BUSINESS leaders reducing stress and improving their organisation’s performance will have a positive impact on capability across regions where they operate.

That’s the message to businesses in Cumbria ahead of a workshop jointly organised and delivered by Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster and iSH.

The Biological Well-Being Workshop, at Rosehill Theatre, Whitehaven, on June 21, from 9am-1.30pm, is set to be a no-nonsense, fun, straight-talking session.

Adapt and Evolve Consultancy, who are running the workshop, pride themselves on their proven record of delivering positive outcomes for attendees.

Dr Zoe Billings and Mark Pannone, former superintendent of Cumbria Police and assistant chief constable of North Yorkshire Police, who have a combined 50 years' experience of working in law enforcement and dealing with life and death situations, set up Adapt and Evolve Consultancy last year to share their knowledge with businesses.

Dr Billings, an inspector in North Yorkshire Police, who achieved a PhD in biology from the University of York, said their business-focused workshop is known for its hardcore science about how stress negatively impacts the body and proven methods to alleviate and avoid stress through clear, easy-to-adopt advice.

Dr Billings said: “People might feel they are fine, and feel like they are coping, but this workshop will teach people to recognise the signs of stress and listen to their body so they don’t realise too late.

“It provides them with a useful toolkit to deal with that in ways which won’t cost them anything - there’s no gym membership or anything like that to fund. This is advice which is really effective and really works.”

Dr Billings highlights a recent Deloitte report which states that if £1 is invested correctly in well-being it translates to £5.60 in productivity.

Office of National Statistics figures last month showed that 400,000 people in the UK were off work on long-term sick which Dr Billings said translates to one in every 13 workers.

Dr Billings said 82 per cent of people who attended their workshops last year had since changed their lifestyle, and so far this year that had increased to 95 per cent. Of all the attendees 100 per cent have recommended the workshop to a relative or a friend.

John Maddison, managing director of iSH, said: “To maximise West Cumbria’s capability and opportunities to diversify we need business people in the region to be performing at their best. Wellbeing is vital to that objective and we hope this workshop helps people on a clear path to achieving that personal, professional and wider community goal.

“iSH is also about collaboration and we are delighted to be working in partnership with Dianne Richardson and the team at Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster to bring this opportunity to as many people across the region as possible.”

Dianne Richardson, chief executive of Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster, said: “I took a piece of advice from a taster session which Adapt and Evolve Consultancy ran for our BECBC Professional Services Group and I have already seen the health benefits. I would definitely recommend people sign up for this event. It might just change your life.”

The workshop is open to anyone in business, and members and non-members of BECBC are invited to register by emailing dianne.richardson@becbusinesscluster.co.uk

The course will run from 9.15am-12.45pm, with refreshments provided and a networking lunch at the end of the workshop.