Feds--Employee Wellness Programs?

[Anonymous]

Feds--does your agency have an Employee Wellness Program (might be part of or separate from your agency's EAP) and/or does your agency promote employee mental/physical health and if so, how? Does your agency provide additional leave to all employees to use toward their mental/physical health needs? I've been hearing of some agencies (DHS for example) that have been granting additional leave, largely to boost morale, but am curious if your agency does this (beyond things like early departures for holidays). That may a bit extreme but just curious what other agencies are doing to demonstrate that they're prioritizing the mental and physical health needs of their employees--it's something that seems to have fallen down the priority list at mine.

[Anonymous]

NSA has this and incredible work balance.

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure why anyone would use those? I just don't think it's my agency's job to fix my mental and physical health. We are all paid more than enough to be able to afford a gym membership if they want one (my coworkers are more into hiking and biking). We do have wellness programs at my agency and no one uses them.

What I actually need is for my agency to make sure that FTEs are correct. Congress has mandated too much work for us without providing extra funding. It burns everyone out. If we had more people to do the work it would help everyone's mental health.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not sure why anyone would use those? I just don't think it's my agency's job to fix my mental and physical health. We are all paid more than enough to be able to afford a gym membership if they want one (my coworkers are more into hiking and biking). We do have wellness programs at my agency and no one uses them.

What I actually need is for my agency to make sure that FTEs are correct. Congress has mandated too much work for us without providing extra funding. It burns everyone out. If we had more people to do the work it would help everyone's mental health.

OP here--not even so much an actual program that staff can use but a culture of prioritizing employee health and wellness and that comes from the leadership, whether it's through EAP or other ways, such as agencies that allow flexible work hours or grants the 6hrs per pay period for health/wellness (looks like DHS, NSA, USAD and others offer this benefit). Mine just offers stretching exercises at your desk and while we do have a gym at my worksite, there isn't a cultural acceptance from the top down that taking time to exercise is acceptable.

[Anonymous]

Our eap was a joke. If you call them they are located somewhere remote and are looking up suggestions on the internet for you. It’s a waste of agency money for sure. Wish they would just offer us free gym memberships or spa certificates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our eap was a joke. If you call them they are located somewhere remote and are looking up suggestions on the internet for you. It’s a waste of agency money for sure. Wish they would just offer us free gym memberships or spa certificates

I call EAP and they told me to file a lawsuit for hostile work environment and to find a new job ASAP. So helpful!

[Anonymous]

We have a fitness program. Allowed/encouraged to work out 3 hours per week during work day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not sure why anyone would use those? I just don't think it's my agency's job to fix my mental and physical health. We are all paid more than enough to be able to afford a gym membership if they want one (my coworkers are more into hiking and biking). We do have wellness programs at my agency and no one uses them.

What I actually need is for my agency to make sure that FTEs are correct. Congress has mandated too much work for us without providing extra funding. It burns everyone out. If we had more people to do the work it would help everyone's mental health.

100% agree with this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our eap was a joke. If you call them they are located somewhere remote and are looking up suggestions on the internet for you. It’s a waste of agency money for sure. Wish they would just offer us free gym memberships or spa certificates

This. I tried using them for something and no provider was taking anyone. It was a farce.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a fitness program. Allowed/encouraged to work out 3 hours per week during work day.

We have this too! It’s the best. I actually use it and it really does improve my mental and physical health

[Anonymous]

Mid day flex and wellness hours, yes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not sure why anyone would use those? I just don't think it's my agency's job to fix my mental and physical health. We are all paid more than enough to be able to afford a gym membership if they want one (my coworkers are more into hiking and biking). We do have wellness programs at my agency and no one uses them.

What I actually need is for my agency to make sure that FTEs are correct. Congress has mandated too much work for us without providing extra funding. It burns everyone out. If we had more people to do the work it would help everyone's mental health.

OP here--not even so much an actual program that staff can use but a culture of prioritizing employee health and wellness and that comes from the leadership, whether it's through EAP or other ways, such as agencies that allow flexible work hours or grants the 6hrs per pay period for health/wellness (looks like DHS, NSA, USAD and others offer this benefit). Mine just offers stretching exercises at your desk and while we do have a gym at my worksite, there isn't a cultural acceptance from the top down that taking time to exercise is acceptable.

DHS has many components and not all offer admin leave for wellness activities. I add this comment for clarity, as it's not DHS in its entirety.

[Anonymous]

My DOJ component has this and it is a joke. No one cares about wellness. An attorney in my section died and management didn't acknowledge it for three days.

[Anonymous]

My agency has a three-hour-per-week wellness program. Surprisingly, many employees, mostly the younger ones, use it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a fitness program. Allowed/encouraged to work out 3 hours per week during work day.

Yes - had this at my last job and it was a huge boost for my health. Lost a bunch of weight.
Some people used the time to form a walking club, which was good for the morale/social side of things.

My current agency provides free online classes (live) for yoga, cardio, etc., but you don't get any extra time to take them. I don't use those, but I do use the wellness stipend that can be used to pay for gym membership, shoes, etc.

These are different from EAP (therapist), which I've also used and found helpful.

If you are in charge of your office's holiday party or social event -- I'd love to see the party get replaced with a walk, museum visit, park cleanup, or other activity that isn't food and drink ... or just send us home early.