No images? Click here Welcome to the May 2020 eNews New on our websiteOur Workplace Wellbeing and COVID-19 Support page has been expanded to include eight sections, with more on the way as restrictions ease and workplaces consider their return to the office. The page is being updated weekly, in particular the webinar section as new ones come up each week.
June Conferences now streaming online include Green Building Day (16 June) and AIHS National Health & Safety Conference (22-24 June). June Events which your workplace may like to recognise and celebrate include Bowel Cancer Awareness Month (1-31 June), Flexible Working Day (10 June) and International Men's Health Week (15-21 June). We are also continually adding to the Resources section of our website. This section is visible only to WW members as part of your member benefits with us. Simply log in using the username & password we emailed you when you signed up with us. If you can't find that, contact Lynley. Members spotlightOur latest Members Spotlight shines on Lawrence Mitchell from RAW Energy – make sure to read to the end for a special reader offer! 😊 Sector spotlight - awards, conferences, events, webinars and workshopsFREE Anxiety Disorders in Children Webinar - Small Steps, a Program of WayAhead - Mental Health Association NSWFor the first time, WayAhead's Small Steps seminars, developed for parents & teachers to identify & address anxiety disorders in children, are now available online, instead of exclusively in schools. The webinar will cover signs, symptoms, types & treatments for anxiety disorders in children and touch on how to approach stressful current events, like the recent bushfires & COVID-19 outbreak. Sessions run for 1.5 hours, including a 30-minute Q&A. Although attendance is free, bookings via Eventbrite are essential as each webinar is capped at 30 participants. We are also able to facilitate private sessions for workplaces. If you or your workplace are interested, please contact Lynley who will put you in touch with the Small Steps team.
Workplace Wellness Festival, 18-19 August 2020 - VI Conferences, Special Offer for WW MembersWe’re excited to announce that Workplace Wellness Festival 2020 is going virtual! This is a world-first event bringing together over 3,000 attendees and 100+ expert speakers from Australia & overseas. Held online over two days, the virtual festival features a plenary stage, six conference tracks, panels, Q&A, roundtables, networking and virtual expo booths! To celebrate, the team are offering the first 1000 general tickets for just $50 (incl. GST) and are generously offering 50 FREE tickets to WW members in a first in, first served giveaway! Contact Lynley for the discount code. FREE COVID-19 Webinars - JonahGroupJonahGroup have generously made a series of webinars free for all via Zoom:
Be Well Plan 5-Week Program, Begins 30 May 2020 - SAHMRI Wellbeing & Resilience CentreTaking good care of your mental health & wellbeing has never been more important. This 5-week interactive training program will help you to develop your own Be Well Plan – your personalised wellbeing plan for both good as well as challenging times, based on the latest scientific evidence.
FREE Self Care School (Emergency Edition), Until 31 May 2020 - WOW ChaplaincySelf Care School (Emergency Edition) is a 14-day online video-based course designed to embed positive coping skills into your daily self care practices. The course is FREE to attend until this Sunday 31 May, courtesy of one of our members.
FREE Online Premiere of 'My Year of Living Mindfully', Until 3 June 2020 - Happiness & Its CausesStream the online premiere of the award-winning documentary about mindfulness and mental health, My Year of Living Mindfully. Keep watching after the film for an exclusive Q&A between director Shannon Harvey in conversation with A/Professor Craig Hassed from Monash University and Professor Amit Bernstein from the University of Haifa as featured in the film, moderated by Lynne Malcolm (host of ABC Radio ‘All in the Mind’). The film is FREE to stream until 3 June.
Exclusive Webinar Series: Managing Workplace Health & Safety in a COVID-19 Environment, 9, 12, 16 & 18 June 2020 - Intrepid Minds, Discount for WW membersThe Coronavirus pandemic continues to pose new challenges in the WHS space, and many organisations will face difficulties adjusting to the “new normal”. The "Managing Workplace Health and Safety in a COVID-19 Environment" webinar series is designed to address these challenges, and will bring together four experts across the WHS space (including one of our QLD members!) to help you prepare for an uncertain future. Book by 1 June to save over 20% with the early bird special, AND we have a discount for WW members on top of this! Contact Lynley for the discount code.
