Best Companies Factors: Wellbeing

Hastings Direct

Hastings Direct offers its employees a range of wellbeing initiatives, including a Colleague Assistance Programme, an in-house therapy app, Smart Health GP services, Menopause cafes, a Hardship Fund, and men’s talking and listening clubs partnering with The Talk Club. It also has 55 Mental Health First Aiders and 75 Wellbeing Champions.

The organisation supports colleagues personal growth whether their choice is to develop in role, progress into other roles in the team, or change ‘career’ within Hastings. It does this by offering employees the opportunity to enrol in professional programmes, apprenticeships, graduate schemes, and internal and external mentoring to on-the-job?training

Hastings Direct has different levels of leadership development, including Operational Leadership Excellence (OLE) – a 12–18-month leadership programme that is focused on building skills, knowledge and confidence to better coach customer facing teams. It also offers Leading 4 Growth – a module-based programme aimed at senior leaders and keeping the group aligned to company strategy.

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Insurance

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Curo

Curo has a menopause support group called ‘The Menopause Café’. Staff meet monthly over coffee to share experiences and provide feedback to the organisation on things that it could do to improve menopause-related accommodations. The group have recently published the Menopause Guidelines to help colleagues and managers to provide guidance on how to manage symptoms.

The organisation has adopted a spot salary model; it pays for the size of the role, not the person in it. Each role profile is evaluated by a panel and then external market data of average salaries is applied based on geographical location and sector-specific comparisons.

Curo’s managers are trained through its SHINE leadership programme to engage their managers in key ways to become future leaders within the business. This programme includes interactive sessions from keynote speakers, a series of masterclasses, peer support through action learning sets, seminars providing space for self-reflection, and action planning.

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Housing Associations

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Circle Health Group

The Big Circle Move initiative was launched in support of physical health. 725 members of staff participated in a 30-day active challenge of moving for 30 minutes every day in May. A total of 40,730 miles of activity was completed and three winners received an Apple Watch in recognition of looking after their physical health.

The organisation’s values and principles are Respect, Compassion, Selflessness, Support, Agility, Bravery, Collaboration, and Commitment. The leadership team live these values and principles every day, setting an example for the staff. Every employee was invited to have candid and direct conversations with the COO about the business

The organisation has created a dedicated career development hub which enables employees to map out their professional careers within the organisation, regardless of role. Circle Health Group believes in growing and developing talent from within and there are numerous clinical and non-clinical opportunities available.

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Health & Social Care

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Chess

Chess has an initiative called Future Fit which focuses on the physical and mental wellbeing of its people. On physical wellbeing, it runs theme weeks during which it encourages its people to be active with step counting competitions, couch to 5K, and virtual exercise sessions such as pilates and clubbercise.

Employees at Chess can achieve a higher basic salary through the company’s learn2earn scheme. Through Perkbox, the organisation’s people are rewarded monthly via their manager with £20 Perkbox credit to spend where they wish. Chess also runs length of service financial awards for 10 years (£500) and 15 years (£1,000).

Chess’ People Support and Knowledge Team run quarterly 'leaders training update sessions'. These provide leadership training and updates on Best Practice. It also launched Personal Development Plans via its new HR system. These PDP's allow people to document their short, medium and long term career goals and select what tools/resources they will require to succeed.

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Technology

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big group

big group’s People Team put together a content calendar and from this produces a monthly email which focuses on a particular wellbeing area. The organisation also has a membership to Healthshield giving all employees access to paid-for benefits and private professional counselling sessions. The organisations further provides MyGym subsidised gym membership and MyHealth access.

As well as regular mixers in the office, the summer and Christmas parties, and team and birthday lunches, employees can also enjoy getting to experience the account they are working on. This can be anything from attending music awards nights, hiking the mountains on a photo shoot, and attending exhibitions abroad.

As an employee owned business, after 6 months every employee is a beneficiary of the organisation’s employee owned trust (EOT). An additional benefit of being employee owned it that the big group can distribute its profit share on an Income Tax-free basis (excluding National Insurance) to a maximum of £3,600 per employee, per annum.

