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Be Well Work Well · Funded by the SA Government

Free wellbeing workshops for South Australian small businesses

Be Well Work Well is a free workshop program for owners, leaders and staff of South Australian businesses with 20 or fewer employees. Sessions run online and in person in Adelaide, and they're led by psychologists and researchers who specialise in workplace wellbeing.

See upcoming workshops Get new dates by email

At a glance

Cost
Free, including the catered full day
Who
SA small businesses with 20 or fewer employees, including sole traders
Format
Online via Microsoft Teams, or in person in Adelaide
Led by
Psychologists and researchers in workplace wellbeing

Be Well Work Well is an initiative of the Government of South Australia's Office for Small and Family Business and the South Australian Small Business Strategy 2023–2030, delivered by Be Well Co with our partner Gallagher Bassett.

Upcoming free workshops

Pick a session below and book your free spot through Humanitix. Each session needs at least 10 people to go ahead, so booking early helps.

New For staff 2 hours

Navigating Change

For small businesses, change is constant, from shifting priorities to new ways of working. This session explores how our brains respond to change, why uncertainty can feel so uncomfortable, and how to move towards change rather than resist it.

What you'll cover
  • Understand how our brains respond to change and uncertainty
  • Learn why we naturally resist change and what drives our reactions
  • Explore how mindset shapes our emotional and behavioural responses
  • Reflect on where you and your team sit in the transition process
  • Learn how to create supportive conditions for yourself and others during change
  • Build a personal toolkit to move from resistance to agency

  • , 1pm to 3pm (ACDT)

    Online via Microsoft Teams

    Book free

  • , 11:30am to 1:30pm (ACDT)

    Online via Microsoft Teams

    Book free

  • , 12pm to 2pm (ACDT)

    Online via Microsoft Teams

    Book free

Free for SA small businesses with 20 or fewer employees

For staff and leaders Full day, catered

Be Well Foundations

A full day deep dive into a range of mental health topics, from stress and thinking traps to meaning, purpose and mindfulness. You'll complete a confidential wellbeing assessment and leave with a personal plan to build wellbeing habits into your work routine. Coffee, morning tea and lunch are included.

What you'll cover
  • Foundational knowledge about mental health, wellbeing and resilience
  • Your personal wellbeing drivers
  • How stress affects the body and the stress responses to look out for
  • The negativity bias and how to work with it
  • Practical activities tailored to your own needs
  • Tips for building and strengthening wellbeing habits

  • , 9:30am to 3:30pm (ACDT)

    In person in Adelaide

    Book free

Free for SA small businesses with 20 or fewer employees

For staff and leaders 90 minutes to 2 hours

Managing Stress

Running a small business brings plenty of stressors, from finances and customer challenges to problem solving and constant demands. This session explores what stress is, how it can be both helpful and unhelpful, and practical ways to manage pressure. It's especially useful at this time of year, when many people are feeling stretched thin.

What you'll cover
  • Understand what stress is and how it affects us
  • Learn practical skills to manage and reduce stress
  • Explore how stress can sometimes be helpful rather than harmful
  • Understand the effects of chronic stress
  • Reflect on personal stressors and response patterns
  • Create a personalised stress plan

  • , 6pm to 7:30pm (ACDT)

    Online via Microsoft Teams

    Book free

Free for SA small businesses with 20 or fewer employees

For leaders and owners 2 hours

Psychological Safety

A workshop on creating a workplace culture where people feel able to speak up, be themselves, and safely share ideas and feedback. For small businesses, it makes a real difference to wellbeing, connection and productivity.

What you'll cover
  • Understand what psychological safety is and its four stages
  • Learn why it matters in the workplace and how to recognise it
  • Reflect on speaking up and having effective conversations
  • Explore the neuroscience of trust
  • Discuss examples of psychologically unsafe workplaces
  • Discover ways to build psychological safety within your team

  • , 11am to 1pm (ACDT)

    Online via Microsoft Teams

    Book free

Free for SA small businesses with 20 or fewer employees

What you get when you join

Every session is free, and you'll leave with more than notes from the day.

A session workbook

A summary of the session with practical exercises to work through on the day and afterwards.

Our activity bank

More than 30 evidence-based wellbeing activities you can use yourself, share with the people you care about, and bring into your working week.

Follow-up resources

An email after the session with a summary, extra resources and links to the research we talked about.

A participation certificate

Recognition of the time you've put into your own wellbeing and your team's.

Why we run Be Well Work Well

Working in a small business, or running one, can be a lot. Long hours, financial pressure, keeping up with regulations and juggling multiple roles often push caring for your own wellbeing down the list.

