Save me from my boss's wellbeing ideas

[1stV45]

We are all in work and will continue to be throughout lockdown2, quite emotionally stressful work with distressed families.

Boss has recognised that staff will be feeling anxious and also probably hard done to and wants to do some wellbeing things. Her heart is absolutely in the right place.

However, her ideas so far fill me with dread:

• a wellbeing raffle whereby each staff member contributes a wellbeing gift. A bit like secret Santa but all wellbeing related gifts and not at Christmas. I have a number of objections, cost, hassle for staff, lots of stuff no one wants or needs.

• shared meals. Each staff member contributes a dish to share for a "special" lunch. Concerns here, hassle, cost, we're not supposed to be sharing food?

Boss is lovely and very enthusiastic about doing nice things, buying good presents etc but I think large numbers of staff (including me) will find this is one more stress/chore to add to their list. I think she also forgets she earns about 3x what many of our staff do!

Public sector so there's no money for us to pay for any treats.

So, I have lots of reasons I don't like it but I don't have any better suggestions. Can you help?

Organise a free flu shot clinic?

@grassisjeweled

Organise a free flu shot clinic?

I have actually tried that. You can't book one for love nor money atm.

Yes, we're doing the foodbank but she wants to do something for "us" too.

I’m not a big fan of stuff like this. We’ve had the “well-being secret Santa” style gift too- was only a fiver though. Most people got bubble bath or a candle. I dislike ones where it’s “get to leave an hour early” etc- I don’t want to leave an hour early, I have work to do and it will still be there to do in the morning, doubled, if I don’t do it now. It’s more stressful.
The flu jab clinic one is a good one though, my sister’s work has had that one just this week- all staff who wanted to could go for a flu jab during the day with a private healthcare worker the management had booked.

Optional team fitness challenge like walk/cycle/run the furthest (in team)

Actually looking at all these suggestions we've done loads. I'm not sure we need anything else, but she thinks we do. We did a September steps challenge and one of the staff members has been posting daily workouts during Oct with various staff as Guinea pigs.

Every week all team members name goes into a hat, like a tombola, you pull a name out & write something positive about that person. It can be read out at a team meeting if that's what the team decides. All done anonymously

anything that gets the team outside and active will be better than any number of scented candles or similar crap. what about a team challenge where people take selfies whilst on a walk/bike ride and everyone has to guess where they are? prizes for correct guesses/most obscure place/distance walked?

I work for civil service. We have been given a half days holiday to take between now and the end of the month to do something that will help with our wellbeing. This is on top of the usual half day gift they give us for Christmas.
I will be using mine to spend it with my DH and toddler DS just relaxing and spending time together, as me and DH work opposite shifts so don't get a lot of time together as a family. This will also be the day before FIL's funeral so I think it will be good for DH as well to be together.

@1stV45.... It'd be better to suggest anonymous posts complimenting a colleague about 1 good or great thing they've done each week. Boss supplying a plant for each desk space, spider plant etc. Freebie Friday a work subsidised treat at 11am with things like free coffee, chocolate, fruits, etc.

The thing is that her ideas are causing you more stress.

Lord save me from twatty bosses who think they are helping but only make things worse. FFS!

covid-team-building-days

My boss suggested the baby photo thing. Then we pointed out it would be a very easy game as our team has one white person, one black, one Asian and one Chinese.

covid

Easy peasy time off. Well being is time off to relax an hour each or an afternoon of your choosing to relax take a walk or a run but still getting paid.

I like the making Christmas decorations idea! Get her to buy some craft bits for £20 and then it’s something you can all ‘do’ together while she’s the only one out of pocket
Expecting people to buy something for £20 with the shops shutting is bonkers.

I've been in this situation being pressured into a group secret santa. I said I'm more than happy for people to join in but I'm afraid I'm not doing because a) finances, b) pressure to shop c) landfill. They didn't do it in the end and I'm still glad I stuck to my guns.

How about recognising that everyone is different, and trying out a range of relaxation techniques - maybe 10 minutes for each one - over a period of weeks, and then letting people pick the one that suits them best for a fuller relaxation period?

Eg relaxation hypnotherapy (you can get then on you tube) / eyes shut listening to a nature sound track ( birds singing / rain falling) / doing a 10 minute work out / a deep breathing meditation? Open it up for suggestions, and even if ends up making you all laugh, it would have lightened the atmosphere a little. And maybe even achieve the aim of promoting some relaxation!

They sound terrible! My team were discussing going for a walk in (comedy Christmas) jumpers, maybe with a coffee, which doesn’t sound too bad.

Why not tell her outright? I'd say something like "Sorry but I think that a lot of people will find choosing a gift just another chore on their over-full job list". As for the shared meals - sorry but I wouldn't be in on that! Even buffets have closed so definitely you shouldn't be doing this. We have an hour every week to spend how we like - relaxing, reading, virtual coffee etc. Why not do that instead? No cost to the organisation and nothing to worry about.

How can you contribute a gift if it is uncertain whether non-food shops will be open in four weeks' time?

I am with you OP on the wish to be saved from such ideas.

I have always said no to secret Santa. It's hard to do the first year you do it, but in subsequent years it's just accepted that misery gut roara doesn't do it!

Dh wanted to ‘do something’ for his staff to improve morale in the face of Covid, so he gave them all a cash lump sum. Cheered them up no end.

I think she is being really insensitive and someone needs to have a quiet word, especially expecting people to fork out 20£. Sounds like she want to make herself feel better and its an easy effortless idea for her to do. Not sure how you can approach it if you are the only one expressing these, think you need to sound out a few colleagues

can you turn it in to a way to let you and your colleagues actually come up with ideas rather than this top-down approach? I hate the way the word Wellbeing gets used to mean anything stupid and annoying to tick someones wanky corporate box

Oh god, we had this at work today. The Wellness Squad (yes that's the actual name) each pitched an idea such as book club, meditation, Christmas crafts to 'bring happiness to everyone'. Each thing only created extra stress in my eyes. I don't want to pick, buy and read a book then talk to colleagues about it! I felt like saying, where is the club for people who want nothing to do with anyone else?! Oh the best bit...all the suggestions were outside of work time!!! Fuck that shit, no Paul I don't want to have another hour on zoom with you on a fucking Thursday evening.