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Marketing & Media Agencies

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NHS Supply Chain

NHS Supply Chain prioritises the development of relationships between teams and individuals in a number of ways. It arranges several ‘Away Days’ every year, including team building activities. Teams also have the opportunity to participate in volunteer days where they can work together to give back to their local communities

Last year, the organisation recruited a new People Experience Team to drive its Listening Strategy, ensuring that all employees’ voices could be heard. It further supported this through workshops to obtain employee feedback. This feedback and subsequent actions were outlined by the Executive Team at the NHS Supply Chain Townhall Meeting.

NHS Supply Chain takes care of its people's health through a number of initiatives. These include Wellbeing Wednesdays and an additional wellbeing day off. Employees also have access to an Employee Assistance Programme, Occupational Health Provision, and the Myles Wellbeing App.

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Not For Profit Body's

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Autosmart International

All staff and their families have access to a free, confidential employee assistance programme helpline, offering advice on legal matters, finances, stress and anxiety, relationships and more. The organisation also offers free private healthcare cover, critical illness cover, and life assurance. For many roles, flexible working practices promote a healthier work/life balance.

As well as ensuring fair pay, the organisation prioritises regular feedback of when employees and teams have performed well. Walk through the company offices and you will see plenty of handwritten thank you notes from the managing director, long service awards on display, and team recognition trophies.

To encourage employee growth, Autosmart International provides a number of opportunities, including internal training, through its Autosmart Performs programme, and its cross-team projects. The skills learnt through these opportunities help its staff to develop new skills, build relationships, and support their professional growth.

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Manufacturing

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Sleaford Quality Foods

Accredited by the Living Wage Foundation, Sleaford Quality Foods ensures fair wages and provides substantial benefits, such as a non-contributory Health Cash Plan, demonstrating the organisation’s commitment to treating employees equitably.

Employee wellbeing is prioritised through initiatives like the reduction of working hours, wellbeing rooms, and a confidential helpline, which collectively enhance work-life balance and personal health.

Sleaford Quality Foods engages in community and environmental initiatives, such as supporting local charities and striving for The Net Zero Standard, reflecting the organisation’s dedication to societal contributions beyond profit.

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Food & Drink

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The Anglican Diocese of Leeds

Placing focus on its environmental efforts, the Diocese is working hard to ensure all its properties are environmentally friendly and that the organisation reaches net zero carbon by 2030. Employees passionate about protecting the environment recently created a ‘Tree-Planting Squad’, where they work towards planting trees on diocesan land.

With a belief that employee development should go beyond annual appraisals, the Diocese encourages the pursuit of personal growth. The organisation’s appraisals process consists of a mid-year meeting with every employee, as well as an annual review to assess progress and create a personalised learning plan incorporating a variety of training programmes.

This year, the Diocese made employee wellbeing its top priority, providing staff with access to an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and a 24-hour confidential phone line to discuss any issues they are facing. The organisation’s intranet has a dedicated wellbeing section covering a variety of topics, as well as informative staff videos.

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Charity's

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Space Architects (Europe)

Team spirit is cultivated through regular social events such as the Summer BBQ and Christmas Party, which are especially valued during hybrid working patterns. Monthly ‘Pizza Friday’ gatherings bring everyone together.

Recognition is immediate and inclusive, with initiatives like ‘Well Done and Wonderful’ shout-outs, quarterly funded nights out, and a shared end-of-year success bonus reinforcing fairness and appreciation.

Wellbeing is central to Space Architects (Europe)’s culture, with initiatives including a mental health team channel, onsite gym, and regular yoga sessions. These were introduced in response to workload pressures identified in a recent survey.

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Architect & Surveyor

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Wellbeing Matters

Hastings Direct

Curo

Circle Health Group

Chess

big group

NHS Supply Chain

Autosmart International

Sleaford Quality Foods

The Anglican Diocese of Leeds

Space Architects (Europe)

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