Causeway Coast firm Riada Resourcing 'dips its toes' into workplace wellbeing programme with NICHS

Riada Resourcing has successfully put in place unique ways to improve staff health, including Sunday staff sea dips, as part of the workplace wellbeing programme, Work Well Live Well, delivered by Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke (NICHS) and funded by the Public Health Agency (PHA).

In recent years, and particularly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, employee expectations for how their wellbeing is prioritised at work have increased. Many organisations across all industries are now making moves to adapt and find new ways to prioritise health and wellbeing.

The Work Well Live Well programme has supported Riada in putting employee health and wellness first. The organisation signed up for the Work Well Live Well programme, which aims to help local workplaces improve their employees' health and wellbeing through personalised support.

NICHS support organisations by carrying out a health and wellbeing survey, developing a bespoke three-year action plan for their team as well as providing access to training, webinars, resources and networking opportunities.

Aileen Mark, Business Manager at Riada and one of four Riada Health Champions, commented: “We joined the Work Well Live Well programme with the aim of improving the health and wellbeing of Riada employees across the business. We identified the need for Health Champions, and as I was known for my love and passion for fitness and wellbeing, I trained as a Health Champion alongside three other employees.

“Initiatives we have put in place so far include sea dipping every Sunday for staff in Portrush which we really enjoy and a Couch to 5K programme for non-runners in the team. We also introduced the Riada Value VIP initiative - we gave our team the chance to nominate a colleague who they felt fully embodied Riada values and I was delighted to be named a Riada Value VIP. Staff are rewarded and recognised for their hard work and those awarded receive a voucher.”

To those considering signing up, Aileen said: “Absolutely go for it, get your workplace enrolled in the programme. The NICHS team have been very supportive ever since our first meeting. Get involved with them and you will reap the rewards.”

Aileen speaks more about how the support her business has received from the Work Well Live Well programme in the latest episode of the "Be Inspired to Be" podcast available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. The inspiring stories podcast was founded by Belinda O’Neill, a local best-selling author, creator, speaker, podcaster and educator. For more details visit: www.beinspiredtobe.com

To learn more about the Work Well Live Well programme and sign up your workplace for this health and wellbeing support initiative, visit www.nichs.org.uk/workwelllivewell.

NICHS’s vision is a Northern Ireland free from chest, heart, and stroke illnesses. Established in 1946, they work with people of all ages across the country, delivering vital care and prevention services, supporting ground-breaking research and campaigning for change. Today, over 335,000 people in Northern Ireland are living with a chest, heart or stroke condition.