Workplace Wellbeing Day 2024 and Beyond - Ideas and Resources for Sharing and Learning
Ireland’s National Workplace Wellbeing Day is fast approaching on Friday April 26th 2024. Now in its tenth year, the day itself has served to raise the importance of employee wellbeing across a wide variety of industries since its inception. As always, I encourage organisations to recognise and celebrate the day in a way that best supports their colleagues while at the same time ensuring they do not fall into the trap of celebrating wellbeing on only one day of the year and merely using the day as a PR exercise!
What’s happening in 2024
Workplace Wellbeing Ireland are again organising a free 5K Walk & Talk in Dublin’s Phoenix Park on the morning of Workplace Wellbeing Day to encourage as many people as possible to get outdoors and to connect on the day. You can find all the details through this link. There’ll be porridge afterwards and more conversation and fresh air than you can shake a stick at. It’s an early start and finish so you’ll still be able to make it to work in good time. What better way to kick off Workplace Wellbeing Day with your team. I’m reliably informed that the weather will be as nice as last year (or your money back!).
This year we also have a 5K Walk & Talk in Galway on the morning of April 26th. It’s a 7AM start to allow for Galway traffic!
Less is Often More
A wellbeing intervention doesn’t have to be something that takes up time, in fact it can be something that actually gives some time back. For example, it could be a ‘no meeting’ or ‘Deep Focus’ Friday, a ‘finish early Friday’, blocking out lunchtime on all calendars, 25 and 50 minute zoom meetings by default (as opposed to 30 and 60 minutes) or, if it’s within your remit, a half day or a full day off for all colleagues!
I appreciate a lot of these initiatives will not be possible for many organisations but I wanted to mention it to get you thinking. We’re all busy so giving some time back to colleagues could be the ideal way to recognise Workplace Wellbeing Day in 2024.
What If We Really Want to do Something?
Having said ALL OF THAT, if you still wish to provide something for your colleagues then I’ve done all the heavy lifting for you by collating a list below. These interventions don’t necessarily need to take place on Workplace Wellbeing Day; you could use the day to share some of these resources or to launch what you’re planning for the weeks and months ahead.
I’ve included a ‘healthy’ mix of free and paid resources. The podcasts and webinars listed are recorded so you can share with your colleagues at any time. Is something missing? Add your suggestions to the comments below!
Resources for Everyone
Live Event: Our 5K Walk & Talk in Dublin on the morning of April 26th and in Galway. Ready made team building exercises!
Financial Wellbeing: All the financial wellbeing resources you need for your colleagues in one place
Live Workshop: ‘The 5 Ways to Wellbeing’ is an online or onsite interactive workshop designed to introduce attendees to an internationally recognised and practical framework for supporting positive mental wellbeing
Signpost: Share information about your EAP programme (if you have one) and any other wellbeing resources your colleagues have access to
Podcast: Busting meditation and mindfulness myths with Dermot Whelan
Book: The Vitality Mark from lifestyle medicine practitioner Dr. Mark Rowe
Webinar: Using the Breath to Activate Your Brain for Success with Patrick McKeown
Online sessions: Well Place
Resources for Parents
Course: Compassionate Self-Care for Working Parents with Dr. Malie Coyne
Podcast: Parenting from Work with Dr. Colman Noctor
Webinar: Why Self-Care is Vital with Dr. Malie Coyne
Physical Wellbeing Ideas
Staff Relay: Sign up a team or multiple teams for the Staff Relay Series happening in the Phoenix Park in May. Tell them Workplace Wellbeing Ireland sent you!
Webinar: All the motivation you need to get active with Professor Niall Moyna
Classes: Physical activity workouts for everyone: parkHIIT @ Work
Live Workshop: ‘Physical Activity Goal Setting’ is an online or onsite interactive workshop designed to empower attendees to take control of their own physical wellbeing
DIY Step Challenge: download a ready to go spreadsheet
Gym Management: If you’re in the lucky position of having a gym onsite at your workplace then you want to have the best people in the business managing that gym. That’s Fitvision. If you’d like an introduction to Mark the CEO then drop me a line.
Stand more: Bag yourself a sit stand desk from my friends at AJ Products
Get Outdoors: Encourage colleagues to walk, run or cycle 5K on Workplace Wellbeing Day in their own time and to share a photo of them out and about
Weekend workouts: parkHIIT and parkrun organise free timed workouts every single weekend
Book: All You Need to Know About Menopause by Catherine O’Keeffe, the Wellness Warrior
nutrition Ideas
Online Course: Feeding Your Potential online nutrition programme from The Work Well Institute
Demo / Programme: Book a live healthy cooking demo or sign up to a 6 week perimenopause cooking programme with Fiona’s Food for Life
Podcast: How Nutrition Can Enable High-Performance with Kate McDaid
Gift Idea: A delicious fresh fruit and snack pack delivered by The Fruit People
Long term investment: Revolutionise your workplace canteen with Food Choice at Work’s scientifically proven programme that integrates environmental re-engineering and detailed nutrition education. If you’d like an introduction to Fiona the CEO just let me know.
