The General Employees Cooperative Credit Union (GECCU) held a Staff Wellness Retreat for employees across all GECCU branches and service delivery sectors on Thursday October 20, at the River-14 Recreational Park in South Rivers.
The wellness retreat aimed to facilitate an open and relaxed session for staff, to improve and promote the health and well-being of its employees.
President of the Board of Directors at GECCU Michael Sayers said the organization understands the value and importance of its staff. He said the wellness of staff is important to the Board and Management, and reminded the employees that wellness is not just the environment created for them, but also a state of mind.
Sayers said, “We don’t know what someone is going through, we don’t know what situation and problem someone is faced with, even when they come to you as a customer that person may be having a totally terrible day and so with a nice smile on our faces sometimes it is important to share and encourage that person”.
Rohan Stowe, Chief Executive Officer at GECCU said the event is a modest and pioneering event and will be an annual activity. Stowe said hiring and recruiting staff is an expensive process; hence ensuring staff wellness should be a priority.
Stowe said GECCU’s staff should be in an environment which is conducive for work, where employees feel valued. He noted that a healthy and happy staff will be more productive and an asset to the organization.
The GECCU staff wellness retreat was facilitated by Dr Alisa Alvis School and Clinical Psychologist and Psychologist Franz George, specialist in Industrial Organisational and Business Psychology.