Many of us spend a large proportion of our lives at work, so it’s not surprising that how we feel about it impacts our overall wellbeing. The International Week of Happiness at Work (which starts today) shines a light on this very topic and encourages companies to put employee wellbeing high on the agenda.
At Verner Wheelock we already have a strong support network. Several of us have worked here for a number of years and even refer to colleagues as our ‘work family.’ However looking out for each other and helping each other is only part of being happy in the workplace. Looking after your physical and mental health, managing stress, eating the right foods and learning how to relax and wind-down are all important aspects of wellbeing.
Verner Wheelock’s Wellbeing Journey
With that in mind, since January Verner Wheelock employees have been on a wellbeing journey. This kicked off with regular sessions with health and wellbeing organisation, Latitude Wellness. The sessions focused on healthy eating and exercise and VWA staff were encouraged to set weekly targets linked to exercise and eating habits. Founder Paul uploaded regular exercises and set goals aiming for ‘progress, not perfection.’ He was joined by Jodie, a therapist, who offered coping strategies and mindfulness exercises.
The next stage in ensuring that the VWA workforce is fit and healthy was the engagement of Horizon Healthcare who visited the VWA offices to perform individual health checks. In addition staff scored themselves on various aspects of their lifestyle including sleep, stress levels etc.
One suggestion for improvement was to take walks during lunch breaks to de-stress, enjoy the outdoors and boost Vitamin D levels. The canal and town centre are just a few minutes away from the office and daily walks are a great way of feeling revived, refreshed and happy.
Eat well, Feel Well, Think Well, Sleep Well, be happy
VWA staff are currently attending a series of wellbeing sessions with Halsa Wellbeing, covering the main cornerstones of wellbeing. These are Eat Well, Feel Well, Think Well and Sleep Well. Tomorrow’s session is ‘Think and Feel Well – How to Stay Calm Under Pressure.’ This will be particularly useful given the accelerating number of courses that the Training Support team need to prepare materials for and despatch. The Ethical Audits team should also benefit since the number of audits booked has risen exponentially over the past few years.
Employees also received Halsa self-care packs, designed as a welcome reward to encourage staff members to de-stress and take time for themselves.
In addition to the various health and wellbeing initiatives, VWA staff are all members of the Benenden Health Plan, which includes access to a wellbeing portal with information, tips and exercises for keeping healthy and happy.
VWA Managing Director, Alison Wheelock, said, “The wellbeing of staff is really important. I have an amazing team of people working at VWA and want to make sure that they feel happy and supported at work. The various health and wellbeing initiatives have been embraced by my employees, which is great to see, and there has definitely been a positive impact on individuals and the business.’