RecoverTogether Online Mental Health Hack Day, 16 June 2020 - SIRAThe State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) invites you to the Mentally Healthy Workplaces RecoverTogether Hack Day, an online ideas competition to find solutions to issues surrounding mental health at work. Participants will be placed into teams of five and will be provided with a mental health workplace problem to solve. Teams will then compete against each other to generate the best solution. There are prizes to be won, including a Master Class from the NSW Government's Behavioural Insights Unit. There is a limit of 100 participants, so RSVP without delay to secure your place!
Mental Health Matters Awards Nominations, Close 10 July 2020 - WayAheadDo you know a person or organisation doing exceptional work in mental health in NSW? The nominations for this year’s Mental Health Matters Awards are now open. The Awards celebrate the incredible work being done in communities across the state to promote wellbeing, raise awareness of mental health issues and improve the lives of people living with mental ill-health. With eight categories, including the WayAhead Workplaces Wellbeing Award, named in honour of our program, WayAhead is more committed than ever to celebrating the work done in NSW.
Mental Health Month Small Grant Applications, Close 31 July 2020 - WayAheadEach year a number of small grants are offered to assist the staging of mental health promotion activities or events in NSW during October’s Mental Health Month. There are five categories of grants available: General, Youth, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse, Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander, and LGBTIQA+. See here for more information including a Starter Kit and to Apply!
Staff Wellbeing Digital Bundle - Healthy Minds Program, Discount for WW MembersBring the Healthy Minds Program to your workplace via flexible delivery. With internet access, staff can view the presentations from their personal device at any time. The bundle is made up of four webinars, click each link to view a brief video introduction:
We have a special discount for WW members to access these webinars for themselves or their workplace. Please contact Lynley. Non-members can contact Leanne at Healthy Minds directly.
Financial Wellbeing Support - Financial Advice Matters, Special Offer for WW MembersWe know financial wellbeing is an issue for you because you told us in our members survey last month. The team at Financial Advice Matters (FAM) are looking to assist you in providing financial wellbeing support and do the heavy lifting. The 10 steps tool is a great way to get the conversation started. FAM are also happy to assist you with the cost-effective delivery of online modules over the coming months where your teams can remotely access the support they need. We know our long-time member Darren Smith, Managing Director, would happily take your call. Please reach out to the FAM team either through their website or email Darren directly, and ask them about the current 4-for-3 webinar offer!
FREE Mentally Healthy Workplaces Training and Expert WHS Advice - SafeWork NSWTo help keep NSW businesses safe & healthy, SafeWork's Mentally Healthy Workplaces training will be delivered online only at this time. It is important now more than ever, to take care of our mental health at work through training & support. For workers: Online mental health skills training - This 45-minute online training session run by Black Dog Institute will teach you how to manage mental health and boost wellbeing, whether you & your team work together in the office or are working from home. For managers: Online training & interactive workshops - This 1-hour evidence-based training session run by Black Dog Institute, will teach you how to identify the signs of mental ill-health among your staff and take effective action as a manager or company owner, to support them & your business. For business owners: WHS advice - This program delivered by phone & video conferencing provides guidance on how to manager teams remotely, how to help individuals through this challenging time, and handle sensitive workplace situations. It will also assist you in creating a mental health development plan.
National Mental Health and Wellbeing Pandemic Response Plan - National Mental Health CommissionThe National Mental Health Commission welcomes the National Cabinet’s commitment to support & respond to the National Mental Health and Wellbeing Pandemic Response Plan, and acknowledges the additional $48.1M investment the Australian Government has announced in support of the priority actions. Read the media release here Resource spotlightWhy Self-Care Is Vital to Our Mental Wellbeing - Action for HappinessLearn about 'The Exhaustion Funnel' and tips that can help us take care of ourselves.
