When people think about wellbeing in the workplace, they might think of gym discounts, fitness classes, or the occasional team lunch. But for us at Vested, it’s really about creating opportunities to step away from work, have some fun and get to know the people around us. 

As Office & Events Manager for our UK office, a big part of my role is coming up with those opportunities, and there’s always something going on!

Wellbeing that brings people together

One of my favourite initiatives was our Vested Steps Challenge, a month-long event for Mental Health Awareness that brought together our UK and US teams. Anyone could join, and everyone was put into random teams, meaning you could end up competing alongside someone you’d never actually worked with before.

It was a great excuse to get moving, cheer each other on and have a bit of friendly competition along the way.

We’ve also tried a few different ways to get active, from spin classes and Pilates to taking part in the Standard Chartered Great City Race. It’s less about being sporty and more about getting people away from their desks and doing something active together. 

According to the Mental Health Foundation (2024), regular physical activity can reduce the risk of depression by up to 30%. That’s one reason why we prioritise opportunities to get the team moving outside of the work environment. 

Getting creative

Sometimes wellbeing is simply about doing something completely unrelated to work.

We’ve had everything from sip and paint and pottery painting to plant art framing. They’re relaxed, easy-going activities where you can switch off for a couple of hours, have a chat and see what you can create. 

We also see creative activities as another way to support wellbeing, helping to reduce stress, boosts energy level and facilitates emotional expression (West Sussex Mind 2024).

And while not everyone might consider themselves particularly artistic, it’s definitely been fun seeing everyone’s different interpretations!

The Summer Away Day

One of the biggest highlights of our culture calendar is our annual Summer Away Day.

It’s one day when everyone can properly step away from emails, meetings, deadlines and just spend time together. For a growing team, we think that’s really important.

This year, we started the day with ClueGo’s Next Level Challenge, splitting into teams and heading around London to complete photo, video and trivia challenges. There was plenty of teamwork, some questionable photo evidence and a fair amount of competition!

Then, we headed to Pastaio for lunch and to fuel ourselves for an afternoon at LifeSized Monopoly.

For me, days like this are what our culture is really about. It’s not just about organising a fun day out, it’s about giving people the chance to spend time with colleagues they might not usually work with, build relationships and create memories together. As well as exercising both our physical and mental wellbeing.

Because at the end of the day, culture isn’t just about the perks. It’s about the people. 

It’s the little moments, the laughs over a team activity, discovering you’re surprisingly good at pottery painting, cheering someone on during a race, or simply getting to know each other.

These are the things that make coming to work feel like being part of something greater.