Written by: Michelle Strasburger, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
This past weekend, my family and I took a late afternoon snowmobile ride. We had a winter storm a few days before dropping fresh snow so we were looking forward to a great ride. We rode to one of our favorite spots, had an early dinner and rode home. When we were leaving the restaurant, the sun began to set. I could feel some anxiety creeping in knowing that we were going to face most of the 90-minute ride in the dark. I put on my gear, started my sled and we were off.
While in the woods, it quickly became darker. While I had lights and all the equipment I needed, I don’t usually ride in the dark and I’m not that familiar with these trails. I had a moment of fear where I thought I could just pull over and not do the ride, but I didn’t want to lose sight of my husband ahead of me, so I pushed on. I had to.
About halfway through the ride, we came upon two large moose in the middle of the trail. In darkness, it’s even harder to see these animals. Luckily, we were able to stop and let them go on their way without incident. A few more miles in, I had to adjust my helmet. I waited for the moment when we would stop so I could do this and again, not lose site of my husband or the trails. However, this adjustment disconnected my helmet and as we continued to ride, almost home, my helmet fogged up. I had no choice but to stop and find the cord to plug in. I knew I would lose sight of my husband, but I had no choice. I knew that he’d be waiting for me at the next intersection, so I wouldn’t have to ride alone.
This ride reminded me of my years in Human Resources. There are times when we have all the skills, experience and tools at our fingertips, but we feel like we’re riding alone. This is even more true for those HR Professionals that are a department of 1. We have these goals that we have to keep in our sight, but we’re not familiar with the path to get there. Very similar to my ride on an unfamiliar trail. Sometimes, we even get obstacles along the way and have to either pause our efforts or ask for help.
In my experience, I thought that I had to figure it out on my own as the HR Leader. We didn’t have a huge budget, so hiring external help was not always an option. I was resourceful and, while I was riding alone, I figured it out. However, I’m sharing this story, to let you know you don’t have to ride alone. I’ve learned, through my experience, that help is always there. You just have to know where to look. You can link arms with other leaders in your organization. You can join a professional group or hire a consultant that specializes in that area.
I’m no longer in HR, but I partner with HR Professionals to build wellness strategies and programs. Right now, I know that you, the HR Professional, have a lot on your plate. You’re struggling with recruitment, retention, engagement, rising healthcare costs and employee wellbeing. But, again, you don’t have to ride alone. Hiring a health coach or a wellness consultant can be your partner on this journey. Yes! A strong wellness strategy can have a huge impact in recruitment, retention, engagement and overall performance. It can also take a lot of pressure off your plate. You don’t have to go it alone. So, pause, adjust your helmet, and let’s ride!
Michelle Strasburger, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Michelle Strasburger is CEO and Chief Strategist at The Wellness Value. Michelle has over 20 years of progressive HR experience and runs a group of progressive HR Pros, called The HR Rebels. Michelle combines this experience with her education from IIN and Functional Nutrition Alliance to create wellness programs for organizations. These programs are not a "one size fits all" approach and are designed to meet employees where they are and improve their overall health and wellbeing. Michelle is on a mission to make the world of work a healthier and happier place.
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