6TH NATIONAL WORKPLACE WELLBEING DAY 2020

IBEC is calling all employers to sign up for the National Workplace Wellbeing Day on Friday 1 May. Now in its sixth year, the event is believed to be the only national day in the EU specifically dedicated by business to shining a spotlight on employee health and wellbeing.

Up to 1,000 companies participated in last year’s National Workplace Wellbeing Day, with companies celebrating the occasion with a range of workplace health and wellbeing activities.

Commenting at the remote launch of this year’s event, IBEC’s CEO Danny McCoy said that the global emergency occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic has created the greatest disruption and uncertainty we have experienced in our lifetimes.

Launching the initiative remotely (Top Row L-R): Pat McCann, Dalata Hotel Group plc; Anne Heraty, Cpl Resources plc; Alastair Blair, Accenture Ireland Bottom; (Bottom Row L-R): Cathriona Hallahan, Microsoft Ireland; Danny McCoy, IBEC, and Stephen Bowcott, Sisk Group.

“It is imperative that employers and business owners send the message that the health and wellbeing of employees and staff is paramount in this time of adversity. Never did we imagine that such a programme would have more relevance than it does this year.

“We have witnessed and experienced the remarkable responses of people in Ireland to the enormous public health and economic challenges presented by Covid-19. We see this in the dedication of our frontline workers in healthcare, supply chains and security, and businesses who all but overnight have had to reconfigure the way we work together remotely.

“National Workplace Wellbeing Day 2020 takes place in an environment in which workplaces across Ireland have been utterly transformed due to the need for restrictions in movement, social distancing and the publication of the Essential Business list.”

Due to the new workplace arrangements (remote working or the need for highly restricted practices by businesses), this year’s day will employ an additional hashtag #TogetherApart to operate alongside #WorkWell20.

IBEC is asking businesses to showcase their activities on social media in keeping with the spirit of common cause being adopted nationally and globally to fight the pandemic.

To participate sign up on the website, follow on Twitter and highlight your own workplace wellbeing activities in the run up to and on National Workplace Wellbeing Day 2020.