WALES
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Welsh Public Servants say they are delighted with a new “Health and Wellbeing Hour” introduced following negotiations with the sector’s main unions.
Under the deal struck with the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), Prospect and the FDA union last year, full-time staff can use 60 minutes of their working week — separate from regular break times — for pursuits dedicated to maintaining or improving their health.
A just published update on the program, which allows staff to take all of the hour in one go or break it down in any way they choose, found people reported using the time to do weekly walks with colleagues, take part in mindfulness sessions, go to the gym or play squash.
Time can also be tacked on to designated lunch breaks, used to start work late or to finish early.
Permanent Secretary to the Welsh Government, Dame Shan Morgan said the policy showed the public sector was leading by example.
“I see our new Wellbeing Hour as an innovative way of putting strategy into practice in a very practical way that I hope everyone will benefit from,” Dame Shan said.
Branch Secretary of Prospect, Robin Bradfield said the Wellbeing Hour demonstrated the administration’s “commitment to the physical and mental health and wellbeing of our members and staff generally”.
One worker confessed to initially being sceptical about the initiative before coming around to see the benefit.
“As someone who worked through lunch more than I should have, I’ve now started to fit in walks in the park, reading in the park and trips to the museum,” the worker said.
“Being able to take the hour in chunks is very good.”
Several other respondents also said they had found themselves making use of the Wellbeing Hour despite tending to work through lunch and other breaks.
Cardiff, 15 May 2018
