This year at Fifteen – as part of our year of well-being – we’re helping local stress charity, Stress Aid, with voluntary digital services. Each month we’re providing them with half a day of services for free. It’s about helping the charity with their digital strategy, social media, design material and improvements to their website, because it’s a great cause and something we believe in.
Alongside this, we’re also encouraging our staff to take part in various incentives around the themes of mental wellbeing – including team yoga classes.
Yesterday, Tim from Stress Aid came into our office and to discuss plans for their digital strategy for the year. In addition, we wanted to know from him how we can better implement a culture of well-being into our own offices.
Our Managing director, Ollie Piddubriwnyj, said:
“Staff welfare is an absolute priority at Fifteen. We chose a resolution that we were going to take seriously and that reflected our company and cultural values. Having a company-wide resolution is a great way of bringing the team together and getting everyone involved. The fact that we can take this idea and use it to help Stress Aid and the wider community is even more fulfilling.”
Aspects of well-being will be incorporated into our office environment, including signs encouraging us to take moments to look after their well-being, and even a ‘Hygge’ corner. Hygge is a Danish word that is a feeling or mood that comes from taking genuine pleasure in making ordinary, everyday moments more meaningful. That’s just as important at work as it is at home.
We’re also being encouraged to submit our own ideas of how to improve the sense of well-being in the office. The incentive comes in the same week that the Government pledged to transform attitudes to mental health, with a focus on children and young people. One in four people has a mental disorder at some point in their life, with an annual cost of £105billion.
This resolution was made on the back of the success of our FitBit challenge, which encouraged us to lead a healthier lifestyle by trying to increase our daily step counts.
Fitbit’s app was the most downloaded on iTunes this Christmas, reflecting the nation’s growing desire to live a healthier and more active lifestyle – something which we embrace.
Stress Aid, run by Derby Counselling has been established since 1981. It is a not-for-profit charity that offers affordable counselling, especially to people who are experiencing financial hardship. Visit their site at www.derbycounsellingcentre.org
We are looking forward to working with Stress Aid this year and implementing new aspects of well-being at Fifteen.