Bellarine Community Health (BCH) has received Victorian government recognition for creating an active and healthy workplace.
The recognition is through the Workplace Achievement Program, which is an evidence-based health and wellbeing program that helps create a healthier workplace environment.
The program is aligned with the World Health Organisations’ Health Workplace Model and is delivered by the Cancer Council of Victoria.
BCH has been working towards the Achievement Program benchmarks over the past few years, and late last month, successfully met all the requirements.
“We’re thrilled to have reached all the outcomes of the program,” BCH Healthy & Connected Communities Planner Zoe Taylor said.
“We started this program with a staff health and wellbeing survey that helped us shape a plan of action based on staff needs.”
BCH has been able to focus on key health areas including healthy eating, mental health and wellbeing, physical activity, smoking, and alcohol and other drugs.
Some of the key health and wellbeing actions implemented by BCH since joining the program include:
• A global workplace ‘step’ challenge for BCH staff and volunteers
• Staff encouraged to do walking meetings
• New policies around healthy eating and drinking
• Daily movement breaks on top of planned work breaks
• Sit-stand desks on offer for staff, volunteers and students
• Updates to the Smoking Policy and installation of new no smoking and vaping signage at BCH sites
• Centralised printers to encourage more movement around the office
