Five questions for Daphne Lingier, Gumption Wellbeing Ambassador
Daphne Lingier has been a Gumption Wellbeing Ambassador since February this year. She works on themes such as prevention, health, safety and wellbeing on the Gumption shop floor.
Daphne Lingier has been a Gumption Wellbeing Ambassador since February this year. She works on themes such as prevention, health, safety and wellbeing on the Gumption shop floor. How is she doing? What has she been working on? Five questions for our Wellbeing Ambassador!
1. Wellbeing at work is becoming increasingly important. Why is that?
Daphne Lingier: “It’s received a lot more attention since the pandemic. People worked from home more often. The dividing lines between work and private life blurred. It’s important to be mindful of this. A good work-life balance is essential to function professionally in a healthy way. We want to help our people find that balance. This isn’t yet straightforward, especially for young people.
As soon as your company has more than 20 employees, appointing someone dedicated to wellbeing and prevention in the workplace becomes mandatory. Just like a confidential counsellor and someone with knowledge of first aid, a wellbeing ambassador has become indispensable in the business world.”
1. Wellbeing at work is becoming increasingly important. Why is that?
Daphne Lingier: “It’s received a lot more attention since the pandemic. People worked from home more often. The dividing lines between work and private life blurred. It’s important to be mindful of this. A good work-life balance is essential to function professionally in a healthy way. We want to help our people find that balance. This isn’t yet straightforward, especially for young people.
As soon as your company has more than 20 employees, appointing someone dedicated to wellbeing and prevention in the workplace becomes mandatory. Just like a confidential counsellor and someone with knowledge of first aid, a wellbeing ambassador has become indispensable in the business world.”
2. How do you approach ensuring greater wellbeing at Gumption?
Daphne Lingier: “We work with IDEWE, an occupational health and safety expert. They provide medical and psychological support, from flu vaccinations to ergonomic advice. We do much more than what’s required from the government. At Gumption, we take a broad view of well-being. Health is also important to us. Healthy people are more creative and work together more efficiently. Soon, we will plan new initiatives around healthy eating and waste management.”
2. How do you approach ensuring greater wellbeing at Gumption?
Daphne Lingier: “We work with IDEWE, an occupational health and safety expert. They provide medical and psychological support, from flu vaccinations to ergonomic advice. We do much more than what’s required from the government. At Gumption, we take a broad view of well-being. Health is also important to us. Healthy people are more creative and work together more efficiently. Soon, we will plan new initiatives around healthy eating and waste management.”
Wellbeing is a priority here, and I count myself lucky to be able to work on my favourite subject.
3. What initiatives are you working on at the moment?
Daphne Lingier: “Together with IDEWE, I’m developing a progressive reintegration policy for people who’ve been absent for a long time. By progressive, I mean we think about how to help someone return to work gradually, part-time at first. We look at how we can facilitate that return, for example, by reducing noise or introducing alternative working methods.
We also work preventively, of course. For example, IDEWE advises on how to assist someone whose work is affected by their personal situation. At Gumption, we’re a family. We don’t abandon anyone who’s having a difficult time. On the contrary, we go the extra mile to help our people when needed. You’re part of the group, for better or worse.”
3. What initiatives are you working on at the moment?
Daphne Lingier: “Together with IDEWE, I’m developing a progressive reintegration policy for people who’ve been absent for a long time. By progressive, I mean we think about how to help someone return to work gradually, part-time at first. We look at how we can facilitate that return, for example, by reducing noise or introducing alternative working methods.
We also work preventively, of course. For example, IDEWE advises on how to assist someone whose work is affected by their personal situation. At Gumption, we’re a family. We don’t abandon anyone who’s having a difficult time. On the contrary, we go the extra mile to help our people when needed. You’re part of the group, for better or worse.”
4.What is your personal experience of wellbeing at work?
Daphne Lingier: “It’s been a common thread throughout my career. I previously worked for the Flemish government. There, I was involved in a big project on burnout. How do you prevent burnout? How do you reactivate people? For example, I was also committed to engaging people to do more sports. With small, positive actions, you can motivate teams in an enjoyable way. I’m a great believer in this positive approach.”
4.What is your personal experience of wellbeing at work?
Daphne Lingier: “It’s been a common thread throughout my career. I previously worked for the Flemish government. There, I was involved in a big project on burnout. How do you prevent burnout? How do you reactivate people? For example, I was also committed to engaging people to do more sports. With small, positive actions, you can motivate teams in an enjoyable way. I’m a great believer in this positive approach.”
We want people to feel at home with us.
5. Final question: what makes you personally happy at work?
Daphne Lingier: “Making other people happy (laughs). Even when the going gets tough, or there’s bad news, I try to help people see the silver lining. When I tell candidates they’re not getting the job, I give them tips for their next interview. I always get good reactions to it! It gives me energy to help people grow.
The past months at Gumption have been a rollercoaster. Everyone’s warm and enthusiastic. There’s a lot of stuff going on. I’m so happy that I can do my bit here. Wellbeing is a priority here, and I count myself lucky to be able to work on my favourite subject.”
5. Final question: what makes you personally happy at work?
Daphne Lingier: “Making other people happy (laughs). Even when the going gets tough, or there’s bad news, I try to help people see the silver lining. When I tell candidates they’re not getting the job, I give them tips for their next interview. I always get good reactions to it! It gives me energy to help people grow.
The past months at Gumption have been a rollercoaster. Everyone’s warm and enthusiastic. There’s a lot of stuff going on. I’m so happy that I can do my bit here. Wellbeing is a priority here, and I count myself lucky to be able to work on my favourite subject.”