July 2022 Employee Wellness Newsletter

Let's motivate! In-person classes at City Center, and more wellness trends in the news!

Wellness Wire - 

Did you know a Gallup study showed that employees who felt their manager listened with empathy were 62% less likely to feel burnout? Other Gallup research shows that supervisors played a key role in employee well-being and engagement simply by providing early and ongoing recognition and encouragement. This is astounding considering it doesn't require a fancy degree, money, or a lot of time. Verbal motivation and actively listening are soft skills anyone can master no matter where we sit at APS.  

I know communication may not be the first thing that pops into our heads when we think of 'wellness'. But work and life satisfaction through our emotional, social, and intellectual well-being is directly tied to what we say and how we say it. 

Not just leaders, but all of us, can foster well-being and engagement through the simple soft skills of listening, recognition, and encouragement. I'm not suggesting shallow compliments but rather genuine expressions of support and validation. 

I also realize that on any given day (especially over the last two years) it's difficult to stay positive let alone lead that way. Being positive in a negative situation, or trying to find the positive, is not naive.  We can recognize the severity of a situation and not let that be the starting point of the conversation. 

The way we approach a meeting, a one-off conversation, or any difficult situation can open doors, break down walls, and set the tone for constructive, two-way communication. Which leads to more agreement, collaboration, and less stress and frustration.

My encouragement to you this week is to begin this school year by leading with positivity (even when it's hard). Together we can foster acceptance and build a culture of belonging which will enhance our wellness and feel good!

Check out the July 19 Wellness Wire:  Let's Begin

APS Employee Wellness Programs & Events

APS Employee Wellness offers many free programs to help all employees (regardless of benefits coverage or full/part-time status) lower their risk for disease, attain lifestyle and weight loss goals as well as manage stress and mental health issues.  

• 30 Ways to Well-being is an email-based program. Register and you will receive daily wellness emails with simple yet innovative practices to do every day. This will bring new awareness for you around stress, sleep, movement, nutrition, connection, and more! This is an ongoing program. Enroll and engage at your own pace. *Open to all APS employees.
• Nourish Your Green Zone What is your green zone and how can you grow it? Our capacity to manage stress and burnout in a more healthful way can improve when we nourish our green zone! Sign up for this ongoing, self-paced virtual program. *Open to all APS employees.
• Pet therapy for APS employees. If you would like to offer your staff or department a couple of hours of furry-cuddle-stress-relieving therapy time, fill out this request form. Please note that accommodations must be made for any colleagues who have allergies to dogs. 
• Health Coaching: Open to all APS employees. If you would like help with managing a chronic illness, or weight loss to improve your health, or simply feel better, APS offers free Health Coaching to all APS employees.
• Livongo: Get your life back and manage diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity with this personalized program- Livongo. The name is short for Live On The Go! Because having a chronic illness can hinder our positive life experiences. We want you to get that back and feel better! Participants receive one on one expert coaching, and integrated tools to manage blood sugar, blood pressure, and weight loss. *This program is free for eligible employees and dependents under APS Benefits.
• Life on Mindfulness: Check out your new Life on Mindfulness website with the password APSLOM. This is a free, flexible program for all employees that offers daily drop-in meditations, new weekly and monthly content, featured meditations, and Saturday workshops. Everything is recorded for on-demand access.  Links for daily drop-ins and the Saturday sessions are in the APS Employee Wellness Calendar. Enroll in the Life on Mindfulness Program for all content and email reminders. This site is mobile phone optimized so you can access a wide variety of recorded meditations anytime, anywhere. *The Life on Mindfulness program is open to all APS employees.
• 2022 Employee Wellness Incentive Program: This is a voluntary wellness reward program for all full-time APS employees. Do wellness, log points, and receive awesome rewards like New Mexico Sports & Wellness memberships, LesMills OnDemand, Stone Age gym passes, Wecks, Flying Star, or Sports Systems gift cards. If you haven't participated, take time to read more about it, log in to your Wellness@Work well-being dashboard, and get started this year. *Open to all full-time APS employees.

New! Group Classes at City Center/Alice & Bruce King Complex 

Class Schedule

• Monday (virtual) 6:00-6:30 a.m. - Sunrise Yoga link to join is in the APS Employee Wellness event calendar.
• Monday (in-person) 4:45 - 5:30 p.m. – Gentle Vinyasa Yoga.
• Thursday (in-person) 4:45 - 5:30 p.m. – BodyBalance - This is a fusion of bodyweight strength, yoga sequencing, flexibility, and core. We blend traditional bodyweight training moves and yoga sequencing with music, tempo, and timing.

About the classes

• In-person group exercise classes are at City Center/Alice & Bruce King Complex.
• In-person classes are 45 minutes in length and all levels are welcome.
• Classes are free for APS employees. 

Questions

If you have any questions contact Becky MacGregor at employee.wellness@aps.edu. 

Monthly Wellness Trends