Wellbeing and with Sonia Savage

We sat down with Clinical Nutritionist, In-House Recruiter and Wellness Specialist, Sonia Savage.

Sonia, tell us a little bit about what you do.

I’m a clinical nutritionist, but in my past life I was a high-performing recruiter and owned a boutique recruitment company for 10 years.

I studied to obtain a Bachelor of Health Science in Complementary Medicine and an Advanced Diploma in Nutritional Medicine to pursue a career where I could change lives through nutrition and health. I’ve been practicing in clinic now for 6+ years. As a clinical nutritionist, I specialise in helping people with autoimmune diseases, hormone function, fertility, mood and gut health. It’s a very rewarding career knowing you have enabled people to feel better, do more and improve their quality of life.

I’m also Talentpath’s Wellness Specialist and In-House Recruiter!

It’s the perfect combination of two careers I’m passionate about. Having more than 17 years experience in recruitment means I have a hands-on understanding of what it takes to be a highperformer in a competitive corporate environment. Coupled with my knowledge around nutrition and wellbeing, I have a wellrounded understanding of what businesses need to empower their teams with practical Wellness Solutions and how to help people feel their best whilst they’re doing their best.

The most common ways employers provided support included:

EAP

Flexible hours

Communication, listening and regular catch ups

Mental health programs

Reduction

As a Clinical Nutritionist and having had a corporate career yourself, what are some workplace wellness trends that you think employers can look out for in the next year?

65% of respondents say their organisation has an accessible and clearly defined wellness program.

Wellness is a really broad term and it means something different to everyone. This year I’m seeing an increase in anxiety with my clients, and interestingly more than 40% of survey respondents said they experienced anxiety in the last 12 months, so there is real evidence there to suggest that workplaces need to focus on practical ways to help their employees manage stress.

From my observations, over the next couple of years organisations need to focus on company culture, inclusiveness, and a sense of common goals among their employees. It’s scientifically shown that community and commonality between people reduces stress. Furthermore, the people who live the longest are those who have a community with a common goal. If your team are united in their goals and have a strong sense of community at work, their mood, anxiety and wellbeing are going to be positively impacted.