Dorset Chamber is launching a new series of monthly health and wellbeing workshops to help employers nurture their workforces.

The initiative comes as the importance of employee health and wellbeing becomes increasingly evident to businesses.

According to the chamber – Dorset’s leading business support organisation – there’s a huge range of benefits to businesses if they nurture their workforces.

These include greater productivity, improved staff retention and engagement, reduction in stress and anxiety in the workplace, reduced sick leave and absenteeism, and an enhanced reputation.

The first of the monthly events was an online workshop on Friday February 18 from 10-11am titled The Importance of Workplace Health and Wellbeing to Businesses.

It featured Polly Durrant from LiveWell Dorset looking at why business needs to address their employees’ health and wellbeing.

Jasmine Navarro from Withnava and Therapy Partners examined the link between diet and mental health entitled Happy Body – Happy Mind.

Debbie Martin, of BWT Physio, looked at ‘Sleep our Underrated Superpower’ with tips and strategies. Nahla Summer examined how kindness can have a transformative effect on businesses, improving the way people and businesses co-exist with examples that allow organisations to work towards a more sustainable future, build stronger teams, resilience and growth mindsets. 

Xanthe Grace, Dorset Chamber’s health and wellbeing co-ordinator, said: “Recruitment in many sectors remains an issue.

“Those seeking employment are looking at potential employers to see if they will give them a good work life balance and a workplace environment that values them and supports their wellbeing.

“If employers want to recruit the best people for their business, then they have to increasingly demonstrate that they are focused on employee health and wellbeing.”

In 2021 Dorset Chamber held an incredibly well-received programme of events around the menopause and business leader resilience, and with the support of its sponsor Lester Aldridge, it has announced the programme of health and wellbeing events for 2022. 

The monthly workshops will be held on a range of topics. They are aimed to be informative and thought-provoking and provide takeaways to businesses that can be implemented to ensure they are nurturing their workforces.

The workshops will feature a mix of online and in-person events with information, tips and strategies on a host of subjects ranging from healthy eating, physical exercise, healthy work practices, meditation, time management, building resilience, coping with financial distress, avoiding burn out and conflict management and beginners’ guides to Pilates and yoga.

As well as lots of advice, handy tools and discussions there will be a range of resources suggested and signposting for further information.

Visit the Dorset Chamber website at www.dorsetchamber.co.uk to book on to the event.