At FuturLab, we’re committed to looking after our team, and a big part of that is prioritising wellbeing and supporting everyone’s mental health both in and out of the workplace. Our Wellbeing Manager, Hayley Blundy, plays a key role in this. She focuses on raising awareness of wellbeing initiatives, opening conversations, and being a consistent source of support for anyone who needs it. She also helps raise awareness of the wellbeing opportunities we have here at FuturLab like free therapy through Spill, rewards with YuLife, Bupa Health Insurance, mental health first aiders, workshops and our partnership with Safe In Our World.
April is Stress Awareness Month, so we caught up with Hayley to learn more about what she’s working on at the studio, along with her advice for looking after your wellbeing and what she can share from her values workshops she’s been running for the team.
In your own words, how would you describe your role at FuturLab?
Hayley: "Unofficially, I’m Studio Mum. Officially, I am the Wellbeing Manager, which means I create meaningful and heart led strategies, best practices, resources and campaigns that cover a wide range of wellbeing topics, all with the aim to have our team feeling content, supported and motivated during their time here."
Can you tell us more about the values workshops? What inspired them, and how have they been received so far?
Hayley: "The values workshops came from a challenge I was set to focus my wellbeing efforts on Resilience. It took a long time for me to narrow down my options and figure out how best to approach this both in a way that would resonate and that also portrayed my own style and authenticity. So far, much to my relief, they have been well received and I’ve had encouraging feedback."
How have people responded to the ‘Building Resilience’ workshop?
Hayley: "As part of the workshop, I invite participants to look at a previous mistake at work and dissect it with a different outlook, focusing on what they learned about themselves in the process. Many have told me that this has felt cathartic and, in some cases, helped them gain closure on something that had not been able to move on from. It’s a wholesome feeling to know that something I have delivered has genuinely helped or inspired someone."
What does supporting stress management at FuturLab look like in your role?
Hayley: "Mostly, it’s the understanding of what stress is, how it shows up for us as individuals, and the recognition that not all stress is bad stress! It can also look like empowering people to look after themselves in ways that are more than just light touch self care – such as setting boundaries, seeking clarity and saying no more often."
What are some practical ways people can reduce stress as part of their wellbeing practices?
Hayley: "A key part of navigating stress is understanding what coping mechanisms serve you best. When thinking about the habits you do in times of stress, it’s worth asking yourself if they mentally support you, if you feel better after doing them and if you practice them. If the answer is no, what can you tweak or change so that you can answer yes with confidence?"
And who is Basil? How have you shaped the daily Basil wellbeing prompts around the Stress Awareness Month theme?
Hayley: "Basil is our virtual wellbeing mascot. He started out as a character to introduce a new wellbeing programme and over the last two years has grown in popularity thanks to his daily slack prompts and wisdom. He’s even been nominated for awards! In terms of supporting stress awareness month, Basil has introduced a new internal stress awareness community resource and is currently inviting our team to check in each day with a short retrospective look at their relationship with stress."
How do you personally support your own stress‑related wellbeing? What’s in your toolkit?
Hayley: "I find that mantras serve me well. My favourites are 'Everything is made up' as well as 'If nothing changes, nothing changes' these statements help ground me and accept / navigate change with some self-compassion. And you can’t go wrong with a cup of tea!"
If someone could take away just one piece of advice from the work you do, what would you want it to be?
Hayley: "Your evolving self is your strength. Own it, and allow your authenticity to show up every day, in every way!"