Officeworks Pinpoint magazine 29 | Page 35

Will does work experience Peter Webb (Team Member) Officeworks Berry Street (NSW) recently took the role of mentoring a special needs student, Will Scrambler from North Shore High School. Will selected Officeworks as his work experience placement because he loved the look of the store. Peter’s 10 years of experience made him the ideal team member for the job. During the 10-week placement between August and November, Peter ensured Will had regular breaks every hour and gradually increased the time he was on shop floor. ‘He started with a one hour shift the first week, two hours the second week and then three hours for the remaining eight weeks,’ said Peter. Will’s safety in the store was paramount and Peter shadowed Will, lending a hand when needed. Peter provided comfort and care that helped Will engage with customers and team members. ‘Will always had me nearby for support and I encouraged him to greet customers with a big smile,’ said Peter. Will enjoyed greeting customers. ‘I worked at the front of the store greeting customers with Peter. What I enjoyed most was working with the team and customers,’ said Will. Peter highly recommends that other stores take on this initiative to give kids such as Will the opportunity to understand the workforce. Meditation works wonders on mental wellbeing at Perth CFC No matter your age or gender, stress and anxiety are things we all deal with from time to time, whether at home or in the workplace. At some point, everyone has experienced the pressures of work affect our personal lives or vice versa. a more positive outlook on life. Many of the Perth CFC team members had not meditated before but were willing to try and have since embraced the change. ‘We are all very busy in our day-to- day lives and can often struggle to stop and take the time to re-centre ourselves. This initiative aims to help the team develop awareness of themselves and their overall mental health’ said Tamara Dyjak (Safety Coordinator WA). At the Perth CFC, the team has implemented guided meditation three times a week to help the team maintain their mental wellbeing. Meditation has many scientifically proven benefits, the most common of which are the benefits to stress reduction, the ability to refocus your thoughts and provide 35