Logistics is a fast-moving industry that rarely stands still. Priorities can change quickly, unexpected situations arise and colleagues across our organisation work every day to ensure that critical spare parts arrive when and where they’re needed. Adapting to change is part of what we do, which makes it equally important that we pay attention to how the pace and pressures of everyday life can affect our wellbeing.
At DANX Carousel Group, creating a safe and healthy working environment where people can thrive is an important part of how we work with ESG. As part of our commitment related to UN Sustainable Development Goal 8, every October we mark Stress Awareness Month, putting additional focus on stress, wellbeing and the resources available to our colleagues.
For Malene Vig Hjarnaa, Chief HR Officer at DANX Carousel, the aim is to make that focus meaningful in everyday working life. Therefore, a key part of our Stress Awareness Month has been to turn awareness into something practical, giving colleagues different tools and resources they can draw on.
A practical approach from personal experience
One of the tools introduced as part of this year’s Stress Awareness Month was Mindful Moments, a series of short, guided audio meditations created for colleagues across different parts of the business and narrated by Malene herself. The initiative draws on Malene’s own longstanding experience with meditation and mindfulness. Her interest began through yoga, which has been part of her life for around 25 years, and gradually developed into a deeper interest in meditation. Malene is trained in Yin Yoga and Mindfulness, which combines yoga with mindful awareness, as well as Yoga Nidra, a guided relaxation practice focused on deep rest and meditation. Today, meditation is a regular part of her life, and something she has found valuable in her working life as well.
“What appeals to me about meditation is that it is something you can actively do for yourself. You cannot control everything happening around you, but sometimes something as simple as focusing on your breathing can help you approach a situation differently.”
Building awareness through workshops
Meditation is one tool, but the broader ambition has also been to help colleagues better understand stress and identify what may help them when pressure arise. Throughout October, colleagues have therefore also had the chance to take part in stress awareness workshops designed to build a better understanding of stress and provide practical tools for dealing with pressure in everyday life. The workshops encourage participants to reflect on what may be contributing to stress, recognise when pressure is building and consider what they can influence themselves.
“There is value in understanding what you can influence yourself and having tools that can help when pressure builds. But there are of course also limits to what we can manage ourselves. If that feeling of stress continues, it is important to talk about it with your manager or family and understand what may be contributing to it.”
Finding what works for you
For Malene, the most important takeaway is not that everyone leaves the month with the same solution, but that colleagues become more aware of what works for them when pressure builds. And while October gives us an opportunity to put additional focus on the topic, colleagues can continue to explore content and resources on stress and wellbeing through our internal Wellness Hub throughout the year.
“We will all experience periods where things feel busy or difficult to manage. I hope this initiative gives people some practical tools they can draw on in those moments, while also recognising when it is time to reach out and have a conversation.”
