Feel good Fridays are coming to Northern Health, starting from Friday, 12 November, and will last until the end of the year.

“The Wellbeing Team are introducing virtual ‘Feel Good Fridays’- an opportunity to gather as a collective and share stories, join in with games and fun activities, and shake off the stress. Each week will be a different theme, and we encourage all staff across Northern Health, both clinical and non-clinical, to head to IdeaScale, where they will find information on how to participate,” explained Stephen Whittaker, Wellbeing Team Lead, People and Culture.

“The science behind a smile, the sound of laughter and promoting that social bonding is incredibly powerful, and that is a concept that Northern Health would like to support for our hard-working staff. With restrictions easing, and a sense of optimism filling the air, it’s time to reflect, and a chance to celebrate the good in life. With everything we’ve been through in the last 18 months, it’s important now more than ever to take the opportunity to bring fun and light into our daily routine. We’ve earned it,” said Renee Camilleri, Wellbeing Advisor.

Some of the Feel Good Friday activities will include ‘Guess the lyrics/famous movie quote’ and will also have a prize incentive, to reward staff for participating and getting involved. All instructions for each weekly activity will be explained on IdeaScale.

Casey O’Brien, Wellbeing Project Psychologist added: “We know that social connecting is good for the soul, but we don’t often think about the benefits to our work practice. Taking the time to laugh, smile and get to know the people we work with encourages us to connect even more as we go about our work tasks and helping one another. We hope that this initiative provides inspiration for other topics to connect with beyond work and COVID-19, you may find colleagues who share the same music taste, favourite TV shows, or even a rival sports fan!”

“Our staff have seen the darkest moments of this pandemic – now is a time where we can gather virtually, begin to heal and bond as a community,” Stephen said.

“We look forward to sharing with you, connecting with you and having a laugh together,” he added.

IdeaScale can be accessed from both home and office computers. If you are at the office, once you click on the link, you’ll be automatically signed in with your Northern Health account. If you are working from home, you will need to enter your NH log-in details (same ones you use when you log in to your office computer).