How can businesses design innovative and engaging wellbeing strategies?

On 23 September, George Bell, Co-founder of ON:SONG will join Dr Simon Opher, Gloucestershire GP and founder of Artlift, Catherine de la Poer, founder of Halcyon and Pete Allison, Director of festivals of business and innovation for County Business Shows Ltd to discuss innovative approaches to workplace wellbeing. The online event ‘Creative Wellbeing in the Workplace’ will mark the launch of ON:SONG’s wellbeing impact report from their lockdown HUM programme supported by Arts Council England and DCMS. The event will also include a panel discussion to explore what businesses can learn from the arts and cultural sector in designing innovative and engaging wellbeing strategies.

The detrimental impact of the pandemic on individual wellbeing has been well documented, with home working combined with added stress levels and the ‘always on’ increase in daily average working hours. For leadership, this has increased the pace of adoption of wellbeing measures, and pushed the wellbeing agenda to a position of greater strategic importance. With the increasing demand for such services, both HR and service providers are looking towards new and more creative ways to engage individuals and teams in support of their wellbeing.

During the pandemic, individuals have turned to arts and culture in ever greater numbers in recognition of the impact that creativity can have on improving mental and emotional health. Many in the arts sector have seen a shift in perspective on the value and purpose of the arts, aided by the Cultural Recovery Fund, the single largest government support package for the arts and cultural sector in history. The past year has shown creativity as a vital medicine to enhance wellbeing and provide a sense of meaning and a source of joy.

Experts in business, health and creativity will come together on 23 September to address how creativity can be utilised in innovative ways to have a positive effect in the workplace, and what can be learnt from the arts and cultural sector.

As one of the UK’s leading providers for wellbeing, ON:SONG have delivered workshops with businesses including Lloyds Banking Group, the HNS, BBC, Three Mobile and Lionsgate. A significant part of ON:SONG’s work includes researching and measuring the impact their work has on individual wellbeing, creating a happier, more confident workforce. Their research last year showed 87% of participants in their programme felt an increase in job satisfaction, 94% felt more confident, and a staggering 99% felt a stronger sense of community at work.

ON:SONG Co-founder George Bell said “Creativity is intrinsically part of our work, and a huge driver of what makes our sessions so impactful in supporting wellbeing, whether it's through engendering a mindful flow state, focusing on process rather than outcome, or indeed the collective sense of achievement of doing things as part of a group. There is a huge amount that we can learn from creative practice in support of individual and group wellbeing, which we look forward to exploring in this event!”

This free online event will discuss strategies and opportunities. The panel discussion will be followed by case studies, breakout and practical sessions and end with a Q&A. The event is open to all businesses and may be most helpful for workplace leaders, decision makers and HR teams.

Speakers announced:

George Bell
Co-founder of ON:SONG
George has over 15 years industry experience across a broad range of musical, cultural and ethnomusicological projects, and is passionate about how music can be used to improve wellbeing. ON:SONG provides musical experiences for businesses, communities and individuals to tune-in, connect and take care of their wellbeing. Committed to having a real impact, ON:SONG work with clients to measure and review wellbeing and its benefits.

Dr Simon Opher
Gloucestershire GP and founder of Artlift
Dr Simon Opher is Chair of Stroud Integrated Locality Board with responsibility for the healthcare of 120,000 people. He was also the lead clinician for the national Cultural Commission Pilot and leads on Social Prescribing in Gloucestershire. He founded Artlift in 2007, providing arts on prescription to patients in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. Latest projects include arts and ballet to help survivors of cancer, the use of comedy to engage hard to reach communities, and Allotments on prescription sited on unused NHS land.

Catherine de la Poer
Leadership coach, expert on emotional intelligence
Catherine de la Poer is on a mission to change the conversation about organisational value. She is founder at halcyon coaching ltd, where the focus is to create more resilient and agile individuals, teams and organisations with Emotional Intelligence forming the centre-piece of her coaching approach. #humansustainability puts talent investment and employee wellbeing front and centre. Talent-first CEO's see TALENT as a value creator, as such talent is tied to every item of the strategic agenda.

Pete Allison
Director of festivals of business and innovation
Pete Allison runs County Business Shows Ltd which produces The Gloucestershire Business Show and The South Gloucestershire Business Show. The events bring leaders in business together to discuss, consult, celebrate, promote and grow great businesses and good business practice across the county.

Additional speaker to be announced.

Creative Wellbeing in the Workplace
What can businesses learn from the arts and cultural sector in designing innovative and engaging wellbeing strategies?
Thursday 23 September, 11am - 12.30pm.
Tickets for the panel discussion can be booked here: https://www.onsong.co.uk/events/creative-wellbeing-in-the-workplace