Nearly half of the institute’s employees participated in the mental health challenge at the Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, actively working on improving their well-being. The tradition of workplace challenges aimed at creating a more employee-friendly and sustainable work environment began in 2022. Each year, a specific theme is chosen, and at the end of 2024, the focus was on mental and physical health.
The challenge took the form of a BINGO game. Each research group created its own bingo grid, selecting activities they wanted to include. The only mandatory activity in the BINGO grid was the training session "Communication Skills – Tips and Tricks," which was held in October at Mektory in collaboration with TalTech’s Well-being Centre. The bingo grid had to be completed within three months.
Half of the Staff Participated
A total of 12 research groups—almost half of the institute’s staff—registered for the challenge. The goal of the game was to achieve a full BINGO by completing all the activities in the bingo grid, which was accomplished by 10 research groups. During the institute’s Christmas party, a winner was drawn by lottery, and the prize went to Dr. Mikk Kaasik’s co-catalysis research group. The winning team received a financial reward to be used for activities that further support their mental and physical well-being.
Mikk Kaasik saw the initiative as an excellent opportunity to strengthen team spirit and raise awareness about self-care. “It’s great that these now-traditional challenges have a similar positive effect at the institute level, drawing attention to different types of issues,” he said. Research group member Aleksandra Murre added: “For us, the challenge was a great opportunity to create a supportive environment in our newly established research group. From celebrating small achievements to growing plants and escaping from a pirate ship—every activity played a role in strengthening our unity and promoting mental health.” She was delighted that the group participated and mentioned that they plan to continue some of the practices in the future.
All participating research groups compiled reports on the activities carried out over the three months, evaluating their impact on the mental and physical well-being of the group.
Activities focused on three main areas:
| Mental health | Physical health | Nutrition |
|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness, meditation, breathing exercises, yoga | Tracking physical activity, step challenge, daily walks | Healthier meals, home-cooked food |
| Enjoying nature | Running, strength training, stretching exercises | Less meat, more plant-based foods, replacing sugar and snacks |
| Restricting screen time, social media detox | Taking the stairs | Cooking together |
| Supporting colleagues, asking for help, preventing toxic behavior | Trying new sports | Experimenting with new recipes |
| Optimizing sleep, relaxing activities before bedtime | Winter swimming, sauna routines | Drinking more water |
| Reading books, listening to favorite music, trying creative activities | ||
| Coffee or lunch with friends and teammates, game nights, and social events |
Challenges lead to lasting habits
It was particularly encouraging to see that employees took the challenge seriously and participated enthusiastically. The challenge initiated many new activities and habits that continued beyond the competition. One great example was the introduction of a compliment jar, where employees could leave kind words and encouraging messages for their colleagues.
A positive work environment is crucial for employee well-being and team efficiency. A fitting quote from Phil Jackson illustrates this idea well: "The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team."
Previous challenges at the institute focused on optimizing energy use, promoting recycling, and upcycling. These initiatives earned TalTech’s 2023 Green Action of the Year. The prize money allowed the institute to renovate an old workshop space and transform it into a gym. Employees themselves provided the equipment—another great example of upcycling.
The gym was officially opened in early February, where Researcher and CrossFit champion Simona Bartkova shared tips on using the equipment. Together with Elena Prigorchenko, they also created guides for the exercises.
The Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology's thematic challenges have become a tradition that will undoubtedly continue, fostering a better, more sustainable, and employee-friendly work environment.