Winepress - August 2024

TAKE THE LEAD

Simple and effective

Karen Mckeown manages Wellbeing at Hunter’s Wines and led the team to win an award in this year’s Marlborough Wine Wellness Week

You came to Hunter’s from Constellation. What’s the difference running a wellbeing programme at a smaller company?

There are several advantages to being smaller. We can focus on the specific needs of staff and tailor the programme to suit. This leads to higher engagement and better overall well-being. The smaller scale enables regular gatherings, fostering closer relationships and a strong sense of community. Often it’s the simple things that make a big difference and don’t necessarily cost a lot of money. Spreading wellness messages and promoting resources can have a significant impact. If providing information encourages even one person to see their GP, get a skin check, or take time for their mental health, then the effort is worthwhile. We use Slack.com as our communication platform, which everyone is on board with. We have a dedicated Health and Safety and Wellness page on Slack for messages on these topics, as well as a good old-fashioned noticeboard, ensuring no one misses out. What makes good leadership when it comes to wellness at work?

Wellness has always been important to me personally –eating well, exercising, and taking time out. I guess I like to lead by example but recognise that we all have areas we can improve on and at times a bit of knowledge and

encouragement can help inspire and ignite new goals. I’m extremely passionate about wellness at Hunter’s, and that everything I do is authentic and done with integrity. I encourage input and participation and like to express my thanks to those who take part. Hunter’s has been very supportive and encouraged me in all areas of wellness, enabling me to develop the role and myself into a wellness leader.

How do you keep up the momentum with the team? All activities need to have an element of fun and be relevant. This ensures that everyone enjoys participating and feels engaged with the wellness program. I like to plan ahead and do a lot of research to try and come up with different ideas. A good mix of give and take is important too. It’s not just about what your employer can do for you but what you can do for each other and give back to your community.