January 2024 Spotlight

Office of Marketing and Communications

The Office of the Chief Wellness Officer is proud to recognize Buckeye Wellness Innovators (BWIs) who actively create a culture and environment of health and well-being in their workplace. Congratulations to the BWIs from the Office of Marketing and Communications for being selected as January’s BWI spotlight.

Elaine Armbruster and Lizzie Jarrett share how their BWIs are embracing their role and implementing creative and inclusive ways for their staff to engage in wellness.

 

Q: What made both of you join the Buckeye Wellness Innovator program, and why is it essential to be a Buckeye Wellness Innovator?

Elaine – I became a BWI to help connect my teammates with resources for maintaining and improving wellness. A team prioritizing wellness is happy, motivated, and more fulfilled. I have found that prioritizing my health has made me a better person, mother, wife, friend, and employee, and as a leader, it’s important to bring others along on the journey.

Lizzie – I became a BWI because I wanted to share my interest and excitement of overall wellness with others while also connecting with my teammates and our unit overall. I know that prioritizing my health has helped me stay in a more positive space mentally and physically, and if I can share that with my team, even in small ways, I want to do so as often as possible.

 

Q: With so many competing priorities while at work, finding time to plan wellness activities for faculty/staff can be difficult. How do you find time to prioritize wellness and develop new or innovative ideas for wellness activities?

 Our approach is not to feel pressured to overdo it and to work wellness updates into existing all-staff meetings.

 

Q: How have you overcome barriers to engaging colleagues in your wellness efforts during the workday?

We surveyed with our office, and it was clear that most of our staff was not interested in participating in work-sponsored wellness activities. Because of this, we tried thinking outside the box of typical “wellness” activities, which is how the monthly volunteer opportunities came to be. Of course, we also share reminders about the essential things people may miss or forget about – working it into meetings and events we already have. We take a welcoming, non-pushy approach so no one feels obligated or forced to participate.

 

Q: Has your leadership embraced wellness and your role as a BWI?

Our leadership supports the organic efforts of our employees to promote a healthy office culture.

 

Q: Why must leaders embrace and model wellness behavior and your role as a BWI?

When leaders embrace and model wellness behavior, it signals to others that it is okay to prioritize wellness. Leaders can expect happier, more motivated employees when wellness is incorporated into the team culture.

 

Q: How do your leaders model wellness behavior?

Our leaders model wellness behavior by taking time off to rest/recharge, care for themselves and their families, etc.

 

Q: What benefits have you seen or experienced, personally or professionally, as a result of the program?

Elaine – Being more intentional about my wellness and how it relates to my work has made me feel less like wellness is a separate part of me and more like it is essential to the work I do at Ohio State.

Lizzie - Participating in the BWI program has helped me continue to make wellness a priority, especially during work, when it is easy to get overwhelmed with the daily tasks that need to be done. The program has also allowed me to bring something I am passionate about outside of work into my work life and helped me feel more fulfilled overall.

 

Q: What would your dream be if you could accomplish anything as a Buckeye Wellness Innovator team?

 We want leaders at the university to see the work we (and all other BWIs) are doing and make wellness opportunities more equitable and accessible. This could include putting more resources toward operationalizing ideas that have been successful and even providing designated time “off” for employees to volunteer in their communities in the areas that are important to them.

 

Q: What advice would you pass on to other Buckeye Wellness Innovators to help them create a culture of wellness in their department?

Listen to your colleagues and find small ways to work wellness over time. Don’t feel pressure to plan significant events or make grand gestures – the small things make a difference!

OMC team