outside in the sun. Whatever the case may be, use your break wisely and prepare to jump into more Pomodoros after the break. That’s it. The Pomodoro Technique is an easy-to-use system, which means there isn’t much of a learning curve to start using it to your advantage. Does the Pomodoro Technique work? It sounds simple, right? That means you might be asking yourself whether the Pomodoro method truly works or not. Reviews of the method spread amongst the internet suggest that many have seen success when using the technique. One person found that the Pomodoro Technique was a great solution for monotonous tasks on the to-do list. Knowing that they only needed to work on a task for 25 minutes encouraged them to get started on those dreaded, tedious to-do’s. Another person found success using the Pomodoro Technique and later adapted the method to fit their specific needs. The Pomodoro Technique helped them define a practice of self-discipline to expand on and boost productivity. But what is it about the Pomodoro Technique that makes it work? Studies suggest that brief mental breaks help keep you focused. Frequent distractions rob us of productivity at work, but the Pomodoro method helps eliminate distractions for more focus in the workplace. As with any time management strategy, what works best for some may not work well for others. Give the Pomodoro Technique a try and tailor it to your individual needs to ensure it has the most payoff for you. The advantages and disadvantages of the Pomodoro method As with any time management strategy, the Pomodoro Technique has both benefits and drawbacks to consider before experimenting with it. Let’s take a look at both, starting with the advantages. Advantages of the Pomodoro Technique Break the habit of multitasking When you follow the Pomodoro Technique, you’ll break the habit of multitasking. While multitasking might seem like a great way to get more done, it’s distracting and actually hinders your productivity. With the Pomodoro method, your goal is to dedicate your focus to any given task at hand — and save the rest of the items on your to-do list for another Pomodoro. Reduce or prevent feelings of burnout Looking at your neverending to-do list can feel overwhelming and stressful, and working through that list without a strategic plan in place can cause feelings of burnout. The Pomodoro Technique not only encourages frequent breaks but it builds them directly into your schedule for you. You can reduce or prevent stress and burnout by taking full advantage of your breaks when you have them. Reduce procrastination We all procrastinate now and then, but the Pomodoro Technique ignites a sense of urgency in the day, which reduces or eliminates procrastination. There isn’t any time to scroll through your favorite social media platform, grab another snack, stare out the window, or engage in another distraction when you know you only have 25 minutes to complete a task. (Don’t beat yourself up — we’re all guilty of these things!) Disadvantages of the Pomodoro Technique Some tasks take more than 25 minutes The Pomodoro method is said to be beneficial for tasks like writing, coding, and studying. It also comes in handy when needing to work through some monotonous to-dos like cleaning out your inbox or digging into some administrative items. But some tasks are bound to take more than 25 minutes to complete, which means the Pomodoro Technique may not always work for every type of project or task. If you’re in the middle of a project and are in a solid flow state, you might want to keep working past the 25-minute timer mark, which will interrupt all subsequent Pomodoro scheduling. You know your work styles and productivity best, so you’ll be in charge of making the judgment call on whether you need to work past the timer’s buzz. Meetings could interfere with your Pomodoro planning The Pomodoro method sounds particularly beneficial to those who have full control over their schedules. But many career professionals are bound to be interrupted by planned and unexpected meetings. Your meeting schedule could interfere with how you plan your Pomodoros or could interrupt you in the middle of a Pomodoro session. Every time management strategy comes with advantages and disadvantages, and no method is guaranteed to be one-size-fits-all. Since the Pomodoro method is easy and comes without cost, consider giving it a try to see if it works for you. Remember, you can always tweak it to suit you best. How to use Wrike to plan your Pomodoros To set yourself up for success when using the Pomodoro Technique, you’ll want to have a to-do list prepared. A project management tool like Wrike can help you organize your tasks so that you can dive right into your Pomodoros (without wondering what you should start with). With Wrike, you can: Manage and prioritize your work Use templates to organize and break your projects down into manageable tasks Track your time to understand how you’re spending it Manage workloads with resource management capabilities You’re on your way to a more productive workday. Start your free trial of Wrike and begin planning your Pomodoros today.
Within a marketing agency, the project manager is responsible for planning deliverables (including creating a project calendar), communicating with clients, and keeping marketing projects on track. Find out more project manager responsibilities and skills in this post.
