A webinar series designed to help FMCG leaders through the immediate and longer-term significant impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle has been announced by the NZ Food and Grocery Council and NZ Food Safety – Haumaru Kai Aotearoa.
Registered Clinical Psychologist Jacqui Maguire will share practical tools and resources to help leaders look after themselves, their whānau, and their workplace teams and communities in response to Cyclone Gabrielle, and during any civil defence emergency.
The two-part series is open to company leaders across the FMCG sector, not just FGC members.
The first webinar (scheduled for Monday 6th March) is entitled ‘Looking after yourself and your loved ones so you can lead well during tough times’. In it, Jacqui will cover:
- Acknowledging the psychological impact of disasters.
- Recognising signs of distress and poor mental health in yourself and others.
- Practical strategies of how to psychologically get through the early days.
- The power of community. Why social connection is so important, especially during loss and devastation. There is no weakness in needing others.
- How to check in with others – and where to source help.
- If you are a colleague sitting in a different part of NZ – what can you do that’s helpful.
The second, on March 13, is entitled ‘Leading others during the response and recovery phases’. It will cover:
- Understanding the various reactions people in your team could be experiencing.
- What are the core needs for people during and recovering from disaster in the workplace.
- How can leaders respond, plan and act to best support their people during this time.
- How can leaders best care for others when they are individually struggling.
FGC Chief Executive Raewyn Bleakley says her organisation came up with the idea after it became clear at disaster response meetings that many member companies were coming under pressure to continue to deliver their products while taking care of their staff, themselves, and their own families.
“We could see many people would have huge challenges ahead, not just in their day jobs, in making sure production continued to fill supermarket shelves, but also to make sure their staff and their families were okay – and the leaders’ own families as well.
“On top of the years of all of the issues Covid threw at us, the pressure would feel like it was relentless and potentially overwhelming, and doing something to support mental wellbeing seemed really key at this time.
“In the aftermath of a disaster, it can be difficult to prioritise taking care of your own wellbeing – getting rest, nutrition to fuel you, feeling moments of normalcy, and accessing support can be tough during the best of times.
“It can also feel like pressure knowing you need to support yourself to ensure you can lead your staff well during this national emergency, and beyond through the recovery.
“We’re delighted we’ve been able to team up with Vincent Arbuckle and his great team at NZ Food Safety – Haumaru Kai Aotearoa to have Jacqui talk to our people.
“She is a fantastic communicator and offers practical ideas in this area, and I’m confident participants will come away with some great tools to help them, their staff, and their families – and ultimately their companies.”
This two-part series will be recorded and available for later viewing as we acknowledge that not everyone will be able to attend.
About Jacqui Maguire
A prominent mental health thought leader, Jacqui harnesses her exceptional communication skills, traditional media and modern technology to promote wellbeing and fight against our nation’s mental health crisis. She draws attention to challenges that could otherwise remain invisible in public discussion and provides clear pathways for meaningful change. Her professional career has been anchored in corporate wellbeing; managing a national company of clinical psychologists providing wellbeing and mental health support across the public and private sector. As the only female psychologist consistently present in the public domain, Jacqui works tirelessly to overcome the historic stigma attached to mental health and to increase access to evidence-based support. She is regarded for her rare ability to relate theory to people’s everyday realities; and to provide practical ways to enhance their wellbeing.
Those interested can register here for part 1 on March 6, and here for part 2.
