Supporting team wellbeing: workshop reflections

The aims of our wellbeing campaign focus on providing support, advice and guidance for everyone in the sector. As part of this we commissioned a series of free workshops for our members.

We were delighted by the level of interest and participation from members and the excellent facilitation by Jessica Agudelo. You can read her insightful reflections below.

Our ongoing commitment to wellbeing continues and we are currently working on some more detailed research with museum professionals of colour, new Wellbeing Hub resources and a Museum Essentials online course.

Working together for wellbeing

It has been a privilege to work with the Museums Association for the past six months to design and facilitate a bespoke workshop for leaders, managers and freelancers titled ‘Supporting team wellbeing’. 83 learners participated from a range of museums (large and small) between January and March 2024. The level of engagement, story sharing, and eagerness to learn was truly inspiring.

Our aim was to create safety and gather resources together through conversations and discussion around the factors affecting the wellbeing of colleagues, while exploring resources and habits to help maintain wellness. We delved into understanding what wellbeing means to us and how to authentically engage in supportive conversations.

A major focus in the workshops was self-care, which is a fundamental pillar of wellbeing. Feelings of guilt when prioritising self-care was one of the most common experiences identified, specifically when planning annual leave and even taking sick leave. I really commend learners’ openness and vulnerability. Practising self-care requires conscious attention, dedication and time. It can be very difficult to prioritise self-care when life gets in the way and other priorities take precedence.

At a systems level, wellbeing continues to be undervalued and poorly served. Additional pressures of the workplace such as high vacancy levels, sickness absence, organisational changes, cost of living and funding cuts are pilling the pressures even higher. So how do we foster supportive environments for overall wellbeing?

Opportunities to pause and reflect on what our body, mind and heart need should not be negotiable. Prioritising sleep, physical activity and a balanced diet are all intrinsically linked to health.

We need vulnerable leaders that can build compassionate teams and model inclusive wellbeing approaches – brave to have conversations, and courageous when asking for help.

We need to build a workforce for the future, with new and different skills. We need to be confident and able to address inequalities and meet different needs equitably, recognising and valuing a diverse workforce and the vital role freelancers and volunteers play in the sector.

Creating psychologically safe workplaces cannot be done in isolation. Real change can only happen when we create opportunities for connection and collaboration, like working together to promote peer support and a culture of mentorship and sponsorship.

I am deeply grateful for and inspired by the shared commitment of Museums Association members in nurturing wellbeing at all levels. Through sharing tangible actions and fostering meaningful conversations, we can build community and bring hope to an ever-changing workplace landscape.