Workspace Walks are brilliant! Extending the work environment is an opportunity to have conversations with colleagues and revive and restore your energy and enthusiasm within your workplace. This new idea was created in march 2015 and has been furthered throughout the Trust. There has been fantastic positive feedback where people have taken this approach within their working day.
Workspace Walks are brilliant! Extending the work environment is an opportunity to have conversations with colleagues and revive and restore your energy and enthusiasm within your workplace. This new idea was created in march 2015 and has been furthered throughout the Trust. There has been fantastic positive feedback where people have taken this approach within their working day.
The full idea is supported by the following benefits:- Away from computers, phones and other distractions meaningful conversations can take place; It is a ‘thinking space’ to discuss ideas and find solutions; A measured 1/2mile route takes 10 -12minutes. Two laps are 1 mile!! A great health and wellbeing option; It is accessible to everyone; Being able to talk while walking helps ease tension; Concerns and issues can be shared; Meeting staff from other departments shares knowledge and experience within the Trust; Feeling free to take a workspace walk when needed increases appreciation and commitment to the Trust; Staff engagement and involvement becomes more positive; Supervision, meetings and information sharing can all take place; It will be an integral part of working life in Lancashire Care; There is no financial cost!!
Workspace Walks continue to be an integral part of working life within Lancashire Care NHS Trust.
This is such a new idea the opportunities for further development are wonderful. Already managers at Lancashire County Council Adult Social Care have made contact with me to take the idea forward with extending working practices with ‘Workspace Walks’
Linkabiliy an organization who support people who have a Learning Disability have identified the value to support meeting the 5 steps to wellbeing in their organization.
In Chorley many community Lancashire Care NHS services are co-located with Chorley Council colleagues to create a new pioneering service for Chorley residents. The Chorley Health and Wellbeing service have a Workspace Walk and the ethos is now starting to be shared within the new organization.
Within the trust a series of ‘Big Engage’ Events have taken place to share the Trust vision and obtain views and ideas from all staff. Teams and individuals all can benefit from ‘Workspace Walks’.
At one of these events I introduced ‘Workspace Walks’ at lunch time as a revive break. It was so successful and feedback was positive to have this within a full day a ‘Workspace Walk’ was programmed into all the following sessions. This was led by the Health and Well Being manager in the trust. up to a 1000 members of staff will have heard about ‘Workspace Walks’ through these events which fully endorse being part of the culture in Lancashire Care.
My vision is that ‘Workspace Walks’ will be an integral part of working life in Lancashire Care. A healthy happy workforce ultimately gives out patients and service users a fantastic health care experience.
Shared by word of mouth, invited to team meetings, promoted by the Health and Wellbeing steering board and the Health and Wellbeing manager to enhance the value of Workspace Walks within the work environment.
It has been really positive that ‘Workspace Walks’ are growing and furthering at their own pace. Winning the staff award for Innovation has leaped my confidence even more to take it forward. I have been keeping records of contacts and feedback and eventually plan to submit short article.
My main challenge is my complete enthusiasm to balance my clinical and team work with furthering ‘Workspace Walks’. I am so passionate about this I believe it is creating a more positive environment for people while at work. It is just part of our office culture to say ‘does anyone fancy a ‘Workspace Walk’ or if someone comes to discuss something a Workspace Walk is a perfect opportunity to have focused attention. To overcome this….it has started by other people sharing the passion and value by taking it forward and seeing the benefits. Working with Health and Wellbeing manager also furthers opportunities for it to spread.
I have learned that when creating a completely new innovative way of working there are 3 elements (for me). Vision for the future. Passion for the present. Opportunity at all times to further your idea.
Workspace Walks are just developing going from strength to strength. If I personally could have a post dedicated to promoting Workspace Walks to all staff that would be great. Realistically it is spreading the ethos of Workspace Walks to be part of working life.
Absolute support from the whole of Lancashire Care NHS. My passion, commitment and enthusiasm to take it further. it can only enhance our working practice to be able to walk and talk when needed within work. It is not a must or a have to but there if you feel you need to. Staff have reported that knowing that if they can have 10 minute ‘Workspace Walk’ it feels positive. ‘Workspace Walks’ are able to support physical, emotional and mental health wellbeing at work. Have meaningful conversations while walking and away from the confines of an office refresh and nourish to enable creative, positive and proactive work
Enquiries continue to come from colleagues wanting to know more about Workspace Walks. Lancashire Care NHS Trust are fully supportive of this concept and actively promote it at induction.
This is such a new idea I have created. I am gathering verbal feedback and stories of how ‘Workspace Walks’ are being incorporated into every day work. Supervision (feedback is that 1:1 side by side conversations are easier and more free flowing). Within team meetings, a ‘Workspace Walk’ is a standard agenda item. Many individual comments. ‘Great to be outside’, ‘what a good idea’, ‘we have solved many issues on a ‘Workspace Walk’, ‘Feel refreshed and revived’.
The following is lovely from the heart feedback.
“I decided to go on a work space walk a few months into starting a new post with Lancashire Care. This was a great opportunity for me to meet familiar faces I had seen passing in the corridor and I now feel like there is a friendlier atmosphere throughout my work building as everyone has had a little natter with each other during the walks.”
“My first walk was with Hilary and a few other familiar faces. As I strolled along being the youngest in the group, no doubt I should have been the fittest but as a smoker my breathing was heavy and I struggled with a simple 10 minute stroll. I expressed the fact that I wanted to quit smoking and the support and encouragement from the people walking along side me planted the seed in my head that I wanted to quit smoking after the weekend, a fresh start Monday morning (‘Yeah right’ always comes to mind from a about- to-quit-smoker)”
“To my surprise 3 and half months later I am now smoke free and do two laps of work space walks with enjoyment! I chat to people in the kitchen and along the corridor, the walks make me freshened up during a busy day and I come back to my desk with a clear mind and ready to go. This is a fantastic project and the best thing is, its part of your work day and honestly makes your working life a happier one! August 2015”
No formal evaluation other than an increased awareness of Workspace Walks and positive feedback from staff to be able to support their wellbeing at work.
Working closely with the Health and wellbeing project manager has supported how the work environment can be more positive to completely fit with the 5 ways to wellbeing. Being active within work is being promoted within the trust with other initiatives and by incorporating ‘Workspace Walks’ can only enhance the opportunity to increase activity levels.
Attending the monthly ‘Innovation Breakfasts’ in the trust has been fantastic to share ideas and network with others. The Innovation manager has been very supporting and invited me to speak with him at an NHS Innovation event recently.
On 16th May 2016 the first AHP day event to showcase work took place. I was asked to talk about ‘Workspace Walks’ and of course organize one at just before the afternoon session! Over 100 more people connected to ‘Workspace Walks’
Starting to share the concept with private organisations I work with. Carefree Lifting (part of Prism Medical) and Linkability (who support adults who have a Learning Disability). Both fully supportive to introduce within their work environment.
Spoken at the Mindmatters team away day to share the concept and ethos about Workspace Walks. Positive feedback and enthusiasm to start this approach within work. Member of the Lancashire Care NHS Health and Wellbeing steering board. Take every opportunity to speak to staff groups and share the concept of Workspace Walks.
The ethos of Workspace Walks has been written by Hilary Bell (October 2016) and has been included in the Lancashire Care NHS Trust Health and Wellbeing annual report 2017.
Workspace Walks was awarded Innovation of the year 2016 at the annual Lancashire Care staff awards. This was a very special award to receive as I am so passionate about the benefits and the positive impact it is having on so many people. It is completely a new innovative approach to shift the culture away from being confined to desk to be productive.
