Better Health: Do We Really Have Support From the Government?

Last week the Government launched their major new campaign 'Better Health' to encourage millions of us to lose weight and live healthier lives - a wellbeing journey we have been on with our clients for some 16 years now!

They have also announced that there is a growing body of evidence suggesting that being obese or excessively overweight puts us at a greater risk of serious illness or death, (including COVID-19). Well you don't say! Surely something we all already knew!

Through the delivery of our employee wellbeing programmes and interventions to change health related behaviours, Tonic and our team of wellbeing practitioners have been working with hundreds of individuals and organisations alike, to bring wellbeing to the heart of the workplace - the place where we spend on average 90,000 hours over a lifetime!!

Our approach is centred around compassion, positivity and feeling good, instead of making people feel guilty, or scaremongering. A sentiment that is shared with Dr Chatterjee, a true ambassador for health and wellbeing.

Our WHY and our VISION has always been to provide the tools, support, education and incentive to help individual employees (and organisations) to prioritise health and wellbeing. So of course we are absolutely thrilled that the government is finally taking action to help us, to help you, to achieve this. We just hope the focus is a non-judging, positive & a preventative one!

It's all about PREVENTION

So, on a individual level - no matter where we are in the hierarchy, most of us spend a third of our waking hours working. This means our workplaces and work time (if remote working) must be key spaces (and times) for improving our wellbeing.

We also know that GOOD HEALTH is GOOD BUSINESS from an organisational perspective. So...

What is stopping us?

Why are we not doing enough to achieve this?

How will public health commisioning from the Government change this?

This change of government strategy comes as the Tonic model evolves. The Tonic Toolbox for many years has been centred around onsite practitioner led sessions - both 1-2-1 and group sessions but all in person. Our growth has been very much down to the success of this strategy and it's outcomes.

However, as times are indeed- 'changing'; sessions must reach more people; be more inclusive (to cover remote workers and consultants) and outcomes need to be more holistic and easy to measure, so we have adapted. We have new team members, new workshops, new virtual health checks, a fresh new website (coming soon) and we have a wellbeing app!

Are you looking at new ways of working, new behaviour and interactions—to help you create a common wellbeing culture, social cohesion, and build shared trust? The new Tonic Toolbox promises just this!

Some of you may already know, earlier this year we launched a pilot of our Well@Work app – Tonic and Me. During the last few months we have had some extremely positive feedback from our existing clients, and we are now delighted to say it is ready for a UK launch! We are extremely proud to be able to say we can offer all employees (and employers) a vital & robust digital wellbeing platform.

Our Tonic Toolbox is now complete. We can deliver a blended approach to wellbeing which is authentic, exceptional value for money, accessible and can be bespoke to all needs and budget!

Rest assured, some things remain the same:

• Behavioural Patterns that we can support include: stress management, healthy nutrition & drinking habits, anxiety, relaxation & sleep, resilience, physical inactivity.
• Risk Factors (that directly affect people - so productivity, recruitment, engagement and retention) that we focus on include: high blood pressure, obesity, mental health, high cholesterol.....

These modifiable factors remain at the heart of what we do, now just with even more specialists! It is the delivery that has been transformed. With new tools in the Tonic Toolbox, with our new model you can book 1-2-1's and / or virtual coaching and / or access our digital health hubs. A multi-level, cross functional model of wellbeing aimed at continuous improvement.

This new comprehensive & progressive approach is vital. This is about culture. This is about the big picture.

Let us make sure your workplace is not contributing to poor employee health (directly or indirectly) by overworking your workforce, or causing dangerously high stress levels that are leading to poor health, workplace performance and customer service!

Let us, instead, like the Government focus on #betterhealth and healthy, agile workplaces!

Whatever your start point, together we can help you to create a positive workplace wellbeing culture that has a lasting & tangible impact.

Send me a message to find out more or email us at [email protected]

Happy August!