Workplace Wellness is a multi-billion pound industry. It has become a corporate buzzword synonymous with luring the best and brightest employees with promises of kale smoothies on tap, and daily yoga classes at your extraordinarily flexible fingertips.
But what happens when that shiny workplace wellbeing programme turns out to be just a giant Elastoplast on the gaping wound of toxic company culture?
A London-based GP is on a mission to turn workplace wellbeing on its head through a revolutionary Social Enterprise Wellbeing programme which will combine her expertise in medicine and mental health with her passion for using creativity as a way to quieten and soothe the mind.
Founder of Wellgood Wellbeing Dr Zoe Watson said: “I came up with the idea for Wellgood Wellbeing after having had terrible workplace wellbeing experiences myself – both in the NHS and private healthcare sector. The irony is that the so-called caring professions are in fact some of the worst offenders when it comes to looking after their own staff’s wellbeing”
She went on to say: “The problem with many workplace wellbeing programmes is that they don’t tackle the root cause of most workplace stress – toxic company culture. You can shower your employees with freebies and massage their gristly, tense shoulders into next week – but if your company doesn’t create a culture in which it is *genuinely* acceptable to talk about your mental health struggles without any repercussions, then you will never have happy, healthy employees.”
“At Wellgood Wellbeing – we put employees front and centre in their wellbeing journey. They are in charge and can customise the programme to exactly their needs. This helps them feel valued, in control and trusted. No more “Managing Stress At Work” seminars. Instead we ask *WHY* is there stress in your workplace and what can we do to help you fix it?”
And the “wellbeing disruptor” doesn’t stop there. Dr Zoe’s new business is in fact a social enterprise – the purpose of which is to bring her customisable and consistent wellbeing programme straight to frontline NHS staff and key workers through offering a subsidised membership rate of £5 per month.
“We are currently crowdfunding to build our multi-media, engaging and fun platform which will offer a range of wellbeing support materials – from mindful craft tutorials, evidence based health articles, greener living tips, yoga and guided meditation videos and so much more. It’s a really exciting project and we can’t wait to get it into the hands of those who need it most.
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London based GP on a mission to revolutionise workplace wellbeing
