Workplace Wellbeing: Most of us benefit from connecting with colleagues in the office

The focus of this year’s National Workplace Wellbeing Day is on celebrating interaction at work, with companies across the country organising events to bring employees together and foster a sense of belonging

Health and wellbeing manager at Irish Rail Sharon Dally: "We have quarterly connect meetings, where everyone gets together for breakfast, or for tea, coffee, and scones, to have a catch-up and to listen to a guest speaker." Picture:: Gareth Chaney.

This year’s National Workplace Wellbeing Day is Wednesday, April 30. The business representative group Ibec started the event 11 years ago, and has seen a significant shift towards people prioritising their mental, physical, and emotional health at work.

Patrick Haslett is the product manager of KeepWell, the programme through which Ibec helps businesses to implement workplace health, wellbeing, and safety practices.

Things were different 11 years ago, he says. “The day was conceived of as a moment to refocus on the supports that benefit employees’ social, mental, and physical wellbeing,” Haslett says. 

“It began with an emphasis on physical health and offerings like gym memberships and biometric screenings. But it has expanded in to a more holistic approach that includes mental health, work-life balance, and emotional wellbeing. Employers are increasingly investing in flexible work arrangements, mindfulness programmes, and inclusive workplace cultures to support overall wellbeing.”

Patrick Haslett:“Ibec interviewed some 1,000 employees in Ireland in a recent survey and found a shift in how highly they value workplace wellness. Some 69% said it had become more important to them in the past three years.”

There’s a growing demand from their employees. “Ibec interviewed some 1,000 employees in Ireland in a recent survey and found a shift in how highly they value workplace wellness,” says Haslett. 

“Some 69% said it had become more important to them in the past three years.”

National Workplace Wellbeing Day has a different theme every year, and this year’s is to celebrate connection.

“We want to highlight the importance and joy of simple human interaction,” says Haslett. “In an era of AI, hybrid working, and an always-on culture, pausing for moments of connection can re-energise teams and enhance overall wellbeing.”

Connection ‘vital’

Jill Pearson, assistant professor in work and organisational psychology at the University of Limerick, says connecting with others is “vital” for health and wellbeing.

“Many of us suffered when we were deprived of the opportunity to connect during the pandemic. Simple banter, chit-chat about the weather, and even just smiling and nodding at other people throughout the working day all contribute to making us feel better.”

Jill Pearson, Kemmy Business School Faculty, UL. Picture: Don Moloney

Research has proven the benefits of positive social connection. A 2006 US study found that it was critical to physical health.

Another US study, from 2015, showed that it supported cognitive functioning. And a 2010 study concluded that it could reduce our risk of premature death.

It also benefits our work. Various studies, including one published in the US in 2013, have found that connection improves performance and leads to higher job satisfaction.

However, Pearson points out that hybrid working has hindered our ability to connect with co-workers. “We might like the freedom and flexibility of not having to go to the office every day.

“But most of us benefit from spending at least some of our working week with colleagues.

“Problems are solved more quickly when we have someone we can ask for help. Ideas get shared and developed upon. And, speaking personally, I find it more motivating and fun to be in an energised office full of people.”

Haslett agrees that working from home comes with drawbacks. “Our survey found that 68% of employees cite hybrid and flexible working arrangements as crucial to their wellbeing, but as these working practices have become more common, concerns about isolation and disconnection have grown,” he says. 

“That’s why we think discussions around flexible work should include strategies to build strong team connections.”

Coffee and a catch-up

So, what are companies doing to build and maintain these connections on National Workplace Wellbeing Day?

Guardian Fire and Safety is a fire-protection company with 20 employees. One-third are based in its offices in New Ross, County Wexford, while the other two-thirds travel to provide services to clients.

“National Workplace Wellbeing Day is a great opportunity for everyone to come together,” says Margaret Goldsmith, the company’s director. “We’re organising a lunchtime walk for staff on Wednesday, April 30, and then on Friday, May 2, we’re bringing everyone to a hotel for breakfast, followed by a talk from wellness expert Calodagh McCumiskey. That talk will introduce our new wellness programme and all the different supports it has to offer.”

There will also be an emphasis on fun. 

“We’ll have a raffle and the main prize will be an additional day’s annual leave, and there will be lots of time for chats and connection,” says Goldsmith.

She ensures that her employees have opportunities to connect with one another throughout the year as well. “Because of the way our teams work, they mightn’t see each other from one end of the year to the next,” she says. 

“So we have quarterly connect meetings, where everyone gets together for breakfast, or for tea, coffee, and scones, to have a catch-up and to listen to a guest speaker. We also have big social events in the summer and at Christmas. It all helps to create a sense of belonging.”

Sharon Daly is the programme manager for health and wellbeing at Iarnród Éireann, where she and three others support the needs of more than 5,000 employees.

“Promoting workplace wellbeing and connection is a priority for us every day,” she says. “But we always make sure to mark National Workplace Wellbeing Day with something special.”

Health and Wellbeing Manager at Irish Rail Sharon Daly. Picture: Gareth Chaney

One of the initiatives they are undertaking this year is a partnership with Mental Health Ireland for its ‘HELLO, How Are You?’ campaign.

“This campaign aims to tackle the lack of connection that people experience by inspiring them to ask others about how they are feeling and actively listening when they answer,” says Daly. “We have over 70 health and wellbeing champions that we have trained nationwide and they will be setting up coffee mornings in stations all over Ireland throughout May.

“It’s all about bringing people together and embedding a culture of care, where people feel it’s OK to ask for help and support and where people know that it’s important to look out for one another.”

Iarnród Éireann will also hold events in its headquarters in Dublin’s Inchicore. “There will be movement workshops and we’ll reopen our wellbeing garden for the summer and have a picnic,” says Daly.

Fexco has participated since National Wellbeing Day’s inception. “I remember we organised a step challenge that first year,” says its health and safety manager, Mary O’Sullivan.

It has many more events lined up for this year, all of which are designed to connect Fexco’s 2,880 employees across 50 countries.

“We are hosting a World Café that employees can attend via a video call and they can chat and share stories about their different cultural experiences,” says O’Sullivan.

A speaker from the mental health organisation Jigsaw will give a talk about how young people benefit from having one good adult in their lives. Another speaker from VHI will host a menopause café. “And we’ll have a meeting of our book club,” says O’Sullivan. “The club is one of our newest initiatives to bring people together to share their thoughts and opinions in a fun and relaxed way.”

Pearson encourages employees to get involved in events like these. “Social isolation isn’t good for anyone,” she says.

“Our workplaces offer all sorts of ways in which we can connect with others. Even just smiling at people, making eye contact, and chatting by the photocopier can make you feel as if you’re part of something. It can really enhance the experience of being at work.”