Employee wellbeing is the psychological and physical wellbeing of staff members, ensuring employees are happy beyond their jobs. Something a lot more organisations are now focusing on with their employee’s health being an important part of the business. Studies by MentalHealth.co.uk found that 1 in 6.8 people experience mental health problems in the workplace, and evidence suggests that 12.7% of all sickness absence days in the UK can be attributed to mental health conditions.
Promoting wellbeing can help prevent added stress, reduce sickness absences and create a more positive and engaging work environment.
Here at Searchability, we promote employee wellbeing by dedicating this to the third Thursday of every month, also known as – #ThirdThursday. Here’s an insight into some of our sessions:
Puppy Therapy
We were lucky enough to tune into puppy therapy hosted by Paws in Work. Puppies make everyone feel better – who doesn’t love a big bundle of joy? With different stages throughout the day 10am kicked off with playtime, and what’s better than seeing pups running around playing? Studies show that there is a drop in blood pressure and reduced cortisol levels by simply observing puppies. Playtime was followed by breathwork, creative hand-writing, flower arrangement and finally, puppy sleep, a great way to end the day.
Sleep and Circadian Rhythms
Sleep is one of the most important things in our life. The Mental Health Foundation found that people who didn’t get enough sleep were four times as likely to suffer from lack of concentration, something you need at work! This session incorporated how we sleep, how variables can affect sleep (light exposure, food content) and how to sleep better.
Massages
A massage is a practice used for thousands of years with a multitude of styles, pressures and techniques. Studies have shown them to help reduce pain, swelling, fatigue, nausea, and depression. At Searchability, we had a professional masseuse come in and give everyone a 20-minute back massage, leaving staff feeling relaxed and ready for the afternoon.
Boxercise
As well as psychological wellbeing, physical exercise is a great way to explore employee wellbeing. Exercising releases endorphins, which can make you more alert, increase energy, your mood and can reduce stress and anxiety. Iain Colligan – organises a weekly boxercise class at our HQ, creating a full body workout burning 400/500 calories. Check out his one-to-one sessions!
Financial advice
Finances can be a stressful part of everyone’s day-to-day life. Whether you have bills to pay or a holiday to save for, everything adds up, and it can become very stressful. Over 1/4 of adults experience financial stress on a daily basis. A study reveals that a staggering 27% of UK adults feel stressed about money every single day. This wellbeing session was split up throughout the day with talks associated with how a mortgage works, how to save and much more! It’s a great way to discuss your financial stresses and any questions you had with an expert.
Mindfulness workshops
Mindfulness practices can be a great way to learn to relax and take a moment out of your day. Jenny Ingram, a Chartered Psychologist from JMI Psychological Services, virtually helps workshops with different groups in Searchability. We spoke about proud moments in our work life and personal life and reflected on all of the positive things. It was a great feeling to shout about what you are proud of, as it’s not often something you can do.
Stress Management
Work is the biggest cause of stress across the UK. This comes above money worries, relationship stress and health concerns. And workplace stress reportedly costs the UK economy a massive £28 billion a year.
Suzy Couper has visited the Searchability office many times to hold a stress management workshop, which many of our employees have taken part in. She reminded us that stress is part of our everyday life, and helped us to understand the stress may not go away, but we can “have it” vs “it having us.”
The SiSU Health Station
Searchability was the first Recruitment Agency in the UK to use SiSu’s special medical device – The Health Station. This medical service allows individuals to undertake a free, self-service health check in less than five minutes. Measuring blood pressure, weight, height, body composition and heart rate.
Do these #ThirdThursdays like something you would love to get involved in? We are currently hiring for Trainee Recruiters at Searchability! We are still on the lookout for ambitious candidates. So, we thought we’d shout about our employee wellbeing #Thirdthursdays! Contact [email protected] to find out more or to apply!