Think about the last time you had a “Eureka!” moment. Was it because you discovered something sophisticated, complex, and hard to understand — with all sorts of bells and whistles along the way? Probably not. More likely, your last lightbulb moment made you slap your forehead and say, “Why didn’t I think of that before?” Our best innovations and ideas often come when we adhere to a principle with a clear message: “Keep It Simple, Stupid.” The emphasis on simplicity has a long history. Occam’s razor, a problem-solving principle dating to the Middle Ages, holds that all other things being equal, challenges should not be multiplied beyond necessity. In modern parlance, we say: “The simplest explanation tends to be the true one.” In business, the KISS principle serves as a reminder that we human beings tend to overthink things. We like to fix systems that aren’t broken. We like to give input where none is needed. We like to add steps to processes to make them feel more “optimized,” even if those steps will only slow things down. But what does KISS stand for, and what does it look like when applied in the real world of project management? What does KISS stand for? KISS stands for “Keep It Simple, Stupid.” The message is just as simple: Don’t make your business processes any more complicated than they have to be. You’ll just end up creating more work for yourself. Even worse, a new initiative you’re launching might produce worse results if you add too much complexity along the way. KISS serves as a handy reminder that complexity doesn’t always reflect improvement. Project managers often like to think that toying with the formula means we’re constantly getting better. But in pursuing diminishing returns, we sometimes make things worse. Leonardo da Vinci once said that simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. Improvements in business are ultimately about finding those elegant solutions that should make us slap our heads and say, “Duh — why didn’t I think of that?” What is the KISS principle in project management? In project management, the KISS principle or KISS rule is a constant reminder to emphasize the simplest way forward. You adhere to KISS when you avoid attaching unnecessary steps to a process that doesn’t need them. The principle of KISS comes from specific projects in the U.S. military. Some trace the term KISS as an acronym that dates back to the U.S. Navy in the 1960s. According to some, Rear Admiral Paul Stroop had a simple assignment: reduce the cost of naval aerial weaponry under his watch. Stroop could have looked for cheaper equipment and materials. He could have renegotiated with vendors. Instead, he realized that the processes the Navy was using were too complicated. There were too many steps, too much red tape. To simplify, he set an example by asking the people under him to adhere to the acronym: Keep It Simple, Stupid. Another source traces the origins of the KISS project to Kelly Johnson, lead engineer at Lockheed Skunk Works. Johnson let the designers at Lockheed know their designs had to be simple enough that a soldier in a combat situation with basic training and tools should be able to fix it. In battle, there was no room for complexity. Wherever KISS started, the principles hold true today — no matter what kinds of projects you manage. “Keep It Simple, Stupid” examples But that’s the Navy. But what is the KISS principle like when used in business? Consider the example of Tesco, a UK supermarket with a reputation for innovation. Before rolling out one of these famous innovations, Tesco applies three questions: Is the innovation better for customers? Is the innovation cheaper for Tesco? Is the innovation simpler for staff? They’re not game-changing questions. They’re not complex. In fact, they’re all head-slappingly simple. Yet by implementing these questions consistently, Tesco identifies great new ideas and throws out the ones that don’t keep things simple. “Tesco’s secret sauce for innovation simplification was, appropriately, astonishingly simple: the company made people — and held people — accountable for simplicity,” writes Michael Schrage for the Harvard Business Review. “Keep It Simple, Stupid” examples aren’t limited to grocery stores, however. When asked about his “business success formula,” systems manager Thad Eidman said it boiled down to a four-step process: Get a customer Make them happy Get a referral Repeat There’s a reason “KISS” isn’t “KIS.” The final “s” serves as a reminder that as human beings, our knowledge and intelligence have limits. If a simple solution works, our interference can sometimes complicate and distort what would otherwise be an elegant way to handle business. KISS serves as a reminder to remain humble in the face of what actually generates results. Advantages of using the KISS rule Simplicity may sound obvious, but the consistent application of the KISS rule has all sorts of advantages: More emphasis on action: When you keep a process simple, it means spending less time on planning, thinking, and meeting. There are some projects that require consistent dedication to action and nothing else. An easier customer experience: At Tesco, one of the core KISS questions is whether a new innovation will be better for the customers. And if it’s not, Tesco throws the entire initiative away. If you’re just as strict about your KISS principles, you’ll make sure every new initiative passes a similar customer or team experience test. Less opportunity for problematic complications: KISS is just as useful in the worlds of IT and software engineering, where unnecessary complications only add new variables that can throw a wrench in the engine. More creativity: KISS might sound like it’s antithetical to creative projects. How are you supposed to thrive creatively when a project manager wants to emphasize only the practical elements of the project? But consider this quote from jazz great Charles Mingus: “Creativity is more than just being different. Anybody can play weird; that's easy. What's hard is to be as simple as Bach.” Sometimes, the best solutions — even in creative disciplines — are the simplest ones. KISS in software engineering Software engineers often like to point to a quote from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: “Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” KISS in software engineering is especially important because any unnecessary complication is an opportunity for the code to go wrong. Engineers also stick to a similar acronym, YAGNI: You Aren’t Gonna Need It. This is a warning against adding functionality that people don’t need; it only gets in the way of a simple, clear user experience. Engineers work to avoid “feature creep,” or the slow, consistent additions of new features to software that move it away from its core functionality. A software engineer might point to the best software and how simple it is. For example, Google earned its status as the top search engine, not because of its bells and whistles, but because of its minimalistic home page and delivery of the highest-quality results. In software, additional