Looking after mental health and wellbeing at work leads to better health, a better handle on stress, stronger relationships and more satisfaction in the job. Employers also have a responsibility to manage psychosocial hazards that can harm mental health. But most workplace wellbeing training is built for larger organisations, and smaller businesses often don't have the time or budget to access it.

Be Well Work Well exists to close that gap, giving small businesses free access to the same evidence-based training we deliver to organisations across Australia.

97%

of Australian businesses are small businesses.

Source: ASBFEO, Number of small businesses in Australia, Aug 2025

34%

of small business owners reported a medical diagnosis of stress, anxiety or depression in the past 12 months.

Source: Australian Treasury, Small business and mental health, 2021

What small businesses have said

“The facilitator was engaging, spoke well and gave great ideas to use in the workplace. Didn't complicate the session, was easy to understand. It really covers 'must do's' for leaders and small businesses.”

Sandy, Small business staff member

“This should be compulsory for all businesses to go through.”

Sophie, Business owner

“Everyone deserves to feel better and sometimes we need this reminder.”

Julie, Small business leader

“I think anyone in a leadership role could benefit. Knowledge is power!”

Anonymous, Sole trader

Want a session just for your team?

If you have a team of 10 to 20 people, we can run a free Be Well Work Well session for you, at your workplace or online, at a time that suits your business. Email hello@bewellco.io to host your own.

Frequently asked questions

Who can attend Be Well Work Well workshops?

You can attend if you're based in South Australia and work in a small business with 20 or fewer employees. That includes owners, leaders, staff and sole traders.

Is it really free?

Yes. There's no cost to attend any of our workshops, including the full day catered Be Well Foundations workshop. The program is funded by the Government of South Australia's Office for Small and Family Business, so small business owners and staff can access it free of charge.

How are the workshops delivered?

Workshops run online via Microsoft Teams or in person in Adelaide. Every session is facilitated by experienced psychologists and researchers who specialise in workplace mental health and wellbeing, and they're interactive, supportive and practical.

Where are the in-person sessions held?

In-person sessions are held in Adelaide. The venue is listed against each session on this page and on the booking page. The full day Be Well Foundations workshop includes coffee, morning tea and lunch. For online sessions, you'll receive a Teams link after you book.

How long are the workshops?

Workshop lengths for our current sessions:

  • Navigating Change: 2 hours
  • Be Well Foundations: Full day, catered
  • Managing Stress: 90 minutes to 2 hours
  • Psychological Safety: 2 hours
How many people attend each workshop?

Each session has room for 10 to 30 people, and we need at least 10 people booked for a session to go ahead. Booking early and sharing the session with colleagues or other business owners you know helps make sure it runs.

What happens in a workshop?

Each session mixes learning new evidence-based ideas about mental health and wellbeing with group discussion, time to reflect on your own wellbeing, strengths and values, and practice with simple tools you can use straight away at work and at home.

Do I get any resources after the workshop?

Yes. You'll receive a workbook to complete during the session, access to our bank of 30+ wellbeing activities, a participation certificate, and a follow-up email with a summary, extra resources and links to the research we discussed.

I booked but can't make it. Will it be recorded?

Sessions are live and interactive, so they aren't recorded. We run sessions regularly, so you're welcome to book another date instead (subject to availability).

Can we host a session for our own team?

Yes. Host-your-own sessions are tailored for your team and work best for groups of 10 to 20 people. We can come to your workplace or run it online at a time that suits you. Email hello@bewellco.io to arrange one. Host-your-own sessions can be rescheduled with at least 10 days' notice.

How often are new sessions released?

We add new sessions regularly throughout the year. The easiest way to hear about new dates is to join the Be Well Work Well mailing list.

How do I book?

Choose a date on this page and select Book free. You'll be taken to Humanitix to register for that session.

What is the Blueprint for Mentally Healthy Workplaces?

The Blueprint for Mentally Healthy Workplaces is a national framework developed under the Commonwealth Government's National Workplace Initiative. It gives practical guidance across three focus areas: protect (identify and manage work-related risks to mental health), respond (support people experiencing mental ill-health or distress) and promote (build up the positive parts of work that contribute to good mental health). You can read the full Blueprint on the National Mental Health Commission website.

I attended a session and want more. What can I do?

You're welcome to come along to more workshops to keep building your wellbeing toolkit. You can also join our newsletter to hear about new sessions and resources, follow Be Well Co on LinkedIn, or join the Be Well Know-How channel on Substack for ongoing wellbeing tools and videos.

Hear about new dates first

We add new free sessions regularly. Join the Be Well Work Well mailing list and we'll let you know when they open, or get in touch if you have any questions.

Join the mailing list Email us a question