There is an overriding lesson about corporate wellness, which starts with an emphasis on personal health and individual empowerment. That process involves the intelligent use of intelligence, meaning, before we can create a workplace of wellness, before we can arrive at that environment, we must encourage people to read with care - so they can act carefully, protecting themselves from potential harm and thereby avoiding all manner of threats to their health.
I refer, specifically, to reviewing the health and beauty products we buy and use. I recommend taking the time - minutes, at most, not hours - to read the ingredients of everything from the soaps and shampoos we order online to the moisturizers and creams we stockpile by the dozen. I cite this example because it is a helpful exercise on behalf of personal wellness, which is a necessary step toward developing a mindset that promotes corporate wellness.
To the extent that companies make this undertaking easier, insofar as they offer the transparency consumers crave and the clarity the public deserves, all the better. Take, for instance, the business philosophy of MaryTylor.com, a source of a variety of natural and organic essentials. The brand's commitment to full disclosure, particularly with regard to its version of Shea butter, illustrates this point - that a company should reveal everything, by saying everything we need or want to know, from the history and health properties of a product to the potential medicinal and dermatological benefits of the item itself.
Please also note: I have no connection to this brand; I reference it because its attention to detail is something all companies should do, no matter the product or service. Would I otherwise know about the chemicals and dyes, as well as the artificial scents and laboratory enhancements, that are in most personal care or over the counter grooming items?
The question is, of course, rhetorical.And yet, by learning about the African origins of this product - in addition to reading about its abundance of Vitamins A, E and F - I have a much better understanding of the natural qualities, including the bevy of antioxidants, that this version of Shea butter contains. Now, apply that same approach to the foods we consume, the prepared meals we order and the restaurants we frequent.
Which is to say, perform the due diligence to examine the ingredients, including the cholesterol and saturated fat, the sugar and sodium, and the calories and carbohydrates, which constitute our respective diets. Only then will we know how - and why - to eat responsibly and live more healthily.
This change in behavior, starting with something as simple as a change in the personal care products we use, is a shift toward greater awareness of the value of individual health and the virtue of corporate wellness. To achieve the latter, we must we first fulfill the former: We must recognize the implications of inaction, the risks of the status quo, so we can be champions of better living - at home and at the office.
About the Author
Lewis Fein is an independent marketing and media relations consultant, based in Southern California. You may reach him at feinlewis@gmail.com
