Throughout the week, the team were encouraged to connect with nature and identify ways to support their wellbeing. Sessions inspired and promoted good mental health practices, like setting working hour boundaries, taking annual leave and regular breaks away from desks during the workday.
“These little actions have the biggest impact on our general wellbeing, but they are easily forgotten, especially when so many of us are working from home,” says Rebecca Gosling, HR Manager who organised the week-long activities.
The week began with a delivery of wellbeing boxes for all Alpha employees across the globe, encouraging the team to unwind, refocus and re-energise. Activities that followed included going out and experiencing nature, sharing our stories and ways of coping. We held Resilience Training, by Rachel Lyons, an Introduction to Mindfulness, by Ian Dawson, Jen Macapagal and Anesh Jagtiani, and an Introduction to Cognitive Hypnotherapy, by Dr Kate Blackford PhD.
“Resilience Training couldn’t have come at a better time,” said Priscilla Chua, Account Director at Alpha. “It’s our busiest time of year so the training presented a good reminder on how to perform at our peak.”
Leanne Forder, Head of Programme Management at Alpha, agrees, saying, “Rachel shared techniques during the Resilience Training that we can easily implement daily or in times of need.”
“Calm”, “Refreshed”, “Energised”, and “Relaxed” were some of the words used to describe how employees felt after the Introduction to Cognitive Hypnotherapy session.
“I knew I enjoyed it and learnt from it because I couldn’t stop talking about it to my wife. Understanding anchors and how they work, and seeing a demonstration was useful. I’ll be practising this by creating some anchors, especially energising ones to get me up and moving away from my desk,” adds Leanne.
The week proved refreshing for all, as team members took time to re-energise and focus.
“It was nice to see colleagues set aside time to rest and check in with one another,” says Vivienne Ng, Business Development Manager at Alpha. “Although people do this outside of MHAWeek too, the additional activities during the week encouraged more conversations, and that sparked some good energy overall,” she adds.
Reflecting on the week-long activities, Nadine Vaughan, E-learning Administrator at Alpha, says, “I’ve been able to learn more about my colleagues. Their stories and coping strategies have inspired me, and the takeaway techniques from some of the sessions, in particular being mindful of others and how I can be more supportive, were really helpful.”
“I always enjoy this week – I gain a deeper understanding of mental health, of myself, of my colleagues and always come away thinking how wonderful it is that we are all unique and individual.” Leanne Forder, Head of Programme Management
“I always enjoy this week – I gain a deeper understanding of mental health, of myself, of my colleagues and always come away thinking how wonderful it is that we are all unique and individual.”
Leanne Forder, Head of Programme Management
“Supporting each other is a key part of who we are as a team. That’s why we have ongoing support and tools that are available for our employees,” says Rebecca.
“As well as a 24 hour International Employee Assistance Programme, Occupational Health Support, Wellness Action Plans and Stress Risk Assessments for those returning to work, our internal line-managers are equipped to pick up on triggers that show whether someone needs support, they’re also encouraged to discuss employee wellbeing in 1-2-1’s.
“This year we will be increasing the number of trained Mental Health First Aider’s at Alpha Development, too. Mental Health awareness and employee wellbeing sit towards the top of our agenda and are embedded into our values. We have shared working practises and an open, honest, and supportive culture that allows us to be mindful of ourselves, our clients and each other.”
