Fresh fruit and fitness offered for team well-being

A program including fitness training, fresh fruit, breast screening and help quitting smoking is being offered for the "team well-being" of its 300 employees by a local aged care provider.

The program aims to recognise the emotional, physical and mental stresses that be experienced by people working in the health sector and was brought about through a grant from NSW Government's Get Healthy at Work Program.

Peninsula Villages has begun "a journey towards creating a culture that promotes wellbeing in the workplace", according to its chief Mr Shane Neaves.

"We recognised the need to make a modern change in our staff approach," he said.

"In total, 51 people have joined the group personal training sessions, with the response from staff being overwhelmingly positive.

"The trainers of the sessions have been praised for their ability to be supportive and non-judgemental, while encouraging attendees to push themselves," he said.

Another initiative of the program is the pedometer and Fitbit challenge with staff teams competing to walk the most steps during the challenge period.

"The staff that have participated in our steps challenge are quite competitive and it has certainly boosted morale around the Village.

"Participants have noted that they are now more aware of their daily movements and that the challenge has encouraged them to be more active every day.

"Many have also said that the challenge not only helped them physically, but it has had positive effects on their mental state of mind," Mr Neaves said.

"The traditional approach is to look at ways to support an individual worker once they become unwell.

"But clearly, the smarter way to work is to prevent these problems occurring in the first place by creating a working environment that supports health and mental wellbeing," he said.

SOURCE:

Media release, 10 Jul 2019

Katey Small, Brilliant Logic