Leading By Example: Bedfont® Encourages Employee Well-being for World Well-being Week 2024

World Well-being Week is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of well-being in various aspects of life, including physical, mental, and emotional health. This year it takes place from June 24th to June 30th.

Image Credit: Bedfont Scientific Ltd.

According to a recent study in 2023, personal well-being has declined, with the COVID-19 pandemic having a significant impact. Average ratings of well-being in the UK have declined across all measures between March 2022 and March 2023, with 57.41% of adults reporting high levels of anxiety and 46.6% reporting low levels of happiness¹.

During World Well-being Week, companies are encouraged to support their employee’s well-being through various activities and resources. Workplace stress and burnout can significantly impact employee productivity and job satisfaction. Reports have shown that companies prioritising well-being have happier and more engaged employees, increasing workplace productivity and reducing employee absences.

Bedfont® have their very own team of Well-being Warriors, ensuring employees can take part in activities designed to reduce stress and enhance the workplace environment. Bedfont® is fully committed to well-being in the office and strives to promote and maintain the mental health and well-being of all employees, proving this by being presented with the Platinum Business Award by Kent County Council in April 2023, the highest award possible for promoting a positive work environment, and a health work/life balance.

In 2023, Bedfont® also opened their very own well-being garden, in memory of 2 well loved members of staff. The vision behind the garden is to give staff a special space to be able to enjoy, collect their thoughts, and de-stress. 

Earlier this year, the Bedfont® Well-being Warriors were in full force for Stress Awareness Month, which occurs annually in April. The Warriors organised a week of stress-busting activities for staff, which included a virtual coffee morning, a stress-busting activity – Pictionary, a Wednesday walk, a Bedfont® bar with a music Kahoot quiz, and a healthy lunch. Employees were encouraged to join the activities and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

With personal well-being declining, it’s important, now more than ever, to ensure everything is being done to improve employee well-being. Here are some examples of how Bedfont® has been working to improve morale and well-being:

• Well-being Gifts: Sending well-being packages or gifts to employees, such as stress balls, herbal teas, or wellness journals, to encourage them to take time for self-care.
• Team Building Activities: Organising team-building activities that promote collaboration and social-well-being. These could be anything from group problem-solving challenges to fun games or social events.
• Relaxation Spaces: Establishing relaxation zones in the workplace where employees can take short breaks to de-stress. These could include comfortable seating, ambient music, and access to mindfulness or meditation apps.
• Healthy Eating Day: Promoting nutrition by hosting a healthy eating day. This could involve a workshop on nutritional information, providing healthy meals or snacks, or even organising a cooking demonstration focusing on healthy recipes.

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1.Personal well-being in the UK: April 2022 to March 2023. [Cited on 8/5/24] Available from https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing/bulletins/measuringnationalwellbeing/april2022tomarch2023#:~:text=Adults%20with%20%E2%80%9Cvery%20bad%E2%80%9D%20self,and%203.8%25%2C%20respectively