Last week, in honor of World Mental Health Day (October 10th), Harmony—our social responsibility team, hosted our fifth annual (and third virtual) Mental Health Week. Mental Health Week is an initiative designed to encourage Remediers to discover ways to improve and maintain their mental health in the workplace/while working from home.
We took each day to focus on a different aspect of mental health and wellness, aiming to provide a well-rounded experience and a healthy and happy environment for all of our employees. Team members received daily communications of activities, along with tips and additional resources to promote mental health. Here’s a look at what we planned:
Monday: Nourish
We kicked off the week with an invitation to create personal snack boxes via SnackMagic, a service that lets people build their boxes, choosing from a menu of 2k+ delicious (and nutritious) options—sent directly to their homes.
We shared links for all employees to submit Sunshine Notes, an optional, anonymous message to help brighten someone’s day and spread positivity. Remediers could tell coworkers how valuable they are to the team, share how much they enjoy working together, or give a special shoutout for their hard work on a project. The Harmony Team collected the Sunshine Notes throughout the week and distributed them to each respective recipient on Friday.
Tuesday: Healthy Mind
Tuesday’s focus was on creating a tidy and zen workspace. We also shared a roundup of meditation apps. We encouraged the use of our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) program, which offers a variety of free and confidential resources available to employees and their family members. Some resources included are a 24/7 emotional support helpline with a licensed therapist, guidance for leadership, mental health resources, and much more. Additionally, as part of a mini-series, we hosted an optional webinar titled “Managing Employees Wellness and Well-Being” for all Digital Remedy managers to discuss the importance of not only supporting work performance but also the overall quality of life of their direct reports.
Wednesday: Healthy Body
Wednesday focused on a strong body with a roundup of workout apps that Remediers could do at their own pace. To finish the day feeling zen and balanced, an after-work virtual meditation and yoga session was available.
Thursday: Nature
Thursday’s communications promoted taking walks and outdoor activities, along with sharing the importance of stretching and suggestions for 15-minute stretching breaks.
Friday: Healthy Soul
To end the week on a high note, we shared recipes for comfort food in preparation for the upcoming holiday season, and all Sunshine Notes were distributed.
Employees were welcome to share their mental health week experience (how they prioritized self-care and, importantly, how they chose to fill their snack box!) on social media. We were thrilled to see team members across the country get involved. At Digital Remedy, we believe that our employees are our greatest asset. Supporting the mental and physical wellness of our Remediers while fostering a healthy workplace and work-life balance is—and always will be—a top priority.
Be sure to follow Digital Remedy on LinkedIn and Instagram for more company updates.
Digital Remedy is proud to be the home of many Australians over the years. With Australia currently in the grips of a catastrophic nationwide bushfire emergency, our Harmony Team, with the help of our resident-Aussies, hosted a series of events to raise funds to help support the bushfire recovery efforts that their families and friends are confronting back home.
Over the past few weeks, Remediers far and wide rallied together to benefit a few amazing organizations who are working tirelessly to protect the people, wildlife, and firefighters of Australia during this devastating time. Take a look back at the events below:
With dual events hosted in both NYC and New Orleans, our “Brews For the ‘Roos” Happy Hours invited Remediers, friends, families, and everyone in between to come and enjoy a few drinks for a good cause. Hosted by Home Base Bistro in New York, and Miel Brewery and Taphouse in NOLA, a portion of each night’s proceeds went directly to the WWF Australian Bushfire Relief Fund. Both events ended up being a huge success, with roughly 100 participants, and endless amounts of fun.
To continue the momentum, we celebrated Australia Day by hosting a series of internal events and activities to fully immerse ourselves in the Australian culture. Participants were asked to make a donation towards Australian relief efforts to join in on the festivities which included a full buffet of traditional Australian treats, a Vegemite eating contest, Australian slang quizzes, and much more. Classic Australian eats like sausage rolls, Tim Tams, Anzac cookies, and even Fosters beer, were provided to keep everyone’s minds sharp through a round of Australian-themed trivia to close out the evening.
Finally, to leverage everyone’s love of the annual excitement surrounding the Super Bowl, we harnessed that and used it for a good cause through a classic grid where people could purchase boxes to enter a pool for a chance to win throughout the game. Instead of the winners taking home all of the prize money, half of the proceeds from this year’s pool were donated towards our Australian relief efforts.
In total, Digital Remedy and the Harmony Team were able to raise an astonishing $3,000 for Australian Bushfire relief. This marks our largest fundraising initiative to date, and we were extremely proud to not only help those directly affected in Australia but to also support the Aussies who call Digital Remedy “home.”
With the money raised, we were able to benefit a number of different causes:
To learn more about the Harmony Team, and stay up to date on all things Digital Remedy, follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram.
