The importance of integrating health and wellbeing into your next event
Over the last few years wellbeing has risen to the top of the global agenda. It is one of the key challenges and opportunities that our society faces.
In our survey of 1,001 employed Australians, ‘mental health and stress of workers’ was listed to have the biggest impact on the future of work (according to 62% of employed Australians), above demographic trends, where work will be done, sectors disappearing, computerisation of robotics, global workforce trends and the gig economy.
For many people today the biggest wellbeing impediments are mental, not physical. These include toxic feedback; stress; unreasonable work deadlines; juggling multiple priorities; increasing expectations; and people needing to deliver more with less. These have the potential to create hazards mentally and impact physically.
Yet there are also impacts on our physical wellbeing, with employed Australians admitting that they struggle to make physical health/fitness (49%) and sleep (41%) a priority. A further 43% of employed Australians report to always or often feeling stressed in life¹.
The concept of wellbeing alludes to being well both physically and holistically – which embraces social, relational, mental, financial, vocational, and spiritual aspects. Mental health and wellbeing are just as, if not more important than physical wellbeing when it comes to thriving in life.
What it means for event planners:
• Individual, team, organisational and societal wellbeing is a goal people are always striving towards. As such, events that can incorporate a focus on and improve the health and wellbeing of attendees will be desirable.
• Include content, networking opportunities, programs and takeaways that enhance and contribute to people’s wellbeing.
• From the catering to the ergonomics, from the program to the content, the key goal is to curate an event that enhances flourishing.
¹McCrindle nationally representative survey of 1,001 employed Australians, 2019
