IMPROVE WELLNESS THROUGH THE ART OF GIVING Giving back feels good, so good in fact it can dramatically improve your overall wellbeing. According to The UnitedHealth Group, 76 percent of people who volunteered in the last 12 months say volunteering has made them feel healthier. In the same study, 94 percent said it improved their mood. To say giving back is a vital component to wellness would be an understatement. When designing your wellness program, consider implementing some options to give back. Read on to learn more. The Science of Giving Sure it feels amazing to receive, but more and more research shows that what humans truly desire is to give. For example, in the book The Paradox of Generosity, the authors found those who volunteered 5.6 hours a month generally described themselves as very happy. Conversely, those who volunteered just 0.6 hours described themselves as unhappy. That’s pretty powerful and way too important to ignore. There’s even scientific proof that giving can significantly change you for the better internally. Here’s a list of scientific proof that giving is actually better for you than receiving. • Helper’s High: It sounds silly, but it is in fact a real scientific term which describes the endorphins your brain releases when it has a positive feeling. Those who volunteer activate regions of the brain associated with those endorphins. It’s the same area of the brain that’s connected to pleasure, social connection, and trust. • Live Longer: In a 1999 study conducted by Doug Oman of the University of California, he found that elderly people who volunteered for two years or more were 44 percent less likely to die over a five-year period than nonvolunteers. Similar results were found during a 2003 study conducted by Stephanie Brown of the University of Michigan. Researchers believe when you volunteer it lowers your stress, thereby improving your physical health and longevity. • Releases Oxytocin: Giving has been closely linked to the hormone oxytocin. It’s the same hormone that’s released during sex and breast-feeding. When this hormone is released, it floods your entire body, lowering your stress and makes you feel more connected to others. Not only does oxytocin allow you to give more generously, but it also allows you to feel more empathy for others. This feeling can last up to two hours. Workplace Giving There are many ways in which you and your employees can give back to the community. Fundraising, feeding/clothing the needy, or mentoring children are all
great ways to get started. You could even start your own non-profit organization. There are plenty of causes, which your company could be actively involved with. Not only does giving back affect your employee’s wellbeing, but it also positively impacts your business. Here’s how. • Consumer Interest: People like to do business with company’s that care. Why? Because it demonstrates empathy. Customers want to feel as though they are valued. They want to know your company supports them, just as much as they support you. • Employee Interest: Employees also enjoy working for philanthropic companies, for the similar reasons as listed above. They want to feel as though they are making a difference. In the study, What Workers Want, it found 72 percent of students and 53 percent of the current workforce preferred to work a job that was impacting the community in some way. They found it was essential to their overall happiness. • More Flexible: In the past, some employees have been against workplace giving because they felt they had no control over where their money was going. Now, there are software platforms like Frontplace Workstream Philanthropy, which allow employees to control where their donations are going. Consider create a customize workplace giving experience for your employees. • Effective Leaders: Giving back is certainly a two-fold benefit for your company. Not only will employees be able to improve their health through giving, but they’ll be able to boost their leadership skills. As a volunteer worker, your employees can work on planning projects, motivating individuals, managing their time and teamwork. All of these skills directly translate to leadership. There’s no time like the present to initiate a wellness program that involves workplace giving. Giving back feels great. Encourage community outreach and create more engaged employees today! Sources: http://www.unitedhealthgroup.com/~/media/UHG/PDF/2013/UNH-HealthVolunteering-Study.ashx http://www.happify.com/hd/science-of-giving-infographic/ http://www.newrepublic.com/article/119477/science-generosity-why-givingmakes-you-happy http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/5_ways_giving_is_good_for_you