When Tour de Office began in 2011, Employment Office Brisbane was one of the first companies to join the tour. Since then, Employment Office has continued its support of the event, participating for the past 9 years. Employment Office has raised over $11,500 just within the last three years for Australian Charities. In the lead up to the final ride week of 2019, it’s time we shed light on the work of Employment Office and what they are doing to #quitthesit.

Employment Office’s 2019 Charity of Choice

This year they chose to support the local charity, Lung Foundation Australia. Employment Office has set out to raise $10,000 for the Lung Foundation. Employment Office host an in-office auction in the ride week to help them achieve their fundraising goal. Staff can auction off services (some popular ones are kitchen cleaning duty for a month, free car park or to wear an embarrassing costume on the bike) to raise money for Lung Foundation Australia. 

They have also purchased a second bike this year meaning they have up to 160 time slots for their riders. The bikes are set up in the office weeks in advance so staff can train and make the most of their ride in the event week. 

Where will the donations go?

Lung Foundation Australia is Australia’s leading lung health charity. Lung cancer is the #1 cancer killer in Australia but did you know…

34 Australians are diagnosed with lung cancer each day 

 

There are over 30 types of lung cancer that can affect smokers, ex-smokers and never smokers

 

25 people die from lung cancer every day

 

There is only a 17% survival rate after 5 years

 

⅓ Australians believe people with lung cancer only have themselves to blame

 

The money raised from the riders at Employment Office Brisbane will go towards funding imperative research and programs to support Australians diagnosed with lung cancer. As little as $50 can connect a person living with lung cancer to Lung Foundation Australia support centre and as much as $200 can help fund life-changing research.

Teaming up with Lung Foundation was a natural fit for Employment Office and Tour de Office as we both support a healthy lifestyle. We are excited to watch the riders at Employment Office #quitthesit and see how much they can raise for Lung Foundation Australia. Donations are open for the next 4 weeks and feel free to check out the sweaty faces of EO in the event week, maybe you’ll feel inspired to jump on a TDO bike. 

Tour de Office interviewed Andrea Davey, CEO of Scout Talent Group, to discuss how she instils health and wellbeing in her team through leading by example.

What are your thoughts on creating a healthy work environment for the people you work with?

Encouraging the people I work with to be healthier makes so much sense because it makes them happier, and at the end of the day, that’s the most important thing. Being healthier also gives the people in my team more energy and that means that they can perform better at work. It’s a positive cycle and I view ‘prioritising healthy workplace practices’ as a leadership tool to support my people to be the best they can be.

How do you implement this?

I try to lead by example. For example, working out during my lunch break and eating well… also keeping my alcohol intake in moderation!

I am conducting more and more ‘walking meetings’ with my team. If I have a meeting booked with someone where the topics we’re discussing don’t require us to be in front of our laptops, I’ll ask them the day before if they’d like to make our meeting a ‘walking meeting’. If they’re keen we bring comfortable walking shoes and during the meeting time we go for a walk along the river for half an hour instead of just sitting down. My team members seem to be really enjoying these meetings. We get some extra steps into our day, and the fresh air helps clear our heads. Some of the best creative thinking is done during walking meetings!

I’ve also had some team members ask for flexibility in their 8:20am-5pm day, to make room for exercise. Some people exercise during their lunch break, but that doesn’t always work if someone has a meeting with a client or an interview with a candidate in the afternoon. For many people, working out at lunchtime means they need to shower afterwards and some people want to do their hair or re-apply makeup before afternoon meetings. All of these things create barriers to getting exercise done at lunch. It can all seem a bit ‘too hard’. So, something that’s working well is giving team members the flexibility to work through the traditional lunch hour and take an hour off at 4 pm, for example, to exercise.

Do you encourage bonding over healthy living practices as a team outside of work?

Absolutely. Over the years, health and fitness events (e.g. fun runs like Bridge to Brisbane) have been popular. We often sign up as a team and our business pays half of the entry fee for all participants. 

How do you lead by example when it comes to mental health and wellbeing?

Earlier this year I read ‘Atomic Habits’ by James Clear and ever since then I’ve been ‘habit tracking’. Essentially I choose a few key daily habits I want to develop and I use a diary to mark each day that I follow each habit. Over the last 6 months, one of my habits has been to ‘down the tools at 5 pm’. This means I have time for my family, for myself, and ultimately makes me more productive during the time I do spend working. I track this habit on a daily basis and share my results with my team pretty regularly. I encourage anyone in my team who wants to do the same (keeping their work hours in check) to do so. Burnout is a serious thing, it’s on the rise, and it has such a toll on your mental and physical health. I want the people who work in my team to be able to ‘down the tools’ and go and enjoy the other wonderful aspects of their lives.

If riding a bike or raising money for charity is your thing (or even better, a combination of both!) then you must have ridden in Tour De Office.

You’re red in the face and dripping sweat, your legs are burning, you’re outfitted as your favourite superhero and you’re thinking:

‘I’m so sad I only get to do this once a year.’

And it is sad. A year seems far too long to wait to have fun with your workmates while raising money for a great cause close to your heart.

Be sad no more –  there are many events that involve jumping on a bike, pedalling hard and raising money for charity. Many are local to you, maybe you’re riding the coastlines or into the countryside or in one big circle around your city. There are also rides that take you that little bit further, to help scratch that itch when you’re not riding Tour De Office in the comfort of your office.

Fantastic Brissie based charity, Smiling for Smiddy raises money for vital cancer research while you get to ride your bike. One of their challenges is in New Zealand spread over 5 days where you’ll get to cycle up mountains and through lush valleys and maybe spot a Hobbit or two along the way (or more likely some sheep).

Yes, it is outdoors and you will have to leave the security of your office to ride. Yes, the bike does move and you will require to balance on it. Yes, it is not a replacement for Tour De Office but it does sound fun with a twist of awesome cause.

So while you’re waiting for Tour De Office to come around again next year you have a really good excuse for an overseas holiday while helping get the one-up on cancer.