Clondalkin school wins top wellbeing award

COLÁISTE Bríde, a 100-teacher secondary school in Clondalkin, has been named Ireland’s best medium-sized organisation at the inaugural Nutrition & Health Foundation National Workplace Wellbeing awards.

The awards recognise employers that make a significant contribution towards improving the health and wellbeing of their employees.

The Central Statistics Office (CSO), Cork was named Ireland’s best large employer while personal tax advisers Fenero, also from Dublin, were named best small company. The awards were among a host of activities taking place across the country to mark Ireland’s second National Workplace Wellbeing Day, which is organised by the Nutrition & Health Foundation (NHF).  

Dr Muireann Cullen, NHF, commended the winning companies for their creative and inclusive approach to employee wellbeing.

“We hope these companies will inspire more employers to do more in this area,” she said.

“Employee wellbeing is central to staff retention and productivity levels.  Our recent study showed that seven in ten (69 per cent) of employees are more likely to stay longer with employers who show an interest in their health. Employers are responding. More employees have access today to health and wellbeing initiatives within the workplace than they did in 2014 but more can be done.”

Coláiste Bríde was one of the first schools in Ireland to introduce an annual wellbeing week, a joint event for its 100 staff and 970 students. Each day of their wellbeing week has a specific theme including ‘Fitness and relaxation’, ‘Think Positive’ and ‘Healthy Eating’. In addition staff participated in a wide variety of wellbeing events and initiatives including Cycle against Suicide, after school basketball and yoga, and expert talks as well as a mentoring programme for newly qualified teachers.

Niall O’Callaghan, Partner at Mercer, added: “Promoting employee wellness is good for business, good for employees and good for the companies for whom they work.

“It makes simple business sense that employers who provide support and resources to help staff manage stress and wellbeing will see dividends in terms of improved productivity, morale and lower staff turnover.

“Given our own positive experience in promoting workplace wellbeing within Mercer, I am delighted by our association with the 2016 Workplace Wellbeing Awards.  Congratulations to all of the winners and to all of the companies that participated.”

Hundreds of employers from the public and private sectors, supported National Workplace Wellbeing Day, which aims to improve employee health by promoting better nutrition and exercise in the workplace.

“They organised activities including health checks, exercise and fitness classes, nutrition talks and cookery demonstrations. Thousands of employers and employees also completed the ‘Lunchtime Mile’ – a one mile cycle, jog, run, or walk – in the vicinity of their workplace.