June 04, 2021
Get Outdoors Month
June is National “Get Outdoors” Month. Today, we want to help you facilitate a positive work environment for your staff by giving a few examples of ways our staff have been able to get outdoors.
Last summer and starting up again, many congregations have been enjoying the use of outdoor space for church gatherings. Especially when gathering in larger groups on Sunday mornings. Now that CDC restrictions have been lifted more in our area, groups are safely gathering indoors more – just in time for the summer heat to strike.
While there are many opinions regarding all that surrounds Covid guidelines, we are not here today to discuss those. What we are encouraging you to do is focus on your employees during the work week.
Reasons to Get Outside:
Community
While you probably won’t be able to take your office outside, but if you can – do that! Some other options include taking a walk during a lunch break, eating outdoors, or hosting gatherings or meetings outside when possible. Not only are the community benefits greater when you break together, but it also can help with your Vitamin D intake and help reduce eye strain, as we learned in our Taking Breaks posts.
As a large group, our company had the availability to host a few outdoor Staff Picnics the past couple summers. While the 2020 season was out, we are hoping to be able to bring back those competitive sports and good food soon. One way churches are accomplishing this goal this year is through outdoor VBS. Or hosting a softball, pickleball, or other outdoor team event – for your members or your neighborhood.
Mental Health
Another valuable reason to help facilitate your employee’s outdoor goals is for their own mental health. This past year has been trying on some and helping foster community safely is one way to help combat declining mental health.
In our Workplace Safety post, we gathered a few good sources: the National Alliance on Mental Illness has some resources available, plus an Awareness Event Guide for the May – June 2021 season. While the Mental Health First Aid provides a plethora of information on their site.
Outdoor Lunchin’
One way the MM teams were trying to keep the community going during the past year and a half included Small Group Lunches. These optional smaller groups of people gathered outside through a randomized name drawing to help different departments socialize with those they weren’t on a Zoom call with each week.
This turned out to be a relaxing time of incorporating all the benefits from our Taking Breaks post. Plus, it was especially important for our new hires to help facilitate community. Win-win!
Make it Happen
Our key take-a-way is to invite a friend or two (and bonus points if it’s the new kid!) and set up a time and place. Go one step further and send a calendar invite so no one forgets. Treat that “task” as you would any other: an item to be accomplished. No one said your to-do list couldn’t include fun to-do items too!
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