At St. George’s Nursery, we place a strong emphasis on supporting the mental health and well-being of our team. Our goal is to create an environment where staff feel valued, supported, and empowered to thrive both personally and professionally.
Here’s how we achieve this:
1. Appreciation & Recognition
We believe in regularly recognising and appreciating the hard work of our team members. Through the Famly app, we celebrate achievements within individual nurseries and across the entire group. All staff are encouraged to join in celebrating successes from other nurseries, fostering a sense of community and support. We present a range of awards, such as St. George’s Nursery’s Spirit to Inspire, Care & Nurture Award, Teamwork Award: Most Supportive, and the Growth Award, to recognise outstanding contributions and dedication.
2. Coaching, Mentoring & Buddy System
To help every team member succeed, we assign each new starter both a mentor and a buddy. The mentor provides guidance and professional development support, while the buddy helps new staff settle into their roles and feel part of the team. This two-tier support system ensures every staff member has the help they need from day one.
3. Culture of Safety & Kindness
At St. George’s Nursery, we prioritise building a culture of safety and kindness.
Further, during our staff supervisions, staff have the opportunity to review their health and well-being with management, ensuring their emotional and physical needs are addressed.
4. Well-Being Support
We share monthly well-being messages to the team, covering topics such as menopause, physical well-being, sleep, and more. Each message includes practical tips and links to resources, helping staff improve their well-being in accessible ways.
5. Termly Motivators & Counselling Support
Our Termly Motivators are designed to inspire and uplift our team, providing regular boosts to morale and engagement. This could include a hot chocolate station in the staffrooms or staffroom makeovers. We also offer a free and confidential counselling service to ensure our staff have professional mental health support when needed.
6. Recharge-5
To promote daily well-being, we have implemented the Recharge-5 initiative. This includes a brief, 5-minute break designed to give our team a moment to reset when things feel overwhelming. This encourages staff to recharge mentally and physically. Whether through a short walk, mindfulness, or simply taking a moment to breathe, Recharge-5 is designed to help our staff reset and stay energised throughout the day.
