Putting our colleagues’ wellbeing first is important to us, and one of the many ways we do it is through our Wellbeing Champions scheme. Whether you’re working in store, in the office, a distribution centre or elsewhere, you’ll never be far away from a champion who’s working both behind the scenes and with you to make sure your wellbeing is looked after.

 

We’re back for the second part of Elizabeth and Ellie’s chat. You can read part one here, where they cover why they’re so passionate about wellbeing, what led them to become Wellbeing Champions, and how they look after their mental health.

 

Before we start, here’s a reminder of who our colleagues are.

 

Say hello to Elizabeth. She’s been at Tesco for three and a half years, working out of our Welwyn Garden City office. Alongside her role as a Category Planning Assistant, she took on the role of Wellbeing Champion two years ago.

 

And meet Ellie. She also works out of our Welwyn Garden City office, in the Product Insight Team as an Insight Partner. She’s been at Tesco since 2019 and has been a Wellbeing Champion for three years.

 

Elizabeth: So I’m really interested to hear from another Wellbeing Champion what kinds of things you’re getting up to.

 

Ellie: Sure. As you know, there’s lots of elements to the role and you can shape what you do based on what your team need, and what you think is helpful. For me, a big part of what I want to do is upskill the people around me and make sure they know about the benefits and resources that are available to them. There’s a lot of support on offer, but if you’re in a crisis it’s not always easy to find in the moment. That’s a big driver for me.

 

Elizabeth: I feel the same way. I’ve been part of a team working on weekly hints and tips – just little bite-sized emails – designed to give people quick and easy ways they can look after themselves a little better at work. We’ve also run meditation sessions, organised walkathons, all sorts of things. The biggest change I’ve seen though is how our work as champions gets people talking and connecting with each other. I’ve noticed in the time I’ve been doing it, there’s less of a stigma now. We’ve even had really senior managers come in and talk about their mental health, which goes a long way, I think.

 

Ellie: That’s brilliant. For me, having the team I’m in connecting with each other is so important, so they’ve got that support around them if they need it. And your point around senior leaders being open with their own struggles. You’re right, that can be so powerful. I obviously can’t speak for anyone but myself, but I’ve got a line manager that really champions my wellbeing and I know first-hand what a difference that makes.

 

Elizabeth: It really does. My manager is really supportive too. There’s a lot of training on offer for managers here about mental health and wellbeing, and how to make sure you’re looking out for your team in that way. It’s something I think every manager should do.

 

Ellie: I completely agree. Tesco does a lot to put wellbeing first for colleagues, and it really does sit at the core of our values as a business. But there’s always more growing to do and more to learn. That’s where we can have an impact as champions, I think.

 

Elizabeth: Totally. So, what do you get out of it, Ellie? How does it feel to be making that difference?

 

Ellie: For me, taking on the role as a Wellbeing Champion has really helped with my confidence. I’m a people person, and I can be quite impacted by people’s mood around me. Something I’ve noticed while I’ve been going through my mental health journey is that I can arrive at work in a great mood, but if my team isn’t feeling good, then that really affects me. Being able to support those colleagues and give them practical advice so they can come to work feeling like their best selves – it’s really grown my confidence. How do you feel about it?

 

Elizabeth: Oh exactly the same. I helped organise a bake sale to raise money for GroceryAid, a great charity Tesco works with that provides emotional, practical and financial support. I sat in the bake sale room all day and listened to people coming in and out, and my colleagues were saying how great all our wellbeing events had been. It made me feel so happy and proud to know that we’re making a positive difference in the workplace as Wellbeing Champions.

 

Ellie: I think as well, it’s so grounding to realise that the challenges we’ve faced, and everything we’ve gone through with our anxiety and mental health can actually be a strength for us now. Do you know what I mean?

 

Elizabeth: Yes, I completely agree.

 

Ellie: Being able to put what we’ve been through into perspective, and using our experiences to help others, it makes you feel a lot more confident. I feel like – I’ve got this, and having been through what we’ve been through is no bad thing. It’s something we have to deal with, but we can use it as a strength and to support others who might be going through something similar. We can direct them to the help they need.

 

Elizabeth: Yes, absolutely. Being able to look inwards and understand how you’re feeling with your wellbeing, and to then address it like we have, it shows resilience. Back when I was 17, I didn’t know what panic attacks were. I didn’t understand what I was feeling, and I felt really alone. If that 17-year-old had known about the support that’s out there, if she’d had access to that information and those coping mechanisms, maybe I would have gotten into a better place sooner.

 

Ellie: That’s why being a Wellbeing Champion feels so good, isn’t it.

 

Elizabeth: Exactly.

If you want to find out more about Wellbeing Champions, and all the other ways we put our colleagues’ wellbeing first, take a look here