complexity has real costs. Add too many features, and the software may take too long to load. Add too many bells and whistles, and the user may find it difficult to onboard, leading to less use. In a paper on simplicity in software engineering, Ben Mosely and Peter Marks once said the following: “Considered next to testing and reasoning, simplicity is more important than either.” Their reasoning? An investment in simplicity makes any future consideration for that software easier to understand. Complexity, meanwhile, can make it more difficult to update software, add features, subtract features, or do anything that the end-user might consider an improvement. How to keep things simple with Wrike When KISS was still a new concept, project leaders could make an immediate improvement in their teams’ performance by posting the KISS mantra on the wall. These days, you might need more. Using Wrike to help with your project management efforts, you can use built-in features to perform the following: Eliminate silos by maximizing visibility across the entire team, removing the complexity of sharing files between different teams. Use Kanban boards to organize projects by simple due dates, which gives you one dashboard for reviewing everything that needs to be done today. Build an approval system that auto-assigns files to certain people for review. This will reduce the amount of “red tape” involved with every project milestone. Use your favorite apps. Wrike works well with over 400+ add-on apps, ensuring that you won’t have to use new third-party solutions if you already have a communications tool that’s working for your team. Simplicity looks easy from the outside. But on the inside, it takes real commitment. Complexity quickly crawls into our projects. We think that the more busywork we take on — the more steps we add to our personal formula — the more sophisticated our project must be. But good project management is about finding the elegant solution that simplifies rather than complicates. “Keep it simple, stupid” should be more than an occasional reminder. It should be a way of doing things that informs your actions as a project manager. Want to try using a tool that can help you adhere to the keep it simple principle? Sign up for Wrike today and see how simple project management can be.
At first, creating a new business process seems simple. But even if you’ve identified a complete, linear path from your suppliers to your customers, you may start to notice complications. Wrangling a list of departments that need to get involved. Figuring out how to transfer a product from one department to another. Finding a way to simply codify it all so you don’t end up with 40 versions of the same basic business process document. To solve the problem of complexity, many companies turn to the SIPOC diagram. Working from a SIPOC template helps create a “blueprint” for any new business process you want to create. Done right, you’ll gain a clear understanding of what needs to happen to launch a new product or service, down to the smallest details. But it won’t work until you know how to mold that SIPOC diagram into a rock-solid plan. What does SIPOC stand for? SIPOC stands for Supplies, Inputs, Processes, Outputs, and Customers. It refers to an A-to-Z approach to the entire business process. This is useful for high-level management because it helps you document any new business process from a bird’s-eye view. You might have also heard COPIS, which is the entire process in reverse. Why start with “Customer” at the beginning? Some companies want to emphasize the customer’s experience and reverse-engineer their business process around that. For others, SIPOC’s chronological order makes more sense. Without supplies and inputs, there are no outputs and customer-facing products or services. Think of SIPOC as an essential way to distill the business process down to its core steps, from A to Z. What is a SIPOC diagram? A SIPOC diagram is a workflow chart that illustrates every stage of your SIPOC. This brings the SIPOC meaning in your business from an abstract acronym into a visualization of workflow. According to some statistics, visualization like this can boost performance by as much as 89%. In other words, SIPOC diagrams help you see a new business process before you implement it. A SIPOC process can be as comprehensive or as simple as you like. But at the very least, it will need to include a component part of each of the following: Supplies: What are the tools, products, services, or raw materials that need to be a part of the business process to create an end result for your customer? List them all here. Inputs: Are there data inputs that need to go into the process at this stage? What do you need to add or modify to the existing supplies? Processes: Here’s where you’ll list the essential functions of your business as you carry out the new directive. What processes can be automated? Which ones will be manual? Will you have to hire new workers to handle the processes and inputs? Answer those questions here. Outputs: This is where you should think about maintaining standards, as well as installing processes for quality control. Any testing you do with your products/services before they go to market will take place here. Customers: This stage doesn’t simply refer to the point of purchase. Think about the entire customer experience. In fact, you might even want to consider doing a few COPIS exercises just to get a sense of what you want the end result to look like before you build the process around it. SIPOC diagram example We’ve put together a step-by-step illustration of a SIPOC diagram below: Keep in mind that a SIPOC can be as big or as small as you need it. This is just a high-level diagram dividing the key components into five steps. But under every step, you can list all sorts of essential variables to create the comprehensive results you’re looking for. If that’s too abstract, let’s take a simple but specific example. Let’s say your business process is going to the grocery store. Here’s what that could look like: Supplies: Fully stocked grocery store, address of the grocery store, car to drive you there, money to purchase groceries. Inputs: List of ingredients. Scheduling a time to visit