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Olympic and Paralympic athletes are helping the 564 employees of Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management in the UK and Crown Dependencies keep active and mentally healthy during lockdown. For the #wecandothis campaign, core concepts from the world of sport relating to keeping fit both mentally and physically are being used to create videos, factsheets and top tips to support Canaccord’s teams as they establish a new norm of working remotely. Initial response to the campaign has been so positive that Canaccord is now publishing the content for broader public use on its website and LinkedIn and encouraging anyone who would find it useful at this unsettling time to watch and share with friends and colleagues.
Canaccord is working with TeamedUp and six Olympic athletes to create the powerful and engaging series of content. During the physical health weeks, the focus is on tailored exercises that can be done whilst meeting lockdown requirements – from ‘core on a cushion’ to ‘the ultimate kitchen workout’. During the mental health weeks, Olympic swimmer Lizzie Simmonds looks at the key themes that helped shape her journey to sporting success, particularly through times of challenge, failure and change. Topics include motivation and purpose, goal setting, managing stress and resilience with content tailored to current feelings and challenges being presented by COVID-19 for employees.
Commenting on the campaign, Head of Marketing and Communications for Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management Jane Parry said: “We quickly recognised that the change to working remotely was going to have a huge impact on our teams; in terms of motivation, engagement, focus and mental health. Having supported TeamedUp for the past two years and the brilliant work they do with athletes on their Olympic and Paralympic journeys, we were able to pivot our activity to an internal communications campaign quickly and effectively. We are delighted with the response we have had and are keen to share this content more widely in the hope that anyone who is struggling whilst working remotely will benefit.”
There is a proven link between physical activity and better business and personal performance. Studies by The Guardian and Psychology Today indicate that our mental capacity is directly linked to our physical regime. #cando is Canaccord’s overarching theme for all CSR activity, and the platform the company has used over the past three years to consistently promote these positive messages and encourage the local community, staff and clients to keep moving. The definition of ‘can do’ in the Oxford English dictionary is “having or showing a determination or willingness to take action and achieve results.”
Commenting on her involvement in the campaign, Olympian Lizzie Simmonds said: “I’ve loved having the opportunity to share knowledge and insights from the world of elite sport through the #cando campaign. This is an unprecedented and challenging time for all of us, so it’s great that Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management has been so forward-thinking in supporting employee wellbeing with such a positive initiative.”
“#wecandothis has given fresh impetus in support of our employees’ wellbeing and some excellent videos which we can use in our own homes,” said Tim Sanders, Head of Wealth Management in Jersey. “We’re pleased to now be able to share this content and support with our local communities as we’re all facing the same challenges. Together, #wecandothis.”
There has never been a better or more important time to embrace the core principles of #cando. Shining a light on the world of high-performance sport and getting first-hand advice from athletes is proving to be a powerful and effective way to help all those who are struggling through this period of immense change.
