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February / March

During this terrible time, our thoughts are with our friends, family and colleagues in Christchurch who are coping with the aftermath of yet another major earthquake. We send them our love and know they are keeping themselves safe and working together in their communities to support each other as the city recovers.

When the time is right to seek out information and guidance, these links below may offer some support, advice and understanding to help people get through:

  • Moving on the spot - from Toronto Public Health, originally designed for classroom use, these simple on-the-spot exercises can help you be active if it's not currently safe to move around

 

Mauri ora,
Shaughan Woodcock,
Acting Working Well Manager

Contents

Company Profile - ANZ New Zealand

In this issue we profile ANZ’s new health and wellbeing programme and their recent experience of Working Well seminars - customised to complement the company’s global health and wellbeing programme.
Full Article

In the News

Maintaining your wellbeing in the face of disaster
(2011, February)
Full Article
The Mental Health Foundation has adapted its “winning ways to wellbeing” model to aid people in Christchurch to cope in the aftermath of the 6.3 earthquake that devastated the city yesterday.

Government spruces up its online workplace stress and fatigue pages
(2011, January)
Website
Information about stress, fatigue and conflict in the workplace is more comprehensive now with a revamp of the Department of Labour’s web pages.
Of significance to the Mental Health Foundation is the link to the Working Well website - the only New Zealand-based workplace training programme listed on the DOL’s pages.

New Zealanders voted mental or physical wellbeing goals as four of their top six focuses for 2011
(2010, December) NZ Herald
Full Article
In a NZ Herald poll at the end of last year, New Zealanders voted mental or physical wellbeing goals as four of their top six focuses for 2011. Exercising more (55 per cent), losing weight (49 per cent), improving health (43 per cent) and reducing stress (38 per cent) were of more importance to people than finding a new job (20 per cent) or getting married (3 per cent).

Praise for MHF’s Working Well Programme
(2010, December) Employment Today
Full Article
Working Well is being described favourably in the latest issue of Employment Today magazine. An article about tackling depression in the workplace says New Zealand is lucky to have the “Working Well team that provides training and resources in workplaces aimed at giving managers and staff the skills and understanding to deal with mental health disorders work."

Sickness costs country $5b a year, says Treasury
(2010, November) NZ Herald
Full Article
Five Treasury reports recently published show lower productivity from sick workers carrying on regardless costs between $700 million and $8.2 billion a year, possibly dwarfing the $4.7 billion price tag of measurable costs of public hospitals, reduced working hours and sick leave. The reports look at physical and mental illnesses; they exclude the costs of accidents and pregnancy.

Working Well Toolkit

A range of mental health topics have now been added to the online section of the Working Well online community. Organisations wanting to take advantage of the online material through the members only section can do so here.

Membership benefits include a 15% discount on workplace training packages and up-to-date legislative news.

Research / Resources

Preventing Workplace Bullying
(2011, February) Caponecchia C and Wyatt A
Full Article
Guide
An evidence-based guide to preventing workplace bullying for managers and employees. Workplace bullying can damage both staff and the organisation they work for.

Workplace Physical Activity Resource Kit
Workplace physical activity initiatives are a good investment as employees’ health is directly related to the costs of sick leave and absenteeism. Participants in physical activity programs report improve mental concentration, being more alert, enjoying work more than non-participants and experienced a better rapport with co-workers.
Full Article
Resource

Join Working Well

Working Well members gain access to a secure login area with a number of features and benefits,15% discount on workplace training packages, conferences and public workshops! Join Working Well today.

Purchase your copy of the Working Well Toolkit today for only $19.95 incl GST (excl p&p)

Top Page last updated: 25 February 2011