diff --git a/.github/workflows/cmake-lint.yml b/.github/workflows/cmake-lint.yml
index cdaad72..40b9c44 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cmake-lint.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cmake-lint.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,14 @@
 name: "CMake Lint"
 
 on:
+  # always run on main branch
+  push:
+    branches: [ main ]
+    paths-ignore:
+      - 'README.md'
+      - 'CONTRIBUTING.md'
+      - 'LICENSE'
+  # run on PR to main branch if relevant files changed
   pull_request:
     branches: [ main ]
     paths:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/cpp-build.yml b/.github/workflows/cpp-build.yml
index 99e0fbc..10c9e60 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cpp-build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cpp-build.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,14 @@
 name: "C++ Build"
 
 on:
+  # always run on main branch
+  push:
+    branches: [ main ]
+    paths-ignore:
+      - 'README.md'
+      - 'CONTRIBUTING.md'
+      - 'LICENSE'
+  # run on PR to main branch if relevant files changed
   pull_request:
     branches: [ main ]
     paths:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/cpp-lint.yml b/.github/workflows/cpp-lint.yml
index e9ba087..7e52df3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cpp-lint.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cpp-lint.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,14 @@
 name: "C++ Lint"
 
 on:
+  # always run on main branch
+  push:
+    branches: [ main ]
+    paths-ignore:
+      - 'README.md'
+      - 'CONTRIBUTING.md'
+      - 'LICENSE'
+  # run on PR to main branch if relevant files changed
   pull_request:
     branches: [ main ]
     paths:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/cpp-unittest.yml b/.github/workflows/cpp-unittest.yml
index e8dd959..0bff528 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cpp-unittest.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cpp-unittest.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,14 @@
 name: "C++ Unittests"
 
 on:
+  # always run on main branch
+  push:
+    branches: [ main ]
+    paths-ignore:
+      - 'README.md'
+      - 'CONTRIBUTING.md'
+      - 'LICENSE'
+  # run on PR to main branch if relevant files changed
   pull_request:
     branches: [ main ]
     paths:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/format.yml b/.github/workflows/format.yml
index 445f944..f9d2f57 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/format.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/format.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,14 @@
 name: "C++/CMake Format"
 
 on:
+  # always run on main branch
+  push:
+    branches: [ main ]
+    paths-ignore:
+      - 'README.md'
+      - 'CONTRIBUTING.md'
+      - 'LICENSE'
+  # run on PR to main branch if relevant files changed
   pull_request:
     branches: [ main ]
     paths: