With the continual impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the pressures of modern living, workplace wellness programmes have become increasingly important throughout the business landscape. 

Many workplace wellness programmes have traditionally placed their primary focus on self-care of the individual as a means of improving employee health and productivity. However, research now suggests that this individualistic approach is actually incongruent with wellness. Connection to the larger group is a crucial ingredient of wellness. Without connection, humans cannot achieve it. So how can business leaders ensure that their wellness programmes do not miss the mark?

Shifting focus from an individual to the group

In order to achieve workplace wellness, it is important to cultivate a culture of caring for the group as a whole, rather than focusing on the individual. After all, if the toe hurts, the whole body experiences pain and stress. 

By reconceptualising wellness in this way, the group is encouraged to work together to address any pain points. This approach delivers a dual benefit to the workplace, as group members are able to draw on each other’s strengths to solve problems quicker, while also learning to operate more effectively as a whole. More importantly, this approach strengthens communication channels and avoids emotionally isolating individual team members. 

Creating time and space to share 

Since connection is the foundation of wellness, we must make time for sincere listening and sharing as a group if we are to achieve it. Times for listening and sharing should occur frequently and must be incorporated into the daily rhythms of the business.

It is well established that suppressing emotions can propel an individual into a fight-or-flight condition. This may well cause clouded thinking, which leads to more mistakes being made and more time being lost. Creating the time and space within the workplace to debrief as a group provides an opportunity to release this emotional tension and restore logical thinking. 

The practice of sharing together may also provide an opportunity for people to practice conflict resolution and correct future behaviour. As group members share together, they may become more intimately acquainted with each other, which may lead them to reflect on how their choices may affect others in the future and adapt their behaviours accordingly. 

Lastly, the group will become more connected as individuals, sharing and receiving collective support and comfort. 

Benefits of a new approach

Implementing a new approach to wellness may seem time-consuming and tiresome. However, by ensuring that your wellness programme does not miss the mark, your employees will not only enjoy better health and operate more effectively within their teams, but your business will reap the other long-term benefits of increased employee wellness and engagement. These benefits include:

• better staff retention
• reduced absenteeism
• increased job satisfaction and productivity
• bolstered morale
• reduced relational friction
• increased ease of recruitment

In a nutshell, all wellness programmes are not created equal, and the effectiveness of your wellness programme directly correlates to your business’s scope for success. As such, it is an investment worth making.

To learn or find out more, contact us today.

We do have legislation to make sure we have response plans for some emergencies like fire, but we need to create our own plans for many emergencies.

Whether it’s a corporate office or a hostel, it is crucial to assess our level of preparedness and understand the necessary steps to take during emergency events, such as fires or earthquakes. Having an Emergency Response Plan (ERP) is the first step towards preventing, or responding to future incidents.

A well-designed ERP encompasses potential hazards to look for in a workplace, evacuation procedures to follow during emergency, steps on drills and testing. Involving employees and workers in the process of designing and testing is crucial to familiarise them with the process, consider their inputs and prepare them for emergency situations. Once that’s in place, test, review, and update the plan regularly.

Identify potential hazards & risks

While working out an ERP, it is essential to consider the potential emergency scenarios that your workplace may encounter. For instance, know if the workplace location is an earthquake or tsunami prone zone. Within the workplace, look out for fire or gas leak, hazardous equipment or machinery that is explosive. It is important to tailor your emergency plans based on the specific type of work and workplace.

In low-risk environments, emergency plans may not need to be lengthy or intricate. However, workplaces with a higher risk of accidents demand more comprehensive plans to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

Engage your employees

Getting employees involved in the creating an emergency plan could improve preparedness during emergencies and is a crucial part of creating a robust emergency plan.

Leaders must promote open discussions with employees about any special hazards that may be present onsite, such as flammable materials, toxic chemicals, radioactive sources, or water-reactive substances. By raising awareness of these hazards, leaders can ensure that appropriate precautions are taken to mitigate risks. Leaders should seek employees’ inputs while drafting an emergency plan.

To guarantee a comprehensive understanding of an emergency plan, it is essential that all employees are familiar with the evacuation steps. This includes knowledge of the various types of emergencies that may arise, the correct reporting procedures to follow, the operation of alarm systems, evacuation plans, and shutdown procedures.

It is crucial to assign dedicated individuals to be in charge during evacuation process and keep the employees informed about it. Have their names, contact details printed and placed in easily accessible spaces of the office. By doing so, a clear chain of communication is established and keeps employees informed about whom to contact in the event of emergency.

Emergency evacuation steps

Regardless of the nature of the emergency, there are generic steps that one should adhere to when conducting an evacuation. We share some of the steps below:

• Stay calm and assess the situation. It is important to be vigilant and determine the safest course of action based on the information available. Alert the local fire emergency personnel.
• Activate the fire alarm and promptly inform your colleagues. Follow the emergency announcements and assist coworkers, if required.
• Always use staircase during an emergency evacuation unless instructed otherwise by emergency personnel. Never use elevators as they may malfunction or lead to hazardous areas.
• Follow the established evacuation procedures or routes. These may include exit signs, designated escape routes, or evacuation plans specific to your location. If there are no predefined procedures, use your best judgment to find the safest exit.
• Once you have evacuated the building or immediate danger zone, proceed to the designated assembly point or a safe location at a reasonable distance. Stay there until authorities give the all-clear signal or provide further instructions.

