Wellbeing Activities for the Workplace – Where to start?

After what seems like years of unsettledness, businesses are looking for ways in which to engage employees and boost workplace morale. Creating wellbeing activities with in the working day is becoming increasingly popular in the UK, with yearly wellness budgets being increased to help support workers.

To help contribute to employee wellbeing, organisations are incorporating a broad spectrum of wellbeing activities to help improve their workforce’s mental and physical health.

Companies that invest in their employee wellbeing are instantly a more attractive to work for and help retain talented team members. Increasingly, potential new employees are comparing future employers on sites such as Glassdoor before filling out that all-important application.

 

Wellbeing Activities for the Workplace Ideas

Celebrate Workplace Birthdays (Not just with cake)

A cake delivery isn’t the only way to celebrate a colleague’s birthday at work. It sometimes feels like there is a cake or sugary treats on offer most days of the week , especially in a large office.

Why not start a new birthday culture at work? Decorate their work stations with balloons & banners, give them a shout out on social media, organise a healthy breakfast platter or book a mobile smoothie bar to visit the office.

 

Workplace Massage

On-Site chair massage is a very popular wellbeing activity and easy to integrate into workplace life. Who doesn’t enjoy a massage? Massage therapists provide treatments on portable, ergonomic massage chairs that suit almost any setting or space.

Workplace massage treatments have oodles of benefits:

• Creates a calming atmosphere. Helps soothe anxiety and lowers blood pressure
• Helps decrease migraines and tension headaches. Working to release tension caused by desk-based and device posture.
• Helps relieve RSI – repetitive strain injuries
• Relieves muscle tension from occupational posture
• Boost brain power! A stimulating afternoon Indian head massage will help increase alertness

Book a mobile massage company to deliver treatments as a one off or part of a monthly wellbeing strategy. Staff members can take 10-15 minutes out their busy day to relax and enjoy their treatment. Appointments are usually booked in advance of the booking to ensure all slots are taken, for full capacity.

Onsite Yoga

Most desk based workers are in a seated position for the majority of the working day. Leaning forward, straining necks and creating bad postural habits, contributes to chronic back, neck and shoulder pains and headaches and migraines.

Regular yoga classes will help stretch out tight muscles, strengthen and tone the whole body, an ideal antidote to days spent at the desk. If you have a boardroom, providing yoga from work will help employees learn deeply relaxing breathing and meditation practices that will help them in their everyday lives.

 

Mindfulness at Work

Mindfulness is defined as simply being focused and present in your head and workspace. Practicing mindfulness involves breathing techniques, guided imagery to relax the body and mind and help reduce stress. Once learnt, this practice can have other affects upon the body such as lowering the heart and respiratory rate, blood pressure, and releasing muscle tension.

Interested and want to learn more? Here is a selection of short mindfulness courses to try.

Soundcloud Audio Options

https://mindfulness.ie/portfolio-items/short-body-scan-with-fiona-odonnell-13-mins-audio/

 

YouTube Video – Sounds as an Anchor into the present moment

Book a corporate mindfulness session with Fiona O’Donnell, MSc. Psychology/ MSc. Mindfulness Based Approaches

Member of Psychological Society Ireland (PSI) & British Psychological Society (BPS)

 

Fitness at Work

As a general goal, it is advised to aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day. Providing various fitness programs in the working day for staff will help them achieve this goal, without impeding on staff’s out of work leisure time.

Fitness at work ideas: Lunch time walks, desk workouts (stretching), Local gym membership (ask for corporate rates), hire a fitness instructor for classes in the boardroom.

 

 

Company Fun Day

What better way to ignite employee enthusiasm and commitment in the workplace than organising a company family fun day?

Choose your venue. Browse through local venues to find your perfect location.

Select your fun day activities such as: Bouncy castle, scavenger hunt, face painting or inter department tug of war competition. Choose your caterers or make it a picnic day. Ask families bring their own picnic to help minimise costs.

 

Corporate Health and Wellbeing Workshops

Through the pandemic, employee wellbeing never been so important.

Corporate wellbeing workshops come in all shapes, sizes and budgets. From mental health improvement, health awareness, financial guidance, communication development, nutritional advice, sleep & stress management. Not sure what your team needs?

Create an anonymous comment box and welcome them to suggest what area they may need help with. From the results, research and organise local or online companies to deliver their services for your team.

Introduce a Wellbeing Activity Taster Day

Office wellbeing days, are designed to help and encourage employees to think about their own health and wellbeing. Offering a smorgasbord of activities to try is an excellent way to understand their needs and create a longer-term employee wellness plan for the following year.

After their day of tasting, create a survey to send to each individual to assess what they enjoyed and what they would like to see integrated in their work-based life, going forward.

 

Written by

Charlotte Every

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