Wellness Culture, Mental Health Support, and Wellbeing Week!
At Kubus, we take the mental health of our employees very seriously. Wellbeing is always a top priority for us, and we encourage our team to take care of themselves both inside and outside of work. We are always flexible and adaptable when required, and take feedback on board with new, strategic approaches to working implemented where possible. For example, once we were made aware of employee feelings toward the 40-hour working week, we were able to make the necessary changes and we now operate a 37-hour week, with hybrid working included. We are very responsive when issues are brought to the fore and try our best to accommodate the changing needs of employees where possible.
We have an exclusive online wellbeing center available to our employees 24/7/365 including exercise videos, healthy recipes, financial wellbeing support, and video tutorials to help with mental wellbeing. We also provide an Employee Assistance program, with access to 6 free counselling sessions either over the phone or online, covering a wide array of topics from poor mental health to family issues. If it’s impacting your wellbeing, it’s always good to talk about it, and this resource is readily available to help those who need it.
Mental Health First Aiders
In addition to the general employee support services, we also have five MHFAiders available during working hours, to provide support and assistance to those who may be struggling. Every member of this team has completed the official Mental Health First Aid England training course and is fully certified to assist in a crisis situation. Kubus’ journey with MHFA England began in 2019, when HR business partner Liv Duncan introduced the concept to us. Liv was the first person to become MHFA certified and has been the key driver of expanding this concept further within the business.
In recent years we have seen more people become willing to open up and talk about their issues with poor mental health, and this is something we encourage enormously here at Kubus. In addition to the MHFAiders, and the above resources, all of our management teams have also received a level of training in mental health awareness, so they can better support their teams. This has done a number of things, It has made it easier for employees to speak up and access the help we have available, it’s encouraged them to feel safer to come forward with problems, and has facilitated easier communication when requesting support with work related issues.
“Becoming a MHFAider was only ever so I could help others, but in the last 12 months I have had my own personal struggles, and I was surprised at how much my MHFA knowledge helped me. For me, having my network of friends and family around was pivotal to managing my issues. I believe it’s essential to bring MHFA into a business setting, so people who may not have that network at home can still receive invaluable support.”
Katy Maley, Vendor Manager and MHFAider, Kubus.
Wellbeing Week at Kubus!
Although wellbeing is a priority for us every day, we put a special focus onto Wellbeing Week this year to further highlight the importance of taking care of yourself. We have made space to enjoy some exiting activities, whilst of course making sure to take regular breaks and keep hydrated in the unusually hot weather.
Smoothie Bikes with Outspoken Cycles
What better way to cool down in the hot weather than with a refreshing, freshly cycled smoothie? On Tuesday, the lovely team from Outspoken Cycles brought us feel-good movement and our five a day with their Urban Smoothie Bike event!
Taking regular breaks is hugely important to your wellbeing, as it can help to prevent burnout and reduce stress levels. We have a variety of snacks delivered every Monday, with everything from crisps and chocolate to a variety of fruits, and we routinely encourage our employees to stop and have a break. It was a great change of pace to see the team stepping into the sunshine throughout the day to whizz up their smoothies, and our special guest Ben Turnbull from Pentera joined in the fun too! Although not all breaks are as exciting as this one was, they should still be encouraged in the workplace as a vital element of daily wellbeing.
Nutrition for Wellbeing Workshop with Lauren Windas
There is an undeniable link between gut health, mood, and mental wellbeing. Taking care of your health is a key element to mastering your wellbeing, and ensuring you are eating a healthy balanced diet is the first step.
Lauren Windas is a renowned registered Nutritionist (BA Hons, mBANT, CNHC), Naturopath, Author, and co-founder of ARDERE a holistic wellbeing company, specialising in a private wellness clinic and natural self-care products.
We were very lucky to receive a 30-minute virtual workshop given by Lauren on the subject of nutrition for wellness, and how to regulate your mood through your diet. Within this workshop, we learned a multitude of interesting facts about the benefits of different food groups, how certain foods can affect your mood, and how to balance your plate to make sure you are getting all the nutrients you need. It was very informative and will certainly help our team stay happy and healthy.
Wellbeing Week Wins
Throughout the week, we have been encouraging our team to take greater pleasure in their mindfulness moments. It’s important to be present during down-time, making sure you are engaging fully with your hobbies, and take time to properly recharge from the stressors of the week. In celebration of intentional unwinding, we asked our team to send us their moments of mindfulness from the week. Here are some of our favorites!
Food Truck Friday
In the spirit of bringing everyone together, on the last Friday of every month we have a team day in the office, and our lovely food truck, That Fish Guy, visits us for a team lunch. This week, it was Mexican food!
Taking care of our team will always be our priority here at Kubus, and as you can see, we have had an action-packed week of wellbeing activities. For more information on what we got up to this week, had over to our LinkedIn or Facebook to see more.
