How our wellbeing week allows staff to refresh and recharge, and the other ways we are helping our employees to support members and partners.
One of the most positive trends in recent years has been the increased acceptance that mental health should be treated as seriously as physical health.
So, just as rest and relaxation are often necessary to aid recovery from a physical ailment, it can also positively impact our mental well-being.
The recent years of worldwide pandemic, followed by a cost of living crisis and a rise in global conflict have precipitated an increase in anxiety, depression and post traumatic stress.
We are committed to supporting our employee’s mental health, and we therefore provide a package of staff benefits including flexible working, paid volunteering and access to our mental wellbeing platform Plumm, a 24-hour, free and confidential service. In addition, we also observe two wellbeing weeks each year.
Our new Conference and Trainings Assistant, Hannah Smith summed up what wellbeing week means to her: “As a new starter at CFG, I was amazed to find out how much CFG looks after their staff, and wellbeing week is the cherry on top of that cake.”
“It’s a brilliant way to truly focus on your wellbeing without being concerned about receiving a heap of emails while you’re out of office, and the whole company can come back refreshed and in a better headspace.”
Our next wellbeing week will be from Monday 29 July to Friday 2 August. During this period the CFG office will be closed, and staff will be using this time to rest and focus on their mental wellness.
Wellbeing weeks differ from normal annual leave. There’s not the usual pressure to hand over work to colleagues or the stress of arriving back to a mountain of internal emails, as everyone is away from the office together.
What does wellbeing week mean for you, our members?
Whilst we believe it is vital for our employees to have this time away from their desks, we want to reassure our members that we will still be here if you need us.
If your enquiry is not urgent and can wait until our return on Monday 5 August, then please email as you normally would. If you’re not sure who to direct your enquiry to, email our general enquiries inbox.
If you need to urgently talk to a member of the team, access advice, or discuss an urgent matter, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
We are still providing limited phone cover for those times when an email just isn't quick enough. You can phone 0845 3453192 and leave a message. One of us will be there to help.
In the meantime, if you have any queries or questions about our wellbeing weeks, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
Investing in our own wellbeing
According to the VCSE Sector Barometer, around 40% of charities experienced recruitment difficulties in the past year. With that in mind, it is vital that charities do all they can to retain their existing staff and provide them with adequate support with their wellbeing.
As Hannah noted: “I think wellbeing week will have a huge positive impact on staff recruitment and retention, especially when it comes to welcoming the next generation to the workplace – with the increased emphasis on looking after your mental health.”
A recent Deloitte study found that half of UK workers have experienced burnout symptoms following the pandemic, and this can lead to increased sickness absence and staff turnover.
As Laura Millar, CFG’s Head of HR said: “In addition to simply being the right thing to do, we believe that allowing staff this time to rest will enable the team to come back from their break refreshed and ready to continue supporting our members and partners.”
“Having this intentionally planned time for our employees to recuperate after a busy first half of this year, especially after our sold-out Annual Conference, is vital.”
“However, it’s important that wellbeing is something that is managed well every day, not just during wellbeing week. That’s why we offer Plumm Health for our team, as well as four paid volunteering days, and have qualified mental health first aiders at CFG.”