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Digital Remedy is proud to be the home of many Australian ex-pats over the years. With Australia in the grips of a catastrophic nationwide bushfire emergency, our Harmony Team, with the help of our resident-Aussies, planned a series of events to raise funds to help support the bushfire recovery efforts that their loved ones are facing back home.
Over the past few weeks, Remediers far and wide rallied together to benefit a few amazing organizations who are working tirelessly to protect the people, wildlife, and firefighters of Australia in this devastating time. Take a look back at the events below:
Brews for the ‘Roos
With dual events hosted in both NYC and New Orleans, our “Brews For the ‘Roos” Happy Hours invited Remediers, friends, families, and everyone in between to come and enjoy a few drinks for a good cause. Hosted by Home Base Bistro in New York, and Miel Brewery and Taphouse in NOLA, a portion of each night’s proceeds went directly to the WWF Australian Bushfire Relief Fund. Both events ended up being a huge success, with roughly 100 participants, and endless amounts of fun.
Australia Day Trivia Night
To continue the momentum, we celebrated Australia Day by hosting a series of internal events and activities to fully immerse ourselves in the Australian culture. Participants were asked to make a donation towards Australian relief efforts to join in on the festivities which included a full buffet of traditional Australian treats, a Vegemite eating contest, Australian slang quizzes, and much more. Classic Australian eats like sausage rolls, Tim Tams, Anzac cookies, and even Fosters beer, were provided to keep everyone’s minds sharp through a round of Australian-themed trivia to close out the evening.
Super Bowl Boxes
Finally, to leverage everyone’s love of the annual excitement surrounding the Super Bowl, we harnessed that and used it for a good cause through a classic grid where people could purchase boxes to enter a pool for a chance to win throughout the game. Instead of the winners taking home all of the prize money, half of the proceeds from this year’s pool were donated towards our Australian relief efforts.
In total, Digital Remedy and the Harmony Team were able to raise an astonishing $3,000 for Australian Bushfire relief. This marks our largest fundraising initiative to date, and we were extremely proud to not only help those directly affected in Australia but to also support the Aussies who call Digital Remedy “home.”
With the money raised, we were able to benefit a number of different causes:
To learn more about the Harmony Team, and stay up to date on all things Digital Remedy, follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram.
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The second half of the year is always a crazy time, but that did not stop Harmony – our social responsibility team – from continuing their commitment to fostering a caring community. The team has grown tremendously this year, allowing Harmony to increase participation and impact across all three of our U.S. offices through a variety of first-time events, like our Holiday Children’s Carnival, and even annual classics like our Mental Health Week, Toys for Tots Toy Drive, and more.
Check out below to learn more about the awesome events and initiatives that Harmony has accomplished to close out an amazing year!
Yappy Hour & NOLA on Tap
Animals have always held a special place in the hearts of many Remedier’s, and this September, we were able to give back to local animal shelters through two unique events. In NOLA, the team took time out of their weekend to participate in NOLA on Tap, the largest beer festival in Louisiana that happens every year, where all proceeds benefit the Louisiana SPCA. Digital Remedy helped serve drinks to fest-goers in order to raise as much money as possible for the nonprofit organization which uses the funds to help eliminate animal suffering all across the state. This event not only gave our NOLA team the chance to give back to a cause they all care about, but it was also the perfect excuse to hang out with some furry friends outside of the office.
That same week, our NYC team headed downtown to Animal Haven, a local no-kill animal shelter, where they worked side by side with staff to help clean the shelter and care for the animals. Remediers cleaned cages, prepped meals, bathed puppies, walked dogs, organized inventory, and did everything and anything to help the Animal Haven team. To close out the day, the team got to relax and have a “Yappy Hour” with pizza and drinks while playing with a few adoptable (and obviously adorable) dogs from the shelter.
Mental Health Week
In honor of World Mental Health Day on October 10th, Harmony hosted our Second Annual Mental Health Week. Full of programs and events, Mental Health Week is designed to encourage Remediers to learn about the ways in which you can improve and maintain your mental health in the workplace. This year, each day focused on a different topic that contributes to positive mental health. Our topics this year were: Healthy Space, Healthy Spirit, Healthy Mind, Healthy Heart, and Healthy Body. Daily communications were sent out each morning containing a schedule of the day’s activities, along with educational facts on mental health and helpful resources on getting help, helping others, or just starting a conversation.
