Mental wellbeing – looking after your team and yourself
Weeks of COVID 19 lockdown and its restrictions on people’s movement and social interaction, coupled with the economic impact on businesses not being able to operate as usual, has created stress and uncertainty for many New Zealanders.
As businesses and their owners navigate the challenges presented by an unprecedented situation and the knock-on effect on operations and team members, ensuring workplace support of mental wellbeing has become an increasing priority.
We’ve put together a list of some of the existing and newly launched initiatives and programmes designed to provide essential help and practical advice for you and your team.
The initiative developed by All Right? in partnership with the Mental Health Foundation offers tools to help people cope with COVID 19-related stress and aids parents wanting to talk to their primary-school aged children about their mental health and wellbeing.
Developed by former All Black, Sir John Kirwan, the Mentemia app which is free, presents a range of evidence-based ideas and tools to help with learning how to be well, and stay well and take control of mental wellbeing. It offers advice on how to deal with and manage common and everyday stressors to get people feeling more energised and more productive. The app also offers advice for businesses in dealing with managing team and workplace mental wellbeing.
The app includes a health journal, resources and self-awareness tools to help manage emotional wellbeing. People are able to join its online community to connect with and support others, and watch daily webinars about health and wellbeing
Staying on Track is an e-therapy course that is housed within Just a Thought, an online cognitive behavioural therapy tool and offers practical strategies to cope with the stress and disruption to everyday life caused by COVID-19.
The Foundation is a well-established provider of free information and training and advocates for policies and services that support people with experience of mental illness, as well as for their families/whānau and friends.
Its workplace mental wellbeing programmes, resources and campaigns help employers take an active approach to create flourishing workplaces.
The service is providing advice and information during COVID-19 and useful top tips to get through.
Wanderble offers a guided mindfulness audio programme designed to ease anxiety by helping people to home in on the present. The programme includes mindful handwashing techniques, information on minimising the emotional impact of constantly absorbing news, switching off from work after working from home and tips for better sleep.
Wanderble Workplace's evidence-backed programme offers advice on how to reduce stress and improve focus for a happier workplace.
Ministry of Health (MOH)
The MOH has a vast amount of information on resources available to support personal mental wellbeing as well as how to offer help to others during COVID-19.
The site presents up-to-date information on the latest tools and initiatives which can be accessed.