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That Time We Put Mental Health First

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Teal background with a woman meditating and the text,"That Time We Put Mental Health First."

The story our friend, Valerie Lego of WZZM 13 did on rethinking the 9 to 5 shone a light on mental health in the workplace and the need to well…for lack of a better word…pivot. Check it out below and see Kim looking all important.

A few weeks ago we shut down our office for two days to give our staff a much-needed break to recharge. We’ll be honest, we were a little nervous about how our clients might respond and if we could really do it…like really disconnect.

We wanted to share some of the responses we got, cause they made us smile.

  • Cheers to you all for prioritizing your people! Thank you for communicating this out and modeling the practice. I know your team appreciates it! 
  • Hi Kim- Congrats to you and your team! Hope you are doing well.
  • Peace be with you.
  • BRAVO !!!! 
  • I’m so happy to read this. I totally get it. We’ve been letting our team take as much time as they feel they need (but still delivering). Enjoy your time relaxing. You’ve earned it! 
  • Very coolest reward I’ve seen from a company – way to be, as always, Kim B (smiley face)

Here is the deal, it pays to put mental health and your employees first. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) says 77% of the reasons behind employee departures are preventable. We won’t go into all the reasons, you can read more in our Great Resignation blog and podcast.

SHRM also estimates that it costs $20,000 to $30,000 in recruiting and training expenses to replace a manager making $40,000 a year. This doesn’t even account for losses in terms of interview time, knowledge, productivity, or cultural impact.

Whether you are a small or larger business, that’s a lot of money. Wouldn’t it make more sense to invest into retention? Here is the deal, employees who feel like they are genuinely listened to by their managers are nearly five times more likely to have high job enthusiasm and 21 times more likely to feel committed to their company than those who do not feel listened to.

So maybe start with listening.

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Recent Musings

Something on Your Mind?

Introducing our second speaker for Uncomfortable Conversations | The Pause, happening this Thursday. 

Meet Cheryl Bergman, Executive Director of the @miwomenscomm.

Cheryl is a statewide policy leader driving economic opportunity and better health outcomes for women across Michigan. Appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2019, she brings together employers, healthcare experts, advocates, and policymakers to tackle the issues that actually move the needle - economic security, affordable childcare, and midlife women's health.

Before this role, Cheryl helped elect Michigan's first woman U.S. Senator and first woman Governor, and served as Senior Advisor on Governor Whitmer's 2018 campaign.

She's exactly the voice this conversation needs.

Join Cheryl and our powerhouse lineup of industry experts at The Pause on September 24th. 

Link in bio to register - spaces are going fast.
We love this trend, so we thought we’d jump on it and ask the team some “hard-hitting questions” to end the week. 

We’re a team made up of Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z. Find out who knows the most about the classics. Any guesses?
We've received so many questions from new grads about breaking into a competitive market as a young professional. It starts with one thing according to @bodespeaks: being the salesperson of YOU. Emulate the leaders in your industry and show up where they show up.

It's not who you know, it's who knows you
Use the playbook of people you admire
Show up consistently and be seen
A handwritten note beats 100 LinkedIn messages, always.

See more Bode wisdom at her YouTube channel linked in our bio.
Meet our first speaker spotlight: Dr. Karen May, DC, CCSP, CCIP.

Dr. May owns and operates @mhneuropathycenter, and she's joining us for Uncomfortable Community Conversations: The Pause on September 24th to talk about something we don't talk about enough. 

Her career has spanned from elite sports medicine, including a stint as team physician for USA Bobsled and Skeleton as well as caring for pregnant moms and newborns and helping women navigate life’s transitions, always grounded in a belief in food as medicine and the body’s own capacity to heal. In 2017, that expertise was tested when a rare surgical complication left her fighting nerve damage in her own body. 

Drawing on decades of clinical practice and training, she rebuilt her health from the ground up — and has since helped thousands of people do the same. With over 20 years in holistic health care, she speaks today as both physician and peer.

Join us for The Pause on September 24th. Link in bio.
“It has been an incredible experience - getting to connect with women business owners from all across Michigan, learn from experts on planning for growth, and learn to lead to the best of my abilities for myself and my team.”

- @rcdutcher, CEO of @red66.marketing 

We’re looking for business owners who thrive in collaborative environments and can fully commit to the program—attending all in-person sessions, participating in one-on-one coaching, and engaging in every aspect of the nine-month fellowship. Participants who gain the most come ready to contribute, learn, and problem-solve alongside other committed business leaders.

Applications close on September 15.
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