the store. Process: Purchase groceries, return home, put groceries away. Outputs: List of recipes. Food preparation. Customers: Happy, well-fed family. It might not translate to something as complex as a 500-employee business. But a trip to the grocery store helps solidify exactly what a SIPOC diagram is: a blueprint for getting things done. What are the benefits of SIPOC diagrams? Dwight D. Eisenhower once said that plans are worthless, but planning is essential. The idea? You may need to adapt your plans when the rubber meets the road, but the act of preparing plans is what prepares you to handle any obstacles. The SIPOC diagram forces your business to do the essential work of planning. By creating a SIPOC diagram, you see the entire workflow from beginning to end. Along the way, you can fish out blind spots, brainstorm new ideas, and reduce red tape that isn’t necessary to create the end results you want. But the act of sitting down and planning isn’t the only benefit of SIPOC diagrams. Here are a few more to consider: Cost savings: There’s a reason you don’t build a house until you have blueprints in place. When you make a mistake in the blueprints, you can erase them and not lose thousands of dollars in labor and costs. Think of SIPOC as your blueprint for business processes and you’ll understand why you want such a clear picture of a business process before you begin. You’ll identify many of the potential bugs before they have the potential to cost you serious money. Beginning the process: With SIPOC diagrams, you’re already beginning the planning stages of developing your business. You’re already brainstorming suppliers, considering which departments need input, and thinking about the key people who will be part of the process. When you’ve effectively built out a SIPOC diagram, your end result will be a blueprint that’s ready for feedback and adjustment. Making strategic decisions: Along the way, a SIPOC forces you to see business processes as a result of cause and effect. Some data suggests it helps you identify patterns as well. This puts you in the position of making strategic decisions at the outset. How will the supplies you acquire affect which customer segments you target? Will you need to hire people to provide key inputs that you don’t already have at your company? What challenges should I be aware of with SIPOC analysis? A SIPOC analysis is low-cost and high-benefit — it only takes advanced planning. But it doesn’t mean there won’t be challenges along the way. One key challenge: untangling knots. With a SIPOC diagram, you have to answer cause-and-effect questions. And sometimes, it can be difficult to handle these without the ability to experiment in action and see which solutions work best. The temptation is to skip the SIPOC analysis and get straight to taking action, but this can lead to its own problems. The best way is to complete the SIPOC as much as possible. You might also refer to a Gantt chart to help supplement this issue. Another key challenge is communication. You have to keep key decision-makers in the loop with SIPOC diagrams, and if you make business process decisions without their input, it can not only introduce complications but friction. Visualizing data has a way of making communication effective — after all, a picture is worth a thousand words. Harvard Business Review refers to data visualizing as “visualizations that really work.” How is SIPOC used in project management? You’re probably already getting a grasp of how a SIPOC diagram can help make project management more streamlined, efficient, and stress-free. But, there are a few more things to keep in mind to reap the benefits for your projects. Use specifics: Don’t say, “we will need enough graphite to put in our pencils.” Get specific about how much graphite you need if you’re building pencils. A good template for handling the Supplies and Inputs variables is to use formulaic statements. For example: “We will build X-quantity of Y-material into Z-units before moving to the next stage of the process.” Don’t leave the work of estimating quantities to the future. That’s what SIPOC is here for: to create your blueprint. Document the types of customers you have and what they need: Project management without an emphasis on the customers’ experience is ultimately an internal-facing process. But it’s not completely SIPOC unless you include customer considerations. Make sure you know who your target customer is. What are their concerns? What problems are you solving? Knowing these questions and feeding them into the rest of the process will help you innovate in ways that wouldn’t be apparent if you were solely focused on the first four stages. Record your progress: Even if you don’t nail a SIPOC analysis on the first try, record your progress every time you and your team sit down to discuss the details. Remember to think of your SIPOC diagram as a blueprint. You wouldn’t get halfway through sketching the plans for a house and then say “we’ll remember this when we sit down again.” Document every step you’ve specified, including any key numbers and people you’ve identified as part of the new process. Gather feedback: Once you have a SIPOC ready to go, it’s time to involve any key decision-makers who might have a say, even if they’re not going to make key decisions in the process itself. Take a scientific approach. Your goal is to poke holes in the process and come up with solutions before implementation. Once you have a thoroughly vetted SIPOC diagram in hand, you’ve defined your new business process in full. This isn’t to say it will go perfectly smoothly when you launch. But when something does go wrong, you’ll have a much clearer picture of what needs to be done to get back on track. Rather than making your processes rigid, the end result of a SIPOC diagram is that you make yourself more flexible and adaptable. You’ll build a business that can adjust on the fly. You might throw out old plans once in a while. But if you approach it the right way, the simple process of planning can take you anywhere.
The Project Management Book of Knowledge (PMBOK) outlines five phases of the project management life cycle. We’re breaking down this model (and its importance) with diagrams and examples, as well as how you and your team can maximize each phase for a killer project.
