Debenhams Ottaway’s Health and Wellbeing Week celebrates #WorldMentalHealthDay

To celebrate World Mental Health Day (on Sunday 10 October 2021), Debenhams Ottaway ran its annual week of health and wellbeing initiatives from 4-8 October to promote ongoing wellness and a healthy work/life balance for its people.

Staff participated in a range of activities including:  

• mental health training from Via Vita including a specific session for managers 
• coffee tasting 
• foodbank collection  
• group walk around St Albans  
• Tai Chi class  
• mortgage advice 
• pension surgeries 
• healthy selection of snacks and drinks 
• War of the Roses walk and dinner in St Albans.  

The Law Society highlights that 58% of law firms cited employee health and wellbeing as their top concern during the pandemic. This emphasises the importance of staff gaining a greater understanding and overall awareness for their health and wellbeing through training and advice from experts as well as encouraging simple steps such as taking time away from their desks.  

HR Business Partner, Alexandra Langley comments, “We believe that it is incredibly important that staff feel that they are appreciated and can access support to help improve their wellbeing. It was great to see so many of the team get involved in our Health and Wellbeing Week. At Debenhams Ottaway we encourage staff to eat healthily, relax, keep active, socialise and work together as a team – all proven steps to help improve mental health. We know that looking after our own people makes it easy for them to look after our clients”. 

Take a look at our Twitter page @DebenhamsOtt to see photos from the week.