Keep Calm and Carry On
Recognizing Mental Health Awareness Month
As the person in augustwenty responsible for benefits, I am constantly seeking out new and unique perks that will appeal to our employees. In my search I regularly attend conferences and meetings to help us remain competitive with all that we offer. Often the question is asked…What benefits or perks do employees want more of? And one of the most common answers is… benefits or programs that focus on mental health. As with many companies, we already have an employee assistance program whereby employees can leverage “counseling services.” However, I wanted to go in a slightly different direction to enhance this. I wanted to find a partner that could provide individualized, at your fingertips, everyday sort of help for a variety of issues we all face in everyday life: focus, stress management, being present in the moment—something that our employees could reference on demand and that could make a difference in their everyday lives.
In the chaotic world we live in it seems as though many people are discovering more and more the negative physiological effects that stress has on our bodies. And as I have worked to personally discover ways to combat stress there is a common solution that keeps appearing: meditation. Breathing techniques; mindfulness; controlling our runaway thoughts; focus; being calm in the presence of crisis and chaos. So with that in mind and a quest to meet the requests of our employees, I began digging and discovered the Calm app. It was just what I was looking for—with meditations for beginners and those already practicing; sleep meditations and recommendations for better sleep (an absolute key to better mental health); relaxation methods; stretching techniques; and so much more. This was it—something individualized that we could provide to our employees, and something they could share with their families…contributing to everyone’s well being.
This month, in recognizing Mental Health Awareness month, we launched the Calm app companywide. Each employee received a premium subscription along with 5 to share! The feedback has been overwhelmingly great. Here is what some of our folks are saying:
“I didn’t really know how to meditate but kept coming across methods for relieving stress and controlling cortisol. The Calm app has taught me some very simple practices that I look forward to everyday. It grounds me for the workday and beyond.”
“Sleeping has been an issue for me. Routinely I wake up at 3 am and my mind won’t shut down. I discovered on Calm several guided meditations to help put you to sleep. It worked like a charm.”
“My wife and I have discovered the kids' stories and have used them at bedtime. It is pretty cool so far even though I haven’t had a chance to fully explore it.”
“I really like the Daily Move feature. It is a short 6-7 minute wake-up movement routine to get you going in the morning..like intentional stretching.”
“I have enjoyed the “Daily Jay.” It is a nice way to center yourself at the end of the day and has some nice little nuggets of wisdom.”
It is augustwenty’s goal to continually seek out ways to enhance and help our people grow—not just in their jobs but as human beings.
“Find Your Calm. Our goal is to help your health and happiness.” calm.com