We spend a significant part of our lives at work, which means our jobs play a significant role in our overall health and wellness journeys. And it’s not surprising that sitting at our desks and staring at computer screens all day isn’t necessarily the best for our health. That’s why many organizations – even big players like Google and Microsoft – are implementing wellness programs to better support the health and wellness of their employees. Companies with wellness programs are going the extra mile to promote employee well-being in fun and engaging ways. And even better? They’re reaping the benefits that come from taking top-notch care of their employees. If your company doesn’t have a wellness program yet, don’t panic. It’s not too late to get started. In this guide, we explore the ins and outs of employee wellness programs, share different types of wellness activities, and outline our best tips to help you get started. Keep reading for the ultimate guide to creating an employee wellness program your workers and your overall organization will love. What is employee wellness? It’s no secret that employees are every organization’s greatest asset. But for employees to perform at their best, they need to take care of their overall health and well-being. That’s where employee wellness, which you’ll also hear referred to as workplace wellness, comes into play. You can think of employee wellness as the overall well-being of your employees. Are they working in safe conditions? Are they maintaining and prioritizing their physical health and fitness? Are they looking after their mental health and emotional state? But when we talk about employee wellness in a more specific sense, it refers to an organization’s method and policies that promote and support healthy behaviors and outcomes for its staff. Put simply, what are organizations doing to ensure that employees can experience and maintain a high level of wellness? To ensure that wellness is a core focus (and not just lip service), many organizations create and execute a formal employee wellness program. What is an employee wellness program? Generally speaking, an employee wellness program refers to a variety of initiatives that an employer sponsors or leads to promote healthy lifestyles amongst employees. This isn’t just about handing out step trackers or putting healthy snacks in the break room. Initiatives might include physical, mental, emotional, financial, or environmental aspects, to name a few. In some cases, an employee wellness program might even extend to an employee’s spouse or dependents, depending on the company’s size. Employee wellness programs aren’t one-size-fits-all and can be customized to the needs of your employees and organization. Many of the best employee wellness programs incorporate a variety of activities and efforts that span all sorts of different dimensions of health. Rather than focusing strictly on exercise, for example, a more holistic employee wellness program might include initiatives around movement, healthy eating, managing stress, and financial planning. You might be thinking, “An employee wellness program sounds like a lot of work! What do organizations get out of programs like these?” Let’s take a look at the benefits of an employee wellness program and why your organization should consider implementing one. What are the benefits of a workplace wellness program? Here’s an even more impactful question to ask: What pitfalls do organizations experience when employees have poor health? According to Kaiser Permanente, poor health increases the risk of chronic conditions. And chronic conditions can increase your health insurance premiums and the cost of workers’ compensation, make it difficult to maintain productivity, and lead to more sick days. Not to mention that you could see increased employee turnover if employees need to leave their jobs and focus on their health. That’s a lot of extra money your organization has to spend. When you have a workplace wellness program in place, you’re working against the long-term impacts of poor health (and saving money simultaneously). In a report published by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, studies revealed that well-designed workplace wellness programs have an ROI ranging from $1.50 to $3 per dollar spent, in addition to other benefits like increased job performance, improved overall well-being, and happier employees. Employees acknowledge and appreciate the benefits of workplace wellness programs too. In a survey conducted by United Healthcare, more than half of people with access to wellness programs claimed that those programs improved their health. Additionally, three out of four employees who did not have access to wellness programs wanted access to them, which means these initiatives may help boost retention. What types of corporate wellness programs are there? Remember that the most effective wellness programs cover multiple dimensions of health, which means there are many types of programs to choose from. Let’s dig in and take a look at corporate wellness programs through the lens of different health dimensions. Physical Physical corporate wellness programs include initiatives and activities related to movement, exercise, and physical well-being. Any activity that requires some level of movement or deals with the physical body (e.g., biometric screenings) is part of a physical wellness program. Emotional and mental Emotional and mental wellness refers to managing emotions and promoting positive mental health. These programs might emphasize healthy relationships in the workplace, stress management techniques, and overall emotional well-being at work and home. Financial Financial wellness programs are tailored toward activities that promote financial stability and smart money moves. Programs in this area are likely to be more educational, helping employees learn and understand financial literacy and behaviors around money. Social Social corporate wellness programs can help your employees improve their social interactions at work and home. For example, team-building activities are a great way to improve social wellness. Environmental Organizations have a