Mental Wellbeing Ideas
Podcast: Let’s start a conversation about mental health with Barbara Brennan
Empower your colleagues: Managing Stress at Work to Improve Wellbeing with Dr. Jennifer Hynes
Suicide Awareness: Take Ohana’s free ZERO suicide training and gain the skills to save a life
Live Workshop: ‘Mental Skills’ with Brian Pennie will provide attendees with practical tools to help overcome challenges and embrace change
Pledge: The See Change Workplace Pledge
The Importance of Routine: How to Boost Energy, Increase Productivity and Eliminate Procrastination with Brian Pennie
Podcast: Improving Digital Wellbeing with Chris Flack of UnPlug
For Wellbeing Leaders (Current and Aspiring)
Wellbeing Communication: Live masterclass series going deep on strategic wellbeing communication commencing on May 9th.
Live Training: Trinity College Dublin’s Workplace Wellbeing professional education CPD programme is starting on May 8th. You can register your interest through this link.
Self-Paced Training: The 8 Steps to Embed a Culture of Health self-paced online course is open for new students and provides a sustainable long-term strategy for embedding a culture of health at your workplace
Remote / Hybrid Work: Draft your organisation’s remote / hybrid working policy with this template from Grow Remote
Webinar: 8 Step Framework for sustainable wellbeing programme design and implementation
Postgrad: In September 2024, we’ll welcome a new cohort of students to the Postgraduate Certificate in Workplace Wellness at Trinity College Dublin. We expect the application process will open very soon. Places will be at a premium so make sure you are on the Work Well mailing list as details will be announced here when the application process is open
Podcast: The Open Doors Initiative and DEI Strategies with Siobhan Sweeney
Webinar: All you need to know about ISO45003, the first global standard for psychological health and safety in the workplace
Workshop: ‘Sustainable Workplace Wellbeing’ is an online or onsite workshop designed to introduce senior leaders and wellbeing champions to an 8 Step Framework for developing, implementing and sustaining a wellbeing programme at their workplace
Domestic abuse: Find out all you need to know about Domestic Abuse Policies in Irish workplaces on our resource page.
For Workplace Champions
Training: Wellbeing should be a shared value across the organisation and not owned by one person or team. The Wellbeing Champion training programme empowers organisations to create or upskill a team of employees to work alongside the wellbeing leader in the development, delivery and improvement of wellbeing within their workplace.
Webinar: Mental Health Ally Programme at Accenture Ireland - Case Study
Workshop: ‘Emotional / Personal Effectiveness’. Brian Pennie will work with attendees to develop a strong values-based system that will guide us towards our true north, helping to make decisions and take actions towards the most important aspects of our lives
Training: Are you ready to support a friend, colleague, young person or family member who may be experiencing a mental health difficulty or in crisis with their mental health? Reach out to Donal at Mental Health First Aid Ireland to find out about their two day training programme
Menopause Champions: Empower a team of your colleagues to play an active, ongoing role in ensuring menopause initiatives remain lively and relevant at your workplace. Reach out to Catherine O’Keeffe, the Wellness Warrior.
Best of luck with your Workplace Wellbeing Day plans. Let me know if I can offer any further advice or help signpost you to other people or resources.
Yours in health,
Brian
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brian Crooke is a wellbeing educator, speaker and adviser, empowering Irish organisations to promote and sustain wellbeing within their workplaces.
He is the founder of The Work Well Institute and the Workplace Wellbeing Ireland community and is Course Director of the Postgraduate Certificate in Workplace Wellness at Tangent, Trinity College Dublin. He is the host of The Work Well Podcast.
In his spare time, Brian is bringing free resistance training to every county and community in Ireland through his parkHIIT social enterprise.
THE WORK WELL COMMUNITY
The Work Well Institute - Our online education hub.
Our Workshops - Bespoke and tailored options available.
The Work Well Forum - Our private LinkedIn group.
The Work Well Podcast - Conversations with thought leaders.
The Work Well Webinars - Our back catalogue of live panel discussions and expert led presentations.
Our Services - Talks, workshops and bespoke programmes.
The Work Well Newsletter - community news and updates.
parkHIIT @ Work - Tailored resistance training workouts: online or on site.