Launceston City Council is helping employees to improve their health with monthly ‘Yoga at Your Desk’ sessions.
The sessions run for 30 minutes and involve stretching and entry level yoga poses, before closing with meditation.
The aim is to give staff the tools and ideas to use every day for better health.
“By providing employees with these new yoga poses and tips for the desk space, they feel and work better with less stress and strain and a greater sense of health and wellbeing,” said Launceston City Council General Manager Robert Dobrzynski. “All employees are welcome and the sessions are attracting a strong following from both men and women.”
The sessions began in June and are run by two employees who are members of the Launceston City Council Health and Wellbeing Committee.
The committee was formed to promote and encourage physically, emotionally, and mentally healthy employees and aims to raise awareness of the benefits of physical activity, while supporting employees in becoming more active in a variety of ways. It also educates employees on various solutions to health and wellbeing issues and provides checks and proactive screenings.
In addition to the Yoga at Your Desk sessions, the committee hosts a range of seminars about topics like eating well. It also runs various health screenings throughout the year and publishes an article in Council’s fortnightly internal newsletter.
Robert Dobrzynski said Council’s hotly contested Health and Wellbeing Cup was established last year, with the winner of a 10,000 step challenge taking the title.
“Departments formed teams with each employee receiving a pedometer, hat and drink bottle to help them with the challenge,” he said. “Each person tried to take 10,000 steps each day of the month long competition. Members of the winning department took home a prize, but everyone who participated felt the health benefits.”
