Our Commitment to Wellness
By Jeri Herman, Senior Vice President, Human Resources
At Cengage Group, our employees are dedicated to helping learners gain the skills and competencies needed to reach their goals. We’re guided by our credo and ethos, which start with our belief in the power and joy of learning. As teammates, we value engagement, empowerment and discovery. We are accountable to, and for, each other. Together we touch the lives of millions of learners around the world. Our employees are committed to doing this important work, and Cengage Group is committed to supporting our employees’ physical and mental health and wellness.
Supporting Mental Health and Wellness
It’s critically important that companies recognize and support all aspects of employee health. Cengage Group provides both traditional wellness and benefits offerings as well as programming and resources that support mental health and well-being. I’m proud to work for a company that talks openly about mental health and encourages our employees to seek wellness in whatever way helps them balance the inevitable demands of work and life.
To provide further support and build community, our Mental Health Alliance (MHA) employee resource group (ERG) was founded in May 2021. MHA’s mission is to help support employee education and connection around topics of holistic health and mental wellness. It is my honor to serve as an executive sponsor to this employee resource group that further strengthens our commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Prioritizing Wellness with Paid Days Off
In response to the pandemic, we added wellness time off for our employees over the last few years. These paid days off, which have already been announced for 2023, are offered in addition to our regular holiday, sick and vacation time.
Our CEO, Michael Hansen, described why he feels these days are important. “What I think is most critical about designated time like this to focus on wellness, is not necessarily approaching that time as ‘I’m going to use this to get well,’ but rather, using it as a catalyst for reflection and motivation of how you can create balance in your life in a sustainable way. And, using it as an opportunity to try new things and see if there are practices that you enjoy and can make part of your routine – such as meditation, cooking or a new exercise class.”
I couldn’t agree more. However employees choose to spend these days, there’s no mandate that they rest or pursue wellness, but my hope is that the extra days off inspire people to continue to prioritize wellness.
Wellness Inspiration Week Brings Further Awareness
This fall, we held our annual Wellness Inspiration Week, which includes a range of programming and activities to engage employees on the topic of wellness. The week concludes with a paid Wellness Day off. Our HR teams across the globe prepared webinars, challenges and meditation time throughout the week to inspire employees to prioritize wellness at work and at home.
The week included webinars on a range of wellness topics, including:
- Coping with anxiety
- Finding balance
- Fighting the stigma of mental illness
- Stress management
- Caregiving
- Improving sleep and well-being
- Resiliency
- Happiness
- Mental well-being for managers
- Peer to peer support for mental health
- Cultivating positive relationships
Employees also participated in activities throughout the week, including:
- Art workshops
- Virtual walk/run challenges
- Wellness bytes: employee testimonials about adopting healthy lifestyles
- Guided meditations
- Cooking demonstrations
Pooja R., Associate Manager, Quality Assurance, shared what the week means to her in Slack: “To me, our annual Wellness Inspiration Week emphasizes the importance of well-being. It reminds me to be responsible for my health, happiness and fitness - only then can I contribute fully and happily to my family and work.”
Wellness Day Inspiration
To help give you inspiration for how you might spend a Wellness Day, read about how a few employees chose to spend theirs this year:
Looking Forward
As the we conclude the year, and Cengage Group employees prepare for a wellness week off, I hope that everyone can find time to take care of themselves and the ones they love.
Learn More
For more details on the benefits and perks of working at Cengage Group, check out our benefits summary. Learn more about jobs that makes a difference at Cengage Group by visiting our employee experience page. Then browse our careers page to find out more about our benefits and our commitment to diversity and inclusion and to view open positions.