Though every activity was able to gain a great amount of participation in all three of our offices we, of course, had a few fan favorites. Kicking the week off on the right foot, we created healthier spaces by planting succulents that could then be kept and maintained right on our desks. Knowing that plants can help reduce stress, boost productivity, and increase creativity, everyone was happy to come together and pick their favorite succulent to care for for the rest of the year. On our healthy heart day, our NYC office was thrilled to once again be visited by our favorite pups from New York Therapy Animals. Everyone interested was given the opportunity to take a break from their workday and come sit with, pet, play with, and even hug their new furry friends, all while enjoying the therapeutic effects of a dog’s presence. Our final office favorite for the second year in a row was our Sunshine Notes. A week-long event, sunshine notes gave our employees the opportunity to share positive notes of appreciation and gratitude for their teammates. On Friday, everyone received their own bag of sunshine notes containing all the messages made especially for them.
Our second year with Mental Health Week not only gained greater engagement from our employees, but also received recognition from Crain’s New York as a finalist for their “Best Idea” initiative at this year’s Best Places to Work luncheon!
Toys for Tots & Jacket Drive
Digital Remedy continued some holiday traditions this year by holding our annual Toys for Tots Toy Drive and Winter Coat Drive in both our NOLA and NYC offices. Our Toys for Tots Drive was able to collect over 50 new and unwrapped toys before the holiday break that were donated to children in time for the holiday season.
Our NYC office will once again be working throughout the rest of winter into the new year to collect as many winter coats for One Warm Coat, an organization that collects gently-worn winter gear and donates it to local groups and individuals in need. Meanwhile, NOLA will be working hard to support Project Lazarus, an amazing organization giving support to those affected by HIV/AIDS in the New Orleans community, with winter gear as well. So far, participation has been overwhelming, and we are excited to see just how much we can do for these two great organizations.
Lucky Forks Holiday Carnival
To close out the year in NYC, members of our Harmony Team was able to experience something new as we headed to the Lower East Side for a Holiday Carnival hosted by Lucky Forks’ Give Me Five in partnership with Knock Knock Give a Sock, aiming to bring together two communities in order to spread holiday cheer. With the help of 23 companies from the New York City area, over 150 homeless children and their families were treated to an afternoon of fun, food, and holiday spirit.
Hopping, slipping, and sliding our way to the finish line, our team ran the Jingle Bell Race carnival booth. A holiday-themed potato sack race, kids and parents were encouraged to race in an attempt to be the first person to ring the bells at the finish line. Although winners got bragging rights, all children received a Digital Remedy Flying Elf as a prize for participating. Several hours, 150 flying elves, and a great workout later, our Harmony Team left the event truly feeling the holiday spirit and looking forward to more great events like this in the new year. Check out a full recap from the Lucky Forks Team here.
NOLA Steps Up Again!
Our NOLA Team also worked hard to spread some cheer this holiday season, stepping up big time to make sure that more people are able to have a joyful holiday. The magic started in November when the team decided to donate their annual Thanksgiving office lunch to their local Covenant House, a non-profit that dedicates time to provide housing and support services for homeless youth. They then took this time to throw their own potluck where Remediers were encouraged to bring in their own dishes to share their personal Thanksgiving traditions.
On the week before Christmas, the Harmony Team was able to unite the entire office once again to create one-of-a-kind, beautiful, festive, and fun holiday cards for their local St. Margaret’s Nursing Home. Hand-delivered the next day, the team was able to create over 60 cards to help brighten the spirits of those who are unable to spend the holidays with their loved ones.
As we close out the year, our Harmony Team is excited to continue our work and create an even larger and more caring community in 2020. Keep an eye out for more updates to come!
In honor of World Mental Health Day on October 10th, Digital Remedy celebrated last week with our Second Annual Mental Health Week. Full of activities, events, and programs, Mental Health Week is designed to encourage Remediers to learn more about the ways in which you can improve and maintain your mental health in the workplace.
This year, we took each day to focus on a different aspect of mental health, aiming to provide a well-rounded experience and a healthy and happy environment for all of our employees across our U.S. offices. Team members received daily schedules of activities, along with facts and additional resources in order to debunk any myths, and destigmatize the conversation surrounding mental health.
Monday: Health Space
Monday’s focus was all about creating a healthy and happy workspace by cleaning up and beautifying your space. After employees sanitized their desks and did a little “fall cleaning,” they had the opportunity to print out pictures, plant a succulent, or decorate their desks in a way that would make them most comfortable and happy throughout the day.
Tuesday: Healthy Spirit
Day 2 focused on boosting creativity and decompressing. Adult coloring books were available in the office to give people a moment to rest and let their creativity loose. Completed coloring pages were then displayed in the office for all to admire. The day was wrapped up with a little arts-and-crafts project that allowed everyone to customize an aromatherapy clay stress-ball for themselves.
Wednesday: Healthy Mind
Wednesday was all about stretching out those mental muscles. Puzzles were available in every office as teams worked together to complete them. We are proud to say, mission accomplished! After work, all three U.S. offices came together for some friendly competition over a live-streamed trivia night.
