Wellbeing news October 2020
Our latest round-up features a selection of the month’s most interesting wellbeing-related news, from the positive effects of houseplants and nature documentaries, to business leaders’ staff-welfare concerns and the need for IT tools to support the wellbeing of home workers.
Can houseplants boost your wellbeing?
The positive influence of nature on mental health is understood, but could caring for houseplants, particularly when working from home during winter, also provide a boost to our wellbeing?
Staff wellbeing amongst business leaders' top COVID-19 concerns
A survey of SME business owners and large-enterprise decision-makers has revealed concerns over the impacts on staff welfare resultant from a second wave of coronavirus.
Collaboration tools must support the wellbeing of home workers
With forecasts suggesting that in 2022 more than half of all office-based employees will still work mainly from home, IT systems will need to be able to adapt and address the shift.
10 awe-inspiring walks around the UK
With scientists finding that weekly ‘awe walks’ led to more positive emotions among study participants, the Guardian has listed ten of the UK’s most wondrous walking locations.
Bupa and Business in the Community launch Mental Health at Work 2020 study
The study, which has charted the changing attitudes towards mental health for the past five years, provides a temperature check of frontline employees’ wellbeing and how they are currently coping with recent changes to their working lives.
Being top of the tree doesn’t protect people from wellbeing issues
A report from Personnel Today suggests that the mental wellbeing of business owners and managers can often take a back seat as they deal with the responsibilities of managing staff and the business.
10 ways leaders can improve engagement and wellbeing
A report from Gallup suggests a strong relationship between engagement and wellbeing, with major consequences for employee productivity and performance.
Watching nature documentaries boosts wellbeing
A study from the University of Exeter says that watching nature documentaries significantly boosts mood and wellbeing, reduces feelings of sadness and alleviates the negative feelings associated with lockdown.
Tech workers amongst most negatively impacted by COVID-19
A new meQuilibrium study found that tech-industry employees are amongst those whose wellbeing has been most negatively affected by the pandemic.
Scotland is suffering a second wave of a mental health crisis, warns former MSP
A former Member of the Scottish Parliament has warned of a mental health crisis directly related to the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.