Conference Resources 2020 - Australian Network on DisabilityThe presentations, transcripts & resources from the AND's 12th Annual National Conference: Stronger Together, held virtually earlier this month.
Supporting Employees With Disability Through New Ways of Working – Australian Network on DisabilityPractical tips for managers, supervisors, employees & teams to identify & implement workplace adjustments in this new world of work.
How to Fix Forward Head Posture - Back IntelligenceDr. Oliver, Chiropractor, shares three easy-to-do forward head posture exercises to help bring your posture into the right alignment.
How to Make the Right Decisions Under Pressure - BBCThere’s no roadmap for dealing with COVID-19, but even if we don’t know what decisions to make, there is a body of evidence on how best to make them.
Exercise Your Way to Wellbeing - Beyond BlueLearn how exercise positively influences your mental health, and, if you're feeling stuck, here are six tips for starting an exercise routine from scratch.
Guided Meditations - Black Dog InstituteEnjoy free guided meditations on YouTube: Loving Kindness, Body scan & Belly breathing.
Online Clinic - Black Dog InstituteBDI’s Online Clinic is a free mental health assessment tool, suitable for anyone over 18 years of age who is worried they may be developing a mental health problem, or would like to get a better understanding of their mental health.
FREE Friday Workplace Briefing & Safety-In-Brief Bulletin - FCW LawyersEvery Friday at 10:30am, FCW Lawyers run a free, simple, pragmatic 30-minute webinar to keep our business community updated on the critical news & developments affecting workplaces, giving attention to COVID-19 related WHS issues. They also have a new, succinct monthly bulletin Safety-In-Brief to keep the business community updated on the most critical & interesting developments to managing workplace safety.
Managing Risky Remote Employee Behaviour: Lessons to Learn - FCW LawyersTwo recent cases highlight the risks of remote work and what you need to manage them.
Various Resources - Get Healthy at WorkFind all the resources you need to help your workplace become a healthier environment.
How Your Family Can Stay Active in Lockdown - Heart FoundationTypes of physical activity, and surprising ways your family can meet the challenge to keep active.
How Leaders Should Talk About Job Insecurity During COVID-19 - HRMA guide to navigating the language around business & job insecurity during the COVID-19 crisis.
Remote Leadership: 6 Tips for Removing the Blindfold - HRMHRM speaks with two experts about how to help your leaders adjust management of a workforce that is operating remotely.
Workforce Sustainability: COVID-19 Recovery - icareicare commissioned a literature review on the effects of past public health events and created an employer toolkit to support NSW businesses safe return to the workplace. Download the research report and Part 1 of the Toolkit (Part 2 coming soon).
Activities for a Stronger Mental Wellbeing - Queensland HealthBuild your personal mental wellbeing activity deck by selecting from a collection of daily activities.
Kindness Resources - Random Acts of Kindness FoundationDuring difficult times, we often see the most beautiful acts of kindness. If you’re home and looking for things to do to keep busy, here's a list of resources to help.
EQUILIBRIUM: Your Total Wellbeing & Resilience Guide - RAW EnergyA four-part digital wellbeing magazine filled with independent insights and practical steps to help you achieve EQUILIBRIUM & wellbeing in your life, created by our members at RAW Energy. Download your free copy!
Online Self Check-In - SuperFriendSuperFriend has developed this FREE online learning module, allowing you to do a quick wellbeing self check-in, with some great wellbeing tips & tricks to help you navigate this strange period.
Why You Should Start Meditating in Quarantine - The ManualMeditation helps with with any type of stress by giving your brain a chance to fix itself. Needless to say, our current global situation makes meditation more important than it’s ever been.
