The Five Ways to Wellbeing are a set of evidence-based public mental health messages aimed at improving the mental health and wellbeing of the whole population. They were developed by the New Economics Foundation as the result of a commission by Foresight, the UK government’s futures think-tank, as part of the Foresight Project on Mental Capital and Wellbeing. Think of them as your 5 a day for your mind! At PEMCO, we have embraced The Five Ways to Wellbeing as a framework for our Workplace Wellbeing strategy. Each month we focus on one of the ‘Ways’ and create team events, activities and interventions to help improve employee wellbeing. Connect with the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. At home, work, school or in your local community. Think of these as the cornerstones of your life and invest time in developing these relationships. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day. Examples in the workplace – teambuilding activities, team socials, weekly zoom quiz, eating lunch with colleagues. Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Cycle. Play a game. Garden. Dance. Exercising makes you feel good. Most importantly, discover a physical activity you enjoy and that suits your level of mobility and fitness. Examples in the workplace – team step challenge, stand up/walking meetings, team charity challenge, discounted gym membership, encourage cycling/walking to work. Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Notice the changing seasons. Savour the moment, whether you are walking to work, eating lunch or talking to friends. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you. Examples in the workplace – create a time out space for staff, bring plants into the office, lunchtime yoga, meditation apps. Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Take on a different responsibility at work. Fix a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving. Learning new things will make you more confident as well as being fun. Examples in the workplace – staff training/workshops, take on a new project, book/podcast clubs, recipe swaps. Do something nice for a friend, or a stranger. Thank someone. Smile. Volunteer your time. Join a community group. Look out, as well as in. Seeing yourself, and your happiness, linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and creates connections with the people around you. Examples in the workplace – help a colleague, lift share to the office, charity fundraising, launch a recycling initiative, encourage acts of kindness What could you do in your workplace? There is no one size fits all for workplace wellbeing. Think about your business size, team members, workplace setting, working hours and wellbeing budget. Remember to get input from all levels of the business and ensure you are meeting employee needs, not assuming what they want. Making interventions fun and interactive can help with employee interest and uptake. Key point – lead from the top! Leader engagement and commitment is the most important factor in achieving healthy workplaces. Without management buy in it is very difficult to create true culture change. Can we help your team with Workplace Wellbeing? Get in touch to find out more about our wellbeing consultancy services! Get in touch