unique opportunity to create environmental wellness programs to help promote sustainable living. In some cases, these programs might start with the immediate environment through sustainable changes in the office space before expanding more broadly. Volunteering Volunteer activities help support other elements of a holistic wellness program, including emotional, mental, and physical wellness. Sponsoring volunteer opportunities as part of your corporate wellness program is a great way to hit several wellness dimensions simultaneously. Your employee wellness program can include as many or as few of these types of focus areas as you’d like. It’s also worth connecting with your employees to find out which ones carry the most weight with them. Employee wellness activities: inspiration to get you started Incorporating employee wellness activities into your wellness program doesn’t have to be daunting, complicated, or expensive. Many activities require little effort and coordination, yet they remain effective and practical for meeting wellness goals. Here are a few employee wellness activity ideas to help you get started: Create a walking challenge. Walking challenges are a simple and accessible way for organizations to encourage more physical activity. The benefits of walking are endless, and this type of activity is perfect for in-office and remote employees. Offer free fitness classes or gym memberships to your employees. On-site fitness classes and covered costs for gym memberships can help your employees incorporate more physical activity into their routines. Additionally, on-site fitness classes give employees a chance to mingle outside of work conversations. Host a heart-healthy lunch for your staff. Hone in on healthy eating by providing a healthy lunch for your employees. Add educational components to teach them about nutritional habits and changes they can make to their diets. Conduct meditation sessions for stress relief. Stress management is an essential part of wellness in the workplace. Encourage and help employees manage their stress by offering coordinated meditation sessions and breaks. Bring in financial experts to discuss planning for retirement. Educate your employees on how to prepare financially for a stress-free retirement. Promote smoke-free lifestyles and smoking cessation programs. Through expert seminars, incentives, and more, you can help employees leave their smoking habits behind and implement more positive habits and routines. When it comes to employee wellness activities, the possibilities are endless. And thanks to the internet, remote workers can participate in employee wellness activities, too. Employee wellness activities for remote workers While many wellness activities can easily be adapted and modified for the remote workforce, here are some specific wellness activities to consider for your distributed workers: Offer subscriptions to on-demand fitness platforms. Remote workers might not be able to attend on-site fitness classes. So instead, consider offering on-demand fitness accessibility so they can exercise at their leisure. Send healthy snacks to your employees to enjoy at home. In place of a healthy in-person lunch, try using a subscription service or curating your own healthy snack box to send to employees. Empower your employees to adopt meditation habits with an app. Apps like Headspace and Calm can help teach your employees wellness skills while being part of a dispersed workforce. Consider offering subscriptions to employees for self-learning. Tips for implementing a workplace wellness program Are you ready to start implementing a workplace wellness program? These tips will help ensure your corporate wellness program is set up for success. 1. Conduct assessments to understand what your employees want Rather than put together an entire program based on what you think your employees want, conduct assessments to figure out how you can best support their wellness needs. Employee surveys and health assessments can help you evaluate and understand your organization's wellness interests and needs so you can tailor your program accordingly. You can also conduct an environmental assessment of your workplace if it feels applicable. 2. Establish a strong wellness committee to support your program Wellness programs shouldn’t fall solely on one person to manage and coordinate. While it may be the responsibility of an individual within your organization to lead an employee wellness program, you should establish a committee to support them. This committee should help to plan and implement all wellness programs, monitor and evaluate wellness activities, empower team members to participate in wellness efforts, and coordinate any post-program incentives. Aim for cross-departmental participation for this committee so you get a well-rounded view of how your program is doing. 3. Determine how to make the most of your budget An effective wellness program should be planned and well-managed, which means you should have a dedicated budget to consider how you’re going to spend that money ahead of time. While some wellness activities have little to no cost, others may require more of your budget. Budgets may need to be used to cover vendor fees, program incentives, wellness subscriptions, snacks, or other essential program items. 4. Divide and conquer different components of your wellness program Consider mapping out your program activities for the entire year. Determine which activities you want to include as part of your program and divide up the planning and scheduling efforts for those unique activities. Then, come back together and create your wellness calendar for the year ahead to share with employees, so they know what will be available to them. 5. Don’t forget to add rewards and incentives Helping your employees change their unhealthy behaviors can be tough, but rewards and incentives can help them see success. In addition to incentivizing employees to participate in a wellness activity or stay involved in your wellness program from start to finish, rewards can boost participation rates. Be mindful of the types of rewards you select for given activities. If an employee completes a healthy-eating challenge, a gift basket full of sweets may not be the best prize to help them stay committed to their changed behavior. 