CHAMBER NEWS
How the Peak District can support mental health, wellbeing and resilience
With the Peak District National Park on our doorstep, East Midlands businesses are lucky to have one of the UK’s best natural environments – once lockdown restrictions allow – to use for teambuilding activities. Tracy Duggan (pictured), director of health and wellbeing consultancy Skills Local and a board member of the Business Peak District representative group, explains why it will be important.
T
he benefits of exercise on our mental health is well known, and throughout the pandemic the Government has encouraged at least one hour’s exercise every day.
Despite this, it’s clear that with the ongoing
restrictions and compliance with social distancing, our mental health is suffering. The isolation of working from home, pressures from home- schooling and lack of face-to-face social interactions are definitely take their toll. Who would have thought Zoom fatigue was a thing? We need to take a deeper dive into how we can
support our people and businesses as we come out of lockdown. The repercussions of poor mental health, if we aren’t careful could be hugely detrimental to our economy – with pre-Covid Deloitte research suggesting it already stood at up to £45bn a year. As a practitioner for the We Invest in Wellbeing
accreditation offered by Investors in People and Wraw Index for workplace resilience and wellbeing, as well as being a mental health first aid instructor, I’ve seen first-hand the impact of the pandemic on many employees and small business owners. We need to consider how we support ourselves
and our workforce as we come out of lockdown. The pandemic has disrupted so much of our working lives and will impact the way we work forever.
RESILIENCE SUPPORT FROM BUSINESS PEAK DISTRICT Throughout the year, Business Peak District has hosted a series of webinars to support local businesses with resilience techniques and update them on the various funding and support available to them. But clearly there’s still more to be done as we come out of the lockdown. There needs to be more focus on the support
available to help businesses with the longer-term impact of the pandemic and consideration to how we retain some of the good practices. This includes more flexible working, helping manage more
remote ways of working and embracing how blended working arrangements can encourage a better work-life balance. Businesses need to consider a more proactive
approach to mental health and wellbeing. A recent poll in People Management found that only half of firms have a company-wide strategy to support the health and wellbeing of the workforce. Mental health and wellbeing need to become integral to how you support yourself and your staff. It’s recommended that every adult should
partake in up to 75 to 150 minutes of exercise a week. Activities such as walking, hiking or riding a bike provide a great way for all of us to get our daily of exercise. And what better place to do this than the Peak District?
TEAMBUILDING IN THE PEAK DISTRICT The Peak District and the Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA) provide an abundance of options on our doorstep, and businesses can use this natural environment. As we come out of lockdown, there are various
teambuilding and corporate sponsorship opportunities open to businesses that want to give something back, not only to their people but also supporting our natural environment. For smaller teams and individuals just wanting
to explore the park, the rangers can organise a host of walks that are suitable and accessible to all. You can benefit from the many cycle paths, with cycle hire a cost-effective and fun way to explore the national park. There are also a number of health walks and
volunteering options available and this is a great way to support our local area while providing a clear purpose – which is proving really important following the pandemic. What is clear is that introducing physical
activity, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, encouraging social connections and providing purpose are proven strategies we can employ to support mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.
Business Peak District is a free-to-join organisation for businesses in and around the Peak District National Park. Its aim is to be a
community, voice and lobby for its 650 members from a diverse range of sectors. The Chamber is the accountable body of the group.
For more information on joining, visit
www.businesspeakdistrict.co m/get-involved
40 business network April 2021
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