Dozens of Tasmanian professionals have abandoned their desks this week, kicking off the 2025 Mind Games initiative with a focus on workplace mental wellbeing through team-based activities.
Friday’s launch event for the annual Mind Games, which will officially take place in November, immersed participants in collaborative challenges rather than traditional speeches.
“Normally the mind games launch, we just do speeches and then that’s it. I just thought that’s not really fitting with what the Mind Games is about,” said Sherri Ring, creator of the program.
“The Mind Games is all about fun and connection.”
The event comes as workplaces continue adjusting to post-pandemic realities, with many organisations still navigating hybrid work arrangements and their impact on employee mental health.
Ring noted shifting attitudes since COVID-19.
“Businesses are more aware that their employees don’t want to work for workplaces where they’ll just end up burnt out,” she said.
“People are now working from home a lot, so it’s really important to find ways to connect.”
Beyond team building, the Mind Games has also channelled approximately $300,000 into mental health research at the Menzies Institute.
Professor Angela Martin from Menzies, a regular attendee, said the program has dual benefits.
“Apart from the fact that Menzies receives funding that we really need for our research, it enables you to meet so many people from the community,” Martin said.
The professor explained that funding has supported several research initiatives, including the Work and Well project surveying employers and workers about workplace mental health.
“We’ve been making some recommendations about that,” Martin said. She also mentioned an ongoing review of evidence-based approaches to mental health promotion in workplaces.
According to Ring, participant feedback suggests the approach is working.
“Every year we survey all of our participants. And every year we get 100% of people say that they love it and say that they feel more connected and more productive.”
