03 Jun 2026

The ground vibrated to the thumping of feet in a familiar rythm that united men and women who tackled the 7km run during the Serowe District Wellness Day recently.

The event offered a glimpse of what employee welfare could look like, a deliberate push toward a work environment built for productivity.

Addressing attendees at the Serowe Sports Complex, Serowe district commissioner, Ms Angelina Leano-Bakoko officially opened the event with a simple but self-explanatory statement,“A worker’s welfare is the core of productivity”.

She urged supervisors and heads of departments to create safe spaces that prioritize employee welfare.

“Supervisors and heads of departments should ensure that employee welfare is part of core business. Disgruntled employees often lead to ineffectiveness and poor service delivery,” she said.

As leaders, we must nurture those we lead, inspire them to spread their wings, and, above all, cultivate a workplace culture that embraces mental health practices”.

For his part, Serowe District Council chairperson Mr Atamelang Thaga thanked everyone for their presence and dedication. 

He said the event was designed to encourage workers to embrace healthy lifestyles through better eating and regular exercise.

“For too long, the health sector has warned us about the rise of non-communicable diseases, diabetes, hypertension and stress. Today is about action; eat better, move more; choose a stress-free life before stress chooses you!" he said.

He added that stress triggered a ripple effect: sickness, burnout, and lost productivity. 

His appeal was simple; take up exercise, burn off steam, and channel frustration into movement.

The beauty of unity played out in teams made up of different stakeholders, all chasing the same goal; to win. 

The sprints were a marvel. Men and women runners exploded off the line, feet barely kissing the track. 

For a few seconds they were not civil servants or department heads. 

Stakeholders who rarely share an office were suddenly sharing a lane, health workers pacing teachers, council staff matching police officers stride for stride. 

All chasing one trophy: Best Overall Team. From the stands, teammates’ cheers rang out, loud and constant, proof of cooperation and unity.

Ms Ketshepileone Zachariah, chairperson of the Serowe District wellness committee, called the event a “starting block” for healthier working relationships. 

She said the cooperation on display showed that productivity and positive outcomes grow when people work together.

“This cooperation is the real win. If we can run together, we definitely can work together; Productivity follows unity," she said. ENDS