6. Test different activities and adjust your program along the way After implementing your wellness program, continue surveying your employees to understand which wellness activities they like and dislike. Your program should be flexible to reflect the wants and needs of your organization over time. Don’t be afraid to test different ideas and activities to find what sticks. How to organize wellness program for your company using Wrike From understanding the different types of wellness programs to coordinating and scheduling wellness activities, there’s a lot of information you need to organize to best support the health and well-being of your employees. A project management tool like Wrike can help you stay organized and execute your program vision. With Wrike, you can: Lean into cross-team collaboration with your wellness committee Use team calendars to coordinate wellness activities Access our Communication Plan Template for rolling out your wellness program to your company Integrate with other tools you may need to make your wellness program a success Making steps toward improved employee wellness starts today. Sign up for your free trial of Wrike and get working on your wellness program right away.
It’s the situation that nobody ever wants to be in, but take a minute and imagine yourself there: You’ve just lost a loved one. You’re suddenly burdened with shock and grief. You’re overwhelmed by the logistics of honoring final wishes, filling out paperwork, and planning arrangements. In between it all, you manage to find a minute to let your employer know that you’ll be out of office for a bit. Like anyone would, you hope that the message is met with nothing but unwavering support and encouragement. Don’t worry about anything work-related – we have it all covered. After all, the last thing you want is for your phone to keep buzzing, your inbox to fill up with requests and meeting invites, and to feel anxious about the security of your position and your income. Here’s the truth: As a manager or an employer, you’re likely to encounter a grieving employee at some point. It’s a sad reality, but it is crucial to be prepared to support them through the loss of a loved one and guide them through bereavement at work (without adding any stress to their already-full plates). What is bereavement leave? Bereavement leave is a specific type of leave that employees can take following the death of a loved one. Employees might use bereavement leave for various reasons, including making funeral arrangements, attending a funeral, taking care of family members, and working through the grieving process. Many large companies and organizations document official bereavement leave policies outlining the support available to a bereaved employee. A bereavement leave policy outlines and establishes guidelines for providing paid time off to employees for absences related to the death of a loved one. Policies and procedures vary across organizations, but many employers generally offer this benefit to their employees to some degree. Some smaller companies may choose to work with employees on a case-by-case basis and address these situations as they arise in place of a more formal policy. No matter your organization’s size or what your bereavement leave looks like, grief can be challenging to navigate. Conversations around death and loss can be tough to have with your employees, but supporting your employees through these situations is non-negotiable. In this guide, we’ve rounded up some helpful ways to discuss bereavement leave, how to support a grieving employee, and why communication should always remain front and center when times get tough. What should you do when an employee tells you about a death? An employee’s manager and the HR team are key resources when an employee experiences the loss of a loved one. After an employee loses someone close to them, they are likely to reach out to their manager, the HR team, or both to make them aware of what they’re dealing with. Whether you’re the employee’s manager or a member of HR, the first thing you should do when an employee notifies you of the death of a loved one is offer your genuine support and sympathy. Don’t jump straight into the details of how that employee’s workload will get covered or time off logistics. Instead, focus on letting the employee know that you’re thinking about them and that work should be the last thing on their minds right now (much like what happened in this viral LinkedIn post). Once you’ve responded with sympathy, you should then share what bereavement leave options are available. Managers should loop in the appropriate HR team members to explain and discuss the bereavement leave policy and other need-to-know information for taking that important time off. How do you support a colleague dealing with grief at work? Supporting a grieving employee can be difficult. Many of us do our best to leave personal matters at the door at work, but grief is different and usually strikes beyond our control. Acknowledge that grief is a powerful emotion and equip yourself with the skills and actions necessary to support a grieving colleague as best you can. Here are a few ways you can show your support. Understand your company bereavement leave entitlement You need to understand your company’s bereavement leave entitlement to communicate it to your colleagues. Many companies offer bereavement leave as a benefit to employees, but the conditions and guidelines around the leave may vary. As with other company policies, your bereavement leave entitlement should be stated clearly in your employee handbook for you and your employees to reference. Your company bereavement leave entitlement should cover the following: Who qualifies for bereavement leave? Is this benefit offered to all employees? What qualifies for bereavement leave? What types of family members are covered under the policy? For example, do you only provide bereavement leave for the loss of an immediate family member? How many days off are granted under the bereavement leave policy? Is the bereavement time off paid or unpaid? How do employees request bereavement leave? Is there any documentation needed for recordkeeping? Know