Every October, we unite to acknowledge Safe Work Month – a time to reinforce our commitment to building safe and healthy workplaces for everyone.
This year, we’ll focus on health and wellbeing, exploring different topics each week using our Work and Smile vision as a guide. Together, these themes will help us cultivate a supportive and thriving work environment.
- Week 1 - For Me (Personal): Discover personal tips for greater health and happiness.
- Week 2 - For We (Team): Learn to recognise when your team members may need support and introduce our Pulse Check in ProSafe.
- Week 3 - For Us (Programmed): Understand the importance of recognising achievements and learn about our new HSEQ Reward and Recognition Program for outstanding safety behaviours.
- Week 4 - For all of Us (Community): Focus on community engagement by planning an activity to support a cause (e.g. volunteer, charity, environmental etc.). Share your efforts by submitting a short video or photo by November 15 for a chance to win a special prize. Read more at the end of this post!
This week's focus: Personal health and wellbeing
Our recent Psychosocial Health Survey revealed that many of our people feel they can’t always get the downtime they need. In today’s fast-paced work environment, stress can accumulate quickly.
So, how do we achieve this downtime in our busy schedules?
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Mindfulness Instead of scrolling through your social feed, consider spending a few minutes on mindfulness. Studies show that just a few minutes of mindfulness practice can reduce stress, enhance mental clarity and improve emotional regulation. To explore mindfulness further, check out this TED Talk from Headspace co-founder Andy Puddicombe. You can also join our half-hour interactive webinar hosted by Bupa (book here) for practical tips and refer to our mindfulness toolbox talk. |
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Nutrition and mental health Believe it or not, what we eat has a direct impact on how we feel mentally and emotionally. Nutrients from food help produce mood, sleep, and stress-regulating chemicals like serotonin and dopamine. Poor nutrition can contribute to feelings of anxiety, depression, and fatigue. Listen to this insightful podcast by Converge and read our new toolbox talk on Food Choices and your mental health. Plus, download the Converge App and try the new PlateUp feature to set healthy eating goals. Details for downloading the Converge App for Internal Staff can be found here. |
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Movement matters Physical activity is crucial for mental wellbeing. Incorporate movement into your day, even during small moments such as waiting for the kettle to boil or a meeting to start. Simple stretches or desk exercises can make a big difference! For those looking to up their fitness game, we’ve partnered with Anytime Fitness to offer discounted memberships at participating clubs across Australia and New Zealand. Learn more about this through Programmed Advantage along with other great benefits on offer. |
Join us in supporting our local communities!
This Safe Work Month, we invite you and your team to participate in a meaningful activity that directly benefits your local community, inspired by our "For All Of Us" commitment.
Your efforts could earn your team one of three exciting prizes: a $500 e-gift card for the grand prize winner and two $250 e-gift cards for the runners-up!
Submissions will be judged based on community contribution (e.g., painting a community hall, cleaning up a park), social contribution (e.g., volunteering), or contribution to sustainable/environmental practices (e.g., collecting and recycling waste). We encourage you to get creative with your activities!
Start planning your activity now! To enter the competition, submit a short video or photo of you and/or your team taking part in your activity. Submissions close 15 November.
Stay tuned for more Safe Work Month content next week!
In the meantime, explore local Safe Work Month events and resources through your local Safety Regulator:
VIC | TAS | NSW | QLD | SA | WA | NT | NZ