WorkLife eMag: Special Coronavirus Edition - Workplace Mental Health InstituteWisdom, tips & proven strategies from 18 subject matter experts around the world to help people, managers, businesses & children prepare & face head-on the threat posed by the coronavirus. Research spotlightSeeking Participants: Global StressFactor Study - Future of Work InsightsWith such significant change across the globe to the way we work during recent weeks due to COVID-19, the Wellbeing@Work Event team want to take a barometer of employees across the world to discover the real impact on individuals & organisations. Be part of the largest global workplace stress & wellbeing study and receive your FREE Personality Profile Report.
Seeking Participants: Digital Disaster Training Platform Development Survey - Phoenix AustraliaPhoenix Australia are seeking the urgent support of PHNs, GPs, other health professionals & community workers supporting the recovery of individuals & communities following a disaster (natural & man-made), to better understand your training needs, what resources you wish you'd had access to and what would be helpful right now. Complete the short online survey here.
Seeking Participants: Survey of Health and Wellbeing, Monitoring the Impact of COVID-19 - Swinburne University of TechnologyWhat are the impact of social distancing, self-isolation, and quarantine on our health, psychological wellbeing and relationships? Swinburne University of Technology are looking for participants to undertake surveys to help answer these questions. Ideally participants will undertake three surveys, released 6-8 weeks apart. Survey One is now open and can be completed in the comfort of your own home and will take roughly 30 minutes.
The Harmful Workplace Bias That Makes Us Feel Warm & Fuzzy - HRMUnconscious biases that come from positive feelings (not negative feelings) can still be unfair, and might be more difficult to prevent.
The Real Reason We're All So Tired: Unpacking Video Call Fatigue - HRMHRM has rounded up some interesting explanations for why online communication can be so tiring and looks at how we can reignite our energy levels to make meaningful connections in a virtual workplace.
"It's not looking good": SA Wellness Data Reveals COVID-19 Toll - InDailyNormal levels of wellbeing have halved in the South Australian community over the past month, according to an analysis of visits to SAHMRI's Be Well Plan website.
Homeworker Wellbeing Survey: Interim Results - Institute for Employment Studies, UKIn March 2020 IES launched an online survey of homeworkers to measure their wellbeing. This slide deck presents interim results from the first 500 responses.
Positive Effects of Exercise on the Brain - News MedicalExercise can have a positive effect on physical & mental health, however, many people have not heard about the full range of benefits to the brain.
ANU Study Highlights Job Security and Safety Anxieties - NSCA FoundationA study from the Australian National University (ANU) has found that two-thirds of Australians feel anxious or worried about their own & others’ safety. Researchers say the findings paint a picture of hardship and distress, but also resilience.
Expert Calls for Frontline Mental Health Preservation - NSCA FoundationAssociate Professor David Lawrence, a mental health researcher at the University of Western Australia, has called for essential frontline health workers to be given time to process, rest and recover after each shift caring for coronavirus patients, based on cases of PTSD he has researched among Australia's emergency workers & bushfire fighters.
World Happiness Report 2020 - Sustainable Development Solutions NetworkThe World Happiness Report is a landmark survey of the state of global happiness that ranks 156 countries by how happy their citizens perceive themselves to be. This year's report digs more deeply into how the social, urban and natural environments combine to affect our happiness. Articles of interest21 Days Into a Pandemic: One Business' Digital Diary - HRMHRM asked Mahlab, a media agency in Sydney, to keep a diary during the first few weeks of COVID-19, beginning from when remote work became mandatory.
Should I Stop Using Zoom? - Mindful LeaderYou might be hearing some concerning information about Zoom, the video conferencing platform many people have turned to during this pandemic. Here is how one organisation is addressing the concerns.
'Zoom Fatigue' is Taxing the Brain. Here's Why That Happens - National GeographicVideo calls seemed an elegant solution to remote work, but they wear on the psyche in complicated ways. Something a little different...Top 10 Work from Home Fails - DonesafeFolk across the globe share their favourite #WFHFails during video conferencing calls, phone calls and new home vs. work settings. Enjoy!
The Great Realisation - Probably TomfooleryA bed time story of how coronavirus started, and why hindsight is 2020.
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