The Public Entity Saba has launched the Employee Wellbeing Program to prioritize the development of all its employees. The program offers personal and professional growth through a six-month initiative and is focused on Leadership and Management. A team of eight professional coaches with diverse expertise was carefully selected to ensure the program’s success.

The Employee Wellbeing Program addresses various areas, including emotional, mental, physical, creative, and energetic development. The program consists of activities, workshops, and training sessions that focus on employees’ capabilities such as communication, leadership, emotional intelligence, and work-life balance. Participants benefit from personalized coaching, group workshops, interactive discussions, and strategies relevant to both their professional and personal life. By investing in employees, the Public Entity Saba demonstrates its commitment to creating a positive working culture and ensures long-term success for its employees. The program is aimed to empower employees to reach their full potential and thrive in their roles, fostering a meaningful and fulfilling life and career. This joint collaboration was curated by the HRM and Public Health departments.

Two registration groups were formed for the Employee Wellbeing Program: a “steady group” and a “flexible group.” The decision was made to accommodate employees with unpredictable work schedules, allowing them to choose between committing fully to the steady group or opting for the flexibility of the other group. Each group has a capacity of 12 employees, ensuring a manageable and engaging experience. Participants were encouraged to acknowledge and express their emotions, create a positive train of thought, prioritize physical well-being, and find their personal outlets for creative expression. The program also highlights self-reflection, and solution-oriented thinking, and creates a safe space for open communication and understanding.

Brenda Tjipjes, Head of the HRM Department, designer, and organizer of the program, emphasized to participants the importance of full commitment to the Employee Wellbeing Program for achieving significant personal change. She advised all participants, including those in the flexible group, to stay committed and complete the entire program to experience the full range of personal and professional benefits that the program offers. The Employee Wellbeing Program consists of two learning days per month from April to November, with a summer break in July and August. Five reputable organizations are involved in delivering the program along with key individuals from the Public Entity Saba.

Peter Bennen

Peter Bennen from Centaur Group was the first coach in the Employee Wellbeing Program to meet with employees. He presented a program that consisted of visual, verbal, and interactive engagements among those in attendance. Bennen’s two-day training course was designed to empower individuals to have control over their emotions, self-reflect, enhance collaboration, and overall personal and professional growth in life. Bennen covered various topics such as self-awareness, understanding of the brain and its connection to unconscious processes, neuro-programming, and diverse learning systems. The course also touched on the power of positive language, both vulnerability and courage, assertiveness in saying ‘No,’ managing people and dealing with resistance and fostering pride in personal achievements. By engaging with these subjects, participants can develop effective communication skills, properly regulate their emotions, and transform their vulnerabilities into strengths. The training was also aimed to create a conscious and motivated setting that promoted collaborative success and fulfillment in working together.

Allan Carolina

Allan Carolina, Health Promoter at the Public Entity Saba also had the opportunity to have a day session for both groups which was coined “The Magic of Movement”. Carolina characterizes “movement” as conscious and subconscious thoughts and actions. Throughout these sessions, he informed the groups on the importance of movement and how it impacts our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Carolina further informs the groups on how many of these traits enable you to be consciously aware of self, and accountable in the way you interact with people you commonly encounter. Carolina touched on both subconscious and conscious movement detailing the differences. Carolina allowed for interactive moments throughout his sessions, where the groups were able to partake in moments of dancing, cardio, yoga, and stretching. The session also had a segment for nutritional education where he discussed food categories, their specific benefits, and how providing your body with the correct nutrients discourages feelings of fatigue and encourages the likeliness of conscious movement. By incorporating this into our daily routine, we can unlock our full potential and live life to the fullest. An additional day was scheduled to focus on the recovery of each registrant. This was done through a wellness session that lasted 30 minutes and was performed by Carolina.

Julienne Augusty

Julienne Augusty from L.I.F.E (Learning Is for Everyone) ushered in a two-day session that focused on the emotional and mental health aspects of learning, offering participants strategies for personal leadership and self-development. These sessions highlighted the importance of self-aligning, developing a personal brand that links directly to your identity, and effective communication through collaborative tools. A strategy referred to as “design thinking” was introduced for creating action plans that foster a successful working environment and empower self-development. Augusty’s training explores the growth mindset versus the fixed mindset emphasizing the value of changing how one sees challenges and setbacks to reflect the notion that skills and abilities can improve over time. The session provided tools for situational analysis and identifies areas for improvement. Participants also learn practical self-care strategies for emotional and mental wellness. Overall, the training equips participants with skills to enhance their well-being, practice effective self-care, and empower themselves both personally and professionally.

Ludwijn Braams

In May, participants of the Employee Wellbeing Program received an email from L&D support. The email invited participants to fill out 2 questionnaires. The first questionnaire with a total of 202 questions and the other a total of 42 questions. The 202-questionnaire focused mainly on resilience and mental elasticity, while the questionnaire with 42 questions focused more on personal well-being. The training program emphasized self-awareness and personal competence to achieve success and balance. Participants identify strengths, weaknesses, and pitfalls to overcome obstacles. The training program aimed to encourage the participants to take responsibility for controllable areas in their lives and let go of the uncontrollable moments.” Self-acceptance and self-knowledge are fostered to manage overall performance. Participants receive a Personal Competence Profile report, which assesses competencies such as collaboration, planning, leadership, decisiveness, conflict management, delegation, authority, and motivation. Toward the end of June, Ludwijn Braams, Rachael Geerlings, and Juliette Hassel held Individual meetings with participants where they provided them with their findings and feedback on their competencies with resilience, communication, skills, and leadership and how they can use the profile report to grow.

The Second half of the Employee Wellbeing Program is scheduled to continue in September.

Special acknowledgment goes to Allan Carolina, Jane O’Flynn, Rosa Johnson, and Bridgette Hassell, whose contributions were instrumental in shaping this initiative. Without their efforts, combined with the support of BC, the realization of this important program would not have been possible. Their collaboration underscores Public Entity Saba’s commitment to enhancing the well-being of our employees as we move forward.

GIS