Test and update

After creating an initial plan with evacuation steps, conduct drills and simulations to test the plan. This is also a great way for employees to familiarize themselves with their roles and responsibilities. It helps them identify any areas that need improvement and allows for necessary adjustments to be made. Kiwi Leaders could also consider consulting with Fire Emergency New Zealand for feedback. Make sure to review and update the ERP from time to time.

We dedicated an entire blog post to share insights on reporting about incidents and hazards. You can also report incidents and hazards using our simple and flexible cloud-based system called GOSH that is accessible via the intranet or mobile phones. Book a demo with us to learn more about the GOSH online health and safety system.  

Contact us by email here.

For more information, refer to this guide by Civil Defence NZ.

New studies show that we are becoming increasingly overworked as a society. During the recent Covid-19 pandemic, many people had no choice but to abandon their holiday plans due to the various disruptions to travel arrangements, novel border controls, and the ever-changing requirements and regulations imposed on workplaces. This, coupled with the unique challenges that come with working from home, has resulted in a newly cultivated trend of working longer days and seldom switching off. 

This trend is having detrimental effects on workforces around the world and is one that we must strive to change. Without having meaningful breaks from work, we are putting at risk the well-being of our workers and damaging their support structures and connections outside of the workplace. More importantly, by not taking time to disconnect from work, we are forfeiting the benefits of effective critical and creative thinking within our businesses. 

It might be a good idea for you to make the most of long weekends to truly disconnecting from your emails, LinkedIn and other work-related platforms. 

How holidays help with physical and mental well-being

Holidays are vital to maintaining the well-being of workers. It is well-established amongst psychologists that the absence of meaningful breaks inevitably damages both a person’s physical and mental well-being.

For example, those who are overworked more often suffer from neck or back pain, headaches, diabetes and heart disease. Some workers are also more prone to suffering from mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. It is no wonder then that the World Health Organisation has recently noted that working more than 55 hours per week is considered a ‘serious health hazard’. As such, taking a holiday should be at least an annual priority, if only for the sake of your health. 

Additionally, as we have given less priority to investing time into meaningful breaks, the conditions of our relationships and support structures have deteriorated. In being ever-available to our work, we have become more unavailable to our friends, spouses, children and pets. The negative effects of this can be seen in studies that show a correlation between working long hours and marital breakdowns. Therefore, the value of meaningful holidays cannot be overstated in providing the crucial time that we need to cultivate healthy, strong relationships and build effective support structures. 

Lastly, in not prioritising our holiday times, we are actually doing our workplaces and careers a disservice. This is because we need adequate rest and disconnection from work in order to rejuvenate the very critical and creative thinking capabilities that make us an asset in the workplace. Those who are overworked tend to make more mistakes and to function reactively, rather than engaging in proactive strategic thinking. This means that they are also more likely to be overlooked when it comes to promotions and career advancement opportunities in their workplace. For this reason, prioritising regular holiday breaks should be a routine part of your career progression plan. 

In a nutshell, meaningful holiday times are fundamental to a holistic health and safety approach, and should be a priority within any workplace. For more information on the science behind this, please read the Forbes article here.

For more information about Working Wise and what we do, visit us here: https://workingwise.nz/

In its simplest form, overthinking is problem-solving that has gone awry. To overthink is to spend more time repetitively dwelling or ruminating on situations or thoughts than is necessary or productive. By definition, overthinking is a futile exercise that will ultimately drain your energy, confidence, and motivation. 

What causes overthinking? 

Overthinking may have its root cause in past traumatic events experienced by a person, can be caused by self-doubt or low self-esteem, or may simply be a product of stress and anxiety about the future. 

Additionally, there may be a link between the tendency to overthink and the personality type of the overthinker. Certain personality types have been found to be more likely to fall into the trap of overthinking, such as those who tend towards perfectionism or individuals who feel a need to be in control. 

The dangers of overthinking

Overthinking is more than just an unproductive pastime and can actually have a more serious impact on both the physical and mental wellbeing of a person. 

Firstly, fixating on situations or problems can increase your proclivity for mental health issues, such as mood disorders, depression, stress and anxiety. The cycle of overthinking is therefore so vicious that it can even alter the very fabric of your brain. 

As such, it is no surprise that overthinking can severely impact a person’s ability to think logically, make sound decisions, and solve problems. 

Overthinking may also impact the physical health of a person, and may wreak havoc on the immune system. This is because stress reduces the number of white blood cells in the body, which are crucial in defending the body against antigens. As a result, overthinking increases the chances of struggling with constant illness or allergies. 

Moreover, overthinking often causes insomnia, which saps the energy and concentration of the overthinker, and further compounds the problems mentioned above.  

Tips for managing overthinking

The triggers for overthinking are many and varied. While it is hardly possible for a person to change their personality type, there are ways in which we can calm our minds and break the cycle of overthinking.

Here’s how you can combat overthinking:

• Practice awareness – whenever you feel any self-doubt creeping into your mind, take a step back, review the situation, and acknowledge how you are responding to it. 
• Focus on the positives – don’t focus on the things that can go wrong, and instead think about the things that can go right!
• Put things into perspective – ask yourself whether the situation that is causing you to overthink is really going to matter in a year or even in the next month. 
• Realise you can’t control the future – don’t waste your time worrying about things that you can’t control. Instead, focus your time and effort on thoughts that can make a real difference in improving your situation in a productive way. 
• Release yourself from the past – if you find yourself overthinking about things that have happened in the past, learn to accept these as things that are now outside your control, and redirect your energy towards moving forward.

It is possible to train our mind to remain calm in any given situation. The few points mentioned above can go a long way in helping you manage overthinking when you find yourself doing so.