What Wellbeing initiatives do you have in your workplace?

[NormalForNuneaton]

I wasn't sure whether to post here or in general chat but that board is just so fast moving it will probably just disappear too quickly.

I was wondering what wellbeing initiatives you have in your workplaces, especially larger workplaces (around 200-400 staff for example) as there are probably some good ideas out there that more organisations and businesses could put into practice.

1. Good managers who actually manage.
2. Subsidised massage in work time.

No.1 would be everyone's dream of course!

Failing that I do like the sound of subsidised massage in work time. I could imagine that being very popular.

Define wellbeing. What problem are you looking to solve by crowdsourcing ideas?

I'm not looking to solve anything, I'm just wondering what workplaces can do to improve the overall wellbeing (mental, physical, emotional, social) of their staff.
What can employers do, no matter how small, to contribute to their workforces' happiness, show they're valued?

I just find that it gets used as a buzzword but when I ask around amongst friends who work in a variety of places there are very few examples (I'm not including good working practices in this, I mean more specific initiatives)

we Have a team breakfast once a month

None. It's a school. We once had a staff wellbeing day (as CPD) when we had talks about emotional wellbeing in the morning and could pick sports or arts activities in the afternoon, but it only happened once. I think we're all so knackered we wouldn't be able to get the best out of it now, TBH.

We’ll bring lunches, which is basically just an extended lunch break once a month or so where we all eat together
wellbeing walks as a small team
friday challenges - something fun once a week
team awards
An activity in work time every other month, such as a yoga session
tackling the negative working practices as this is what’s often the root cause of poor wellbeing at work

I just find that it gets used as a buzzword but when I ask around amongst friends who work in a variety of places there are very few examples

That neatly summarises my reason for asking.

Lots of talk, not much substance.

To me, it should be about how an employer fulfils its duty of care to employees - good risk assessments (including for stress) that are acted upon.

If they haven't got that, there's no point adding frills on top. In reality, that takes effort so what you see is the easy but pointless shite that can be advertised on their website by the marketing department.

Off the top of my head I can think of at least two big name employers who have had staff take their own lives actually in the workplace - yoga sessions and free employer-branded "swag" don't cancel out toxic working practices.

An Employee Assistance Programme should be within budget for an organisation with 200-400 employees.

Costs start at about £5 per employee. Peanuts really to give employees access to counselling, CBT, support services and legal advice, etc.

I work for a company that provides advice to people who have elderly relatives that need care. We source it and arrange it and advise on finances and people get it as an employee benefit. It's really helpful for people who don't know the care system and are having to navigate it at a stressful time.

Employee Assistance Programme

Wellbeing hub online with links to lots of organisations, initiatives etc

Specialised staff networks providing support, including a bereavement/grief cafe

Trained Mental Health First Aiders & Allies, with monthly calls for those practitioners

Staff subscription to Headspace

Coffee “roulette” to connect staff working remotely

There is a LOT of talk about it. Nothing whatsoever impacts my day. There is an Employee Assistance Programme.
Ah no actually to be fair we have a gym which is free. The last time I had time to go to the gym was in April.

Free tea, coffee and a fruit bowl.

No group activities thank god as most of my department can't stand each other.

The best wellbeing would be
Good working environment
Flexible hours
Paid sick leave
Mental health days off

Similar to @MiddleSaged . With the addition of specific Employee Resource Groups for Women, Ethnicity, LGBT and a specific group for Wellbeing that highlights good working practices and some of it is modelled from the top down. They introduced summer Friday afternoons off as well which was nice. Still a lot to do but it's heading in the right direction. This is a much bigger global company though.

Free tea and coffee and decent wages, holidays and pension. Happy with all that, most of us happy to do our job and go home.

It might not be possible across all sectors or roles but flexible working patterns, where I can be trusted to get my work done without anyone micromanaging my time has really made a difference to my wellbeing at work. This was made possible by reducing down to 0.8 FT hours so I have time to "play" with.

Means I have time to go for a run, pick up the kids, do a food shop etc etc... all whilst ensuring my work is done and I am available when I need to be.

The only thing that actually makes a tangible difference to well being is

• enough staff to do the job/reasonable expectations on what the number of staff there are can achieve
• fair pay for the job

The rest is mainly window dressing that actually feels really patronising when you are constantly being asked to do the job of 5 people

Flexible working.

Good maternity/sickness etc pay.

Good holiday allowance and the option to sell some if you'd prefer.

Employee assistance programme.

Mentoring schemes.

Various support groups e.g. for parents and carers.

Lack of time and energy does tend to be a problem even if something like a yoga class or gym membership is offered.

We had some lunchtime mindfulness/relaxation groups but people were too busy to attend or would rather just eat their lunch whilst scrolling on their phones or talking to colleagues (which are perfectly valid ways to spend your lunchbreak if that's how you like to step away from work).

@Lastminutebride did you ever find activities that appealed to everyone? Something like yoga often appeals to a select group of people but not all. Somehow I can't see our maintenance team taking part!

NHS worker. We have so much completely pointless and wasteful shit. Yoga, with 5 spaces, at 2pm every 3rd Thursday. Some helpline that's supposed to do things like book holidays and car insurance but in reality would take much longer to give them the info than do it yourself.
But at the same time, they have taken away tea and coffee, and replaced the non-profit staff canteen with a fucking Gregg's.

I take part in a number of (remote) volunteering programmes with schools and young people through my workplace (global corporate). It's completely optional, it's just there if you want do to it. None of what I do is director linked to my role but it really enriches my working week and I get a huge amount of satisfaction from doing it and brings me back down to earth. And it helps young people too!

We're a bit smaller than your range but have:

• therapy and coaching
• free tea/coffee/fruit/snacks
• 4 office parities/ socials a year
• great l&d programme
• monthly well-being sessions of different topics
• get our flu jabs/ eye tests/ etc paid for
• themed activities eg Halloween/ thanksgiving/ Easter

I loved yoga/pilates but doing it with work colleagues never appealed

(And I can't do it now due to disability, so work place exercise classes, especially when promoted with tone deaf messaging that ignores that not everyone can do them, wind me up)

Fundamentally well being in the work place is about good management, not being excessively overstretched (so decent staffing budgets), decent resources (laptops not dying / internet not failing) and a good mix of quiet working spaces and collaborative working spaces etc....