South Waikato Pacific Islands Community Services is a community organisation based in Tokoroa, South Waikato. As a team of dedicated Community Healthcare professionals, we embarked on our WorkWell journey in 2017 with an initial team of 15, which later expanded to 24 members.
Our commitment to workplace wellbeing was recognized when we achieved Gold Accreditation in 2024. This journey has provided us with valuable opportunities to reflect, adapt, and implement necessary changes that have positively impacted our staff and working conditions.
Our organisation's mission statement is: "Caring for Pacific people today for tomorrow." In alignment with this vision, we sought WorkWell as a tool to empower our workforce to prioritise their own health and wellbeing. We firmly believe that to effectively care for our service users and the broader community, we must first take care of ourselves.
Our motivation to succeed in the WorkWell programme stemmed from the desire to improve our staff’s overall wellbeing, ensuring a healthier and more resilient workforce. By achieving various stages of accreditation, we demonstrated our commitment to fostering a supportive and health-conscious workplace environment.
We integrated wellbeing into our organisational culture through several key initiatives, including:
- Implementing a Healthy Food & Beverages Policy.
- Establishing quarterly wellbeing groups composed of different staff members to lead wellbeing initiatives.
- Promoting mindfulness activities such as daily prayers, affirmations, and breathing exercises.
- Organising physical activity challenges and hydration initiatives.
- Setting a dedicated time each day for team gatherings to foster unity and connection.
Through the consistent application of these wellbeing guidelines, our team has embraced these initiatives, making them an integral part of their daily routines. We take great pride in the authenticity and adaptability of our wellbeing teams, ensuring that every team member feels heard, included, and valued.
Like many organisations, we encountered challenges throughout our WorkWell journey. The most significant obstacle was the impact of COVID-19 on society and our workplace.
While this shift posed challenges, it reinforced our commitment to workplace wellbeing by equipping our team with the skills to serve and protect our community effectively.
Our WorkWell journey has solidified wellbeing as a top priority within our organisation. We have cultivated a supportive workplace culture that enhances both individual and collective wellbeing. The most significant outcome of our involvement in WorkWell has been our strengthened commitment to self-care, which directly translates into improved service delivery for our community. By prioritising our own health, we ensure that we can continue to provide the best possible care and support to those who need it most. What has also been an affirmation is the blending together of our own pacific view as a vehicle for knowing who we are, where we come from, and how we will get there being embedded in any of our approaches.
Moving forward, we will continue to evolve our wellbeing initiatives, seeking new opportunities to enhance staff wellbeing and workplace culture. Our journey has reaffirmed that a healthy and happy workforce is essential for delivering high-quality community care.
