Promoting wellness at work

Staff at the City of Burnside in South Australia recently enjoyed a massage, yoga and sessions on a range of health issues as part of a new wellness initiative.

The program was proposed, project managed, and executed by Madeleine Rogers, Corporate Services Project Assistant, and focused on continuing to promote health and wellbeing through the organisation.

Council hosted a corporate Wellness Day, which included six different health and wellbeing seminars facilitated by CHG at the Depot and Civic Centre, along with yoga, street hockey, fruit hampers and a visit from a massage therapist.

“The day was a great success with 80 different staff attending various events throughout the day,” said Matthew Spearman, Group Manager People and Innovation.

The majority of the seminars were full and the massage appointments booked out quickly. The overall satisfaction rating for the day was an incredible 4.4 out of 5.

“Following the inundation of positive feedback we hope to make Wellness Day an annual event,” Mr Spearman said.

A variety of fun and recreational activities were offered to employees during breaks to encourage getting active and letting off some steam while bonding with work mates.  

“Wellness in the workplace is so important but unfortunately it is something that can easily be neglected or forgotten due to heavy workloads and competing priorities,” Mr Spearman said.

“A well workplace is a workplace that offers care and support to staff.”

“If this program helped just one person, by encouraging them to have a check-up, to reach out for help or simply to de-stress, it makes it all worthwhile. “