NEWS MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS
If you, or someone you know, has been affected by a mental health issue and you need further help and support, contact the Samaritans free of charge on 116 123.
MY STORY Michelle Laverick,
“
Derek Jones, Kuoni
‘Working environment affects staff wellbeing’
Travel executives at the roundtable agreed the working environment employers provide plays a vital role in their wellbeing. Kuoni, Travel Counsellors, and
dnata Travel have, in recent years, moved to more modern offices. Dnata’s John Bevan said moving
its headquarters from Preston to Leyland, Lancashire, was an opportunity to design an office space that promotes employee wellbeing, among other initiatives. Te new office has state-of-
the-art air-conditioning, plenty of natural light and is single-use plastic-free. Bevan said dnata kept staff
informed throughout the move. “On the day we announced it, we put everyone on coaches to come down to this building site,” he said. New starters are “taken on
an induction tour to understand
travelweekly.co.uk
how the building works.” Bevan added employees are
encouraged to eat away from their desks and walk to access printers, so they are encouraged to socialise with colleagues. While open-plan offices with
plenty of communal areas are increasingly popular among staff, Kuoni’s Jones said firms should be aware that one size does not fit all. “Te assumption is that
everybody is going to sit at the tables and get on. But it’s really interesting the personality types that reveal themselves in that kind of office space.” As well as having communal
areas, there are quiet spaces in Kuoni’s offices for those who want to take time for themselves. “We tend to default and put
everybody into the same category,” he said. “Te reality is, they’re not.”
25 JULY 2019 23 If you would like to contribute anything to T ravel Weekly’s
Mental Health Matters series, contact Natalie Marsh at
natalie.marsh@
travelweekly.co.uk
head of sales, marketing and membership, HF Holidays, and vice-chair of the Association of Women Travel Executives
On August 27, 2017, in the blink of an eye,
my life changed for ever. My husband, soulmate and best friend died suddenly in a tragic accident. Why him? He was my rock! How could I go on without him? How could I bring my girls up without him? How could I tell them? Breaking the news to our
two beautiful daughters was the hardest thing I will ever have to do. Not only had my world had fallen apart, so had theirs. The first few weeks of this
journey are a complete blur. I was on autopilot and everyone was telling me what I needed to do next. This lack of control knocked my confidence massively. I followed instructions, built protective barriers and buried all my emotions. The days leading up to the
funeral were the worst. I needed to write a eulogy for my husband. I’d committed to doing it, but the reality of writing it was very different.
Michelle Laverick In the months that followed,
however busy we were, the feeling of loss and loneliness was immense. An old friend sent me a link to a charity called WAY (Widowed and Young) – I was finally in touch with others who were in a similar situation. Sharing experiences and how I
was feeling helped and it made me realise that my all-round health was vital to get me through this journey. My happy place is escaping to the mountains. The fresh air and exercise are my perfect medicine. Over the past 22 months,
there have been many ups and downs and some dark days. Life has a completely new perspective now, and happiness is at the heart of it. After experiencing what I have, I believe I can now offer so much support to others. Just having someone to talk to who can understand, be supportive and show they care can make all the difference. As the sayings go, ‘it’s good to talk’ and a ‘trouble shared is a trouble halved’.
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