Team Chaffinches consists of civil servants from across government departments who met in June 2017 at CS Local ESEL Junior Leadership Academy as part of a year-long programme. Our aim was to become catalysts for change (with a fun twist) and this is where the A-Z to Better Wellbeing (AZ2BW) toolkit was born.
Our a
im is to support the vision to be ‘A Brilliant Civil Service’, making it a great place to work with a commitment to Health and Wellbeing.
Around 27 million of us go to work every day and full-time employees will spend an average of 37.5 hours a week in the work environment. This is why it's important for us to consider our wellbeing.
We created a toolkit that brings together all of the latest information on wellbeing and can be accessed in one simple and easy click. The toolkit also includes:
- 26 wellbeing topics from A-Z in an easy to read format
- Featured wellbeing activities that you can try by yourself or with your teams. From journaling and walking to an exercise you can do at your desk
- Links to further learning including CS Learning courses, Ted Talks and printable guides
- Top tips suggested by our team and fellow civil servants
Sample page - A fun fact based around wellbeing
A-Z to Better Wellbeing toolkit accessible version 2019
If you want to find out about the funky chicken and its link to better wellbeing, check out our toolkit. Hint, it is in our letter D ☺
Commit to spending some time each day on your wellbeing and share your views and experiences on our Twitter account @AZ2BW or email us at AZ2BW@hotmail.com. We would love to hear from you.
14 comments
Comment by Kirstie Metcalfe posted on
So I opened this post wondering what on earth it was about, being a self-conscious CS. Having flicked through the wellbeing toolkit I can see that it's something I'll be referring back to time & again, & I've shared it with my colleagues too. Great work!
Comment by Gail Peck posted on
Hi Kirstie,
We are glad you find our toolkit useful.
We appreciate your feedback 🙂
Comment by Maria posted on
The A-Z is absolutely brilliant! Love the style & content. This is really useful amd has some really great ideas in it!
Comment by Gail Peck posted on
Hi Maria,
Thank you for your comment.
Please do share the link to colleagues if you find it useful 🙂
Comment by Caroline Hill posted on
Hi guys love the A-Z. I am the lead for the People Group for the National Employer and Partnership Team - NEPT- in DWP. I will be stealing your ideas with pride and creating some activities and learning for us linked to our acronym - NEPT. Currently thinking Nutrient, Exercise, Positive thinking and Team building. We are already well underway with our exercise as we have just completed a virtual walk from Land's End to John O'Groats and are currently producing a healthy cook book, so that's
nutrient. We are a disperse National team with limited opportunity to work together so anything that helps support One Team is great.
Thanks for producing and more importantly sharing
Caroline
Comment by Gail Peck posted on
Hi Caroline,
We are loving the NEPT new acronym. (Nutrient, Exercise, Positive Thinking and Team building)
Well done on your achievement for the People Group.
On behalf of AZ2BW, Thank you.
Comment by Louisa Radice posted on
Re: Employee Engagement – “Encourage Friendships.”
I would like to have a “best friend” at work (or indeed out of it). However I’m not sure how. Quite apart from the fact that I have Asperger syndrome and am in a team that is split across four different sites (the majority being in Manchester while I’m in Coventry), the ways that I have made acquaintances in other workplaces don’t apply here. Viz.:
• Induction workshops – all done entirely by computer, so didn’t meet anyone
• Daily commute – the overwhelming majority at Earlsdon Park drive to work, so I rarely meet anyone I know on the train
• Tea / coffee breaks – no-one has them here
• Pub lunches – once in a blue moon (then again, I’ve more or less given up eating out due to my straitened financial circumstances)
• Newsgroups – don’t have them, nor indeed any other form of mass communication (unless you count posters in the lifts)
• Lunch – most people eat at their desk
• Lunchtime activities – the only ones are those organised by the Earlsdon Park Wellbeing Committee and are very sparsely attended. A recent Active Wellbeing Week didn’t fare much better
• Sports day – took place in London, only 20 Coventrians went
• Gym – there isn’t one on the premises
Comment by Gail Peck posted on
Hi Louisa,
Thank you for your comment.
Valid points you have raised in there.
Civil Service Sports Council provide sport and leisure opportunities for all abilities. And if you have check them out, let us ask for other readers suggestions.
Kind Regards and Many Thanks,
Gail on behalf of AZ2BW
Comment by Louisa Radice posted on
Too bad the Coventry section of the CSSC website does not divulge any information about the specific activities in the area. That is, apart from three offers (none of which interest me) and two forthcoming events (neither of which are actually in Coventry).
https://www.cssc.co.uk/CSSC/index.cfm/my-region/midlands/midlands-areas/coventry/offers/
https://www.cssc.co.uk/my-region/midlands/midlands-areas/coventry/events/
If only there were a way of being put in touch with CSSC members in my office. Maybe I should stick a poster in the lifts?!
Comment by Louisa Radice posted on
Plus they haven't published a newsletter in over a year:
https://www.cssc.co.uk/my-region/midlands/midlands-areas/coventry/newsletters/coventry-newsletter/
Comment by Jo posted on
Really great work on this toolkit. Well done to everyone involved- it's so helpful, I'm going to share it with our own wellbeing network and wider colleagues!
Comment by Gail Peck posted on
Hi Jo,
Thanks for your comment.
Let us know how your wellbeing network and colleagues find the toolkit.
We would love to hear from you.
Kind Regards and Many Thanks,
Gail on behalf of AZ2BW
Comment by Michele Murrells posted on
Really great work on this toolkit. Well done to everyone involved, very helpful.
Comment by Gail Peck posted on
Thanks Michele 🙂
Have the team tried the funky chicken?
Kind Regards,
Gail on behalf of AZ2BW