On the pressures of work… and not taking up triathlon

We’re very lucky at 50 Degrees to have Matt Wells on hand who, for those who aren’t aware, is our Head of Wellbeing. Matt is available to all our team should they need him, and offers individually tailored, practical help and support for managing the pressures of life and work.

He has a website, go and have a look… you too could benefit from the services of The Work Stress Coach. There you go Matt, I’ve done your plug! 😉

As well as being available on a 1-2-1 basis, Matt has also done a lot of work with ‘the bosses’ Andy and Emily, on introducing a range of health and wellbeing benefits.

I hope the above has given a clear indication that 50 Degrees takes employee wellbeing seriously; but let’s be realistic, no organisation can completely isolate its employees from the pressures of work. And, I don’t mind admitting that personally it’s been a very busy period, with a fair amount of pressure thrown in for good measure.

I choose the word pressure carefully, because it never became stress.

And that’s down to two things.

Firstly, the 50 Degrees culture. I knew I had the support of our brilliant team of people. Knowing there were lots of people on hand I could ask for help, advice, a sense check and, yes on occasion, to sound off a little. I also knew that if things did start to tip into the stress portion of the Venn diagram, then I had Matt on hand. That’s an invaluable pressure valve.

Secondly, the health and wellbeing stuff that Matt has implemented made a real difference.

I was able to get out and have a run and clear my head using the trainers I bought with our personal health and wellbeing allowance (£1,000 per year per employee!).

I was able to swim and bodyboard in the less than clement September seas, thanks to my recently purchased wetsuit (again courtesy of the wellbeing allowance).

I was able to blow the cobwebs away using my posh new bike, purchased through the 50 Degrees cycle to work scheme, to get out and have a ride for an hour in the fresh air.

It’s at this point that it has occurred to me that I have (to an extent) described the three elements of a triathlon.

Will I be taking up triathlons as part of my stress busting routine?

No. No I won’t.

John Ashworth
Managing Consultant