Next in our series of articles focused on Workplace Wellbeing is Southern Cross Hospitals. Southern Cross Hospitals was the winner of the inaugural Healthy Families Invercargill Workplace Wellbeing Award in 2017. They also entered the award in 2019 having undertaken further activities aimed at enhancing the culture of workplace wellbeing. We asked the organisation to update us on what their staff have been up to since winning that first award. Read below to find out what they had to say.

Since winning the Healthy Families Invercargill Workplace Wellbeing Award at the Westpac Southland Business Excellence Awards in 2017, Southern Cross Invercargill has continued to emphasise this with a greater focus not only on nutrition and physical activity, but overall wellbeing. Healthy lunches are on offer, weekly group exercise sessions, lunchtime group walks,  juice shots provided by the kitchen, family friendly ‘give it a go’ days, a massage clinic, yoga/stretching/breathing classes, and one on one nutrition/exercise/mindfulness/sleep consults with Kelsi (a Sport and Exercise Nutritionist) are all available at the staff’s convenience.

It’s so great to see the small changes that have been made over time. This has really helped create a shift in people’s mind-set. Staff are now choosing to take care of themselves in the way of wellbeing because they want to, not because they feel they have to. It has taken some time to get to this place, which emphasises the importance of small, consistent changes over time, and the results that can come from this. There is no quick fix. When staff set out small realistic goals and achieve them, it provides so much more ambition and drive to want to change and become the most healthy version of yourself. This impacts positively not only for the employee themselves, but the employer as well. Staff are often happier within their work environment, more engaged and performing well. They work for a business that values them. That in itself is a great measure of success.  

Wellbeing is now just embedded in our culture here at Southern Cross Invercargill. If you can provide some resources and time into creating a culture of wellbeing within your business, the results speak for themselves. Start small and work your way up. J

Lisa’s testimony: “I have been consulting with Kelsi for the past 2 years. She has helped me completely transform my eating habits, thoughts towards my own wellbeing and with her support I have dynamically increased my fitness. Southern Cross Hospital Invercargill is committed to ensuring employees’ wellbeing is taken care of”.

Article added: Tuesday 03 November 2020