what to say to a coworker when someone dies If you’ve ever struggled to come up with the right words to say to someone who is grieving, you aren’t alone. Knowing what to say to a coworker when someone they love passes can be challenging for you and your grieving colleague. Keep it simple and show your support. If you’re unsure how to get the wording just right, try one of these simple but sympathetic phrases: “I’m sorry for your loss.” “I’m thinking of you.” “How can I support you through this?” Prioritize sympathy (and avoid relating to emotions) The death of a loved one is one of the top five most stressful life events, and your employee will need your support throughout the grieving process. It’s essential to show up with a level of sympathy for your coworker and be empathetic, especially when they talk to you about how they are feeling after the loss. Express your condolences when the time is right, and try to avoid offering advice unless asked for it. When expressing your condolences, don’t compare your colleague’s loss to one of your own. While statements like “I know how you feel” might seem supportive, a grieving person may not find it helpful or supportive. Instead, when in doubt, be a solid active listener and offer support through empathy. Openly discuss time off work for a death One of the best ways to show your support for a bereaved colleague is to communicate openly with them about taking time off for the death of a loved one. Through these conversations, you can identify how much time an employee might need off and if your company’s bereavement leave entitlement will cover that. Some employees may choose to disclose the soon-to-be passing of a loved one before it happens if it’s expected. In any case, having open, continued conversations around taking time off – whether under a bereavement leave policy or through unpaid leave – can help your employees feel supported and take a weight off their shoulders as they handle personal matters in the aftermath of the loss. Provide ongoing bereavement support Grief and bereavement are heavy, and for an employee working through a recent loss, grief is an ongoing process. No two people grieve the same way or at the same rate, so it’s essential to provide ongoing bereavement support to your employees to help them navigate the days ahead. Some larger organizations offer an employee assistance program (EAP) as part of their benefits plan. EAPs generally offer confidential services and assessments, short-term counseling, and other mental health services to employees. These types of programs are provided by employers at no cost to employees and can be a great resource for delivering ongoing bereavement support. Know if your organization offers an EAP as part of its benefits so you can speak to this as a potential option of continuing grief support. If your company doesn’t offer an EAP, you can talk to your employee about what they need from you as part of the bereavement process. Offer resources where possible to help take the burden of research off them. Work together to have a flexible working environment Sometimes, an employee may need more time off than what’s covered by your bereavement leave policy. You can talk through various other time off options, including unpaid leave and the use of PTO in some cases. However, what happens once an employee is ready to return to work and may need some accommodations to ease the transition? You can work with your employees and put their stress at ease by offering a flexible working environment. Consider allowing your employee to work part-time, adjust their hours, or work remotely for an extended period if they usually work in the office. In many cases, most office jobs don’t require work to be done within a specific time frame except for scheduled meetings, which means you might have some wiggle room to offer to your employee. You can provide flexibility in various ways, so it’s important to talk to your employee about their specific needs. With a flexible schedule, your employee can continue to manage personal responsibilities while transitioning back to work without added stress. Why is it beneficial to work with a colleague through their bereavement? No matter how long an employee has been with your company, you’ve likely invested a significant amount of time and money recruiting, hiring, training, and onboarding them. A grieving colleague may even be one of the best performers within your organization. There’s a large cost involved when it comes to losing your best talent, or any talent within your company for that matter. Not to mention that it wouldn’t make you or your company feel good to lose an employee during their loss and time of grief. It’s beneficial to work with a colleague through their bereavement so you can take turnover costs out of the picture and not cause any more stress for the bereaved. Beyond having to pay to replace a grieving employee, creating a supportive environment will increase feelings of trust and can reinforce and improve your company culture. You can build trust with your bereaved employee by hearing their concerns, working with their schedule, and being there for them as they navigate life after loss. At the same time, when other employees see how you take care of those walking through personal loss, you’re revealing a deep layer of your company culture and boosting morale. When you display a level of compassion for a grieving colleague, you send the message that you care about the well-being and mental health of your employees. How to organize bereavement leave policies with Wrike Wrike is a project management and communications tool that you can use to organize your bereavement leave policies. Using Wrike to help manage bereavement leave, you can: Keep communication at the forefront by centralizing all conversations, files, approvals, and more Use templates, like the Actionable Meeting Notes Template, to help your employees smoothly transition back to work when they’re ready Quickly and easily redistribute tasks to help coordinate coverage while an employee is out on bereavement leave Are you ready to simplify your bereavement leave practices and support your employees in the best way possible? Get started with a free trial of Wrike today.
