Some of Tasmania’s biggest CEOs have gone head-to-head in a friendly competition to encourage business leaders to work together for better workplace health and wellbeing.
The ‘Hospo Health CEO Challenge’, organised by the Tasmanian Hospitality Association (THA), brought together top executives from several prominent businesses and organisations at Hobart’s Swisherr on Wednesday.
Speaking on the ‘Hospo Health’ initiative and podcast, THA CEO Steve Old said both were launched a little over a year ago with the goal of putting the health of the hospitality industry and its employees “front and centre” through instructional videos from experts, fact sheets, quick tips and face-to-face health check program.
“HOSPO Health is a preventative health and wellbeing program delivered through a combination of face to face and online learning and support,” he said.
The ‘In the Hot Seat’ podcast, co-hosted by Old and THA’s Chief Happiness Officer Sherri Ring, features a Tasmanian business leader in every episode and sees them discuss what well-being means to them on a personal and business level, what brings them happiness and the strategies they employ to manage stress and pressure.
“Our guests have been open and honest … often sharing vulnerabilities and struggles that they have personally experienced.”
“This sends a strong message to employees at all levels that it’s ok to speak up if you are struggling with your mental or physical health. Having leaders chat about their experience helps normalise these conversations.”
Among the CEOs participating in today’s challenge were Dominic Baker from Cricket Tasmania, Christine Finnegan from the JackJumpers, Amy Hills from the Tourism Industry Council and Sarah Clark from Tourism Tasmania.
Chief Happiness Officer Ring said the challenge was a great way to showcase the importance of having fun at work and the impact this has on workplace culture and the happiness and productivity of employees.
“As a business community, it’s crucial for us to be focusing on the health and happiness of our teams. Research shows that for every $1 a business spends on health and wellbeing initiatives, there is a $2.30 return on investment.”
“Happy staff are more productive, they generally deliver great customer service, and help contribute to a positive organisational culture. All of this leads to leads to bottom line returns. So it’s a win for businesses, and also a win for individuals.”