Thursday: Healthy Heart
Day 4 started with some nutritious (and delicious!) smoothies and then the NYC office was then visited our lovable and huggable therapy dog friends from New York Therapy Animals, while our Denver team enjoyed an opportunity to bring their dogs to work. Meanwhile, NOLA used the evening to learn more about the positive heart benefits of red wine with a customized wine tasting.
Friday: Healthy Body
To round up our week, flu shots were administered in the NYC office, while NOLA and Denver prepped for the season with some emergency flu kits with all the essentials. Sunshine Notes that team members wrote to acknowledge their gratitude and appreciation for each other were distributed. Finally, to send people off for the weekend feeling zen and balanced, after-work yoga and meditation classes were available.
With the wrap of our Second Annual Mental Health Week, we were thrilled to see team members from each and every Digital Remedy office get involved, and we are excited to start implementing some of these activities into our daily offerings based on some of the feedback we have received. As we continue through the final quarter of 2019 and into the new year ahead, the success of Mental Health Week has motivated Digital Remedy to increase our focus on mental health, and continue to foster a healthy and balanced workplace for our employees.
To learn more about the Digital Remedy team click here, and feel free to stay updated on all of our office adventures by following us on Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
Digital Remedy is off to a great start in 2019, and Harmony—our social responsibility team—is no exception. Harmony aligns our business expertise and passion with our desire to care for our local communities through fundraisers, events, and off-site visits, in an effort to get all Digital Remediers involved in initiatives that they care about. The Harmony Team aims to discover different organizations and opportunities that give our team the chance to lend their time toward something they are passionate about.
We started the year with the goal to focus on growing in both size and impact. Starting with only seven members last year, our now 20 active members across our U.S. offices collaborate regularly to find new initiatives, activities, and events that benefit our employees and the communities in which we work. Each initiative helps bring the Digital Remedy together and emphasizes our core value of fostering a more caring community.
So, what exactly has Harmony been up to thus far in 2019?
Red Nose Day
Digital Remedy has been a proud supporter of The Red Nose Foundation every May, and this year was no different. To try to do better than ever before, the Harmony Team combined two qualities into an event that almost every Remedier loves: food and competition. The First Annual Red Nose Day Bake Off was born.
To participate, employees in each office were encouraged to whip up their greatest, tastiest, and sweetest treats to enter the competition for the chance to earn the title of the Digital Remedy Master Baker. From cookies to cupcakes, to everything in between, our Bakers did not disappoint with over 20 people entering their creations. Tasters were asked to make a donation of any size to become an official dessert judge and sample all of the treats. Spectators who didn’t want to face the inevitable sugar crash were still able to contribute to the cause and watch the madness ensue as Remediers flocked to try each and every dessert. You know…just to ensure they were making educated, balanced decisions.
At the completion of the event, each Digital Remedy office crowned a Master Baker, whose delicious recipes stole the hearts (and taste buds) of their team members. More importantly, we exceeded all fundraising expectations, collecting over $950 throughout the week, nearly twice as much as ever raised before!
To learn more about The Red Nose Foundation check out their website, and see all of the delicious recipes from the Bake Off here.
#WSW
Wardrobe Swap Wednesday
Another significant event that closed out the first half of 2019 was inspired by Joe Gallagher, a beloved, late member of the Digital Remedy family. Joe was passionately involved with Covenant House, a privately funded foundation that provides shelter, food, and other services to homeless and runaway youth. To support this organization, Harmony hosted a wardrobe swap in order to collect much-needed clothing donations. Employees in both New York and New Orleans were told to collect any lightly-used or new clothing they no longer needed and bring it to the office where the kitchens were transformed into mini clothing stores. Those who brought in donations were encouraged to swap out any items, and then all leftover clothing at the end of the event was donated to Covenant House in New York City and New Orleans, as well as The Salvation Army. In total, our Harmony team was able to collect over 200 items to donate, allowing us to help two great organizations doing amazing work while continuing to honor Joe’s memory.
Digital Remedy Week
Yes, Harmony focuses heavily on community outreach. But another priority for the team is ensuring employees’ mental health and well-being are in a positive place, most importantly at the office. Our Harmony team recognizes most of our daytime hours are spent at work, and we want to ensure every team member feels happy, healthy, and comfortable during their time in our space. To help accomplish this, the Harmony Team designed Digital Remedy Week. A spirit week filled with themed days and fun activities to celebrate the energy Remediers bring with them each and every day, Digital Remedy Week provided a chance for everyone to get to know one another, breaking down the barriers across different teams, while having a little bit of fun along the way. The week included:
The Harmony Team is working hard to create opportunities for the rest of 2019, and has some great events slated for the back half of the year. Stay tuned to learn more about the Harmony Team, or follow along with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
