Wellbeing - How employees feel about stress, pressure at work and life balance
The Wellbeing factor is closely linked with Fair Deal. If the scores for Fair Deal are low, the first place we’d recommend you look is Wellbeing.
If Wellbeing is also low, it may be that employees are being worked too hard and feel they are not being fairly remunerated for it.
Fareham College is embedded in the local community, supporting the area's economic growth and up-skilling its people. It also works with local charities. This has included inviting a local mental wellbeing charity to support employees' personal development and help the College strengthen its offering and support for students and staff.
Employees have access to a Health Cash Plan, including skin cancer screening, dental check-ups, specialist consultations, discounted gym membership, and money off at cinemas, shops and restaurants. Staff also have free 24/7 access to counselling services. And in early 2023, managers will be trained to support team members through menopause.
Aspiring and existing managers are supported through development training, covering areas such as self-awareness, agility, commercial and financial acumen and operational effectiveness, including becoming great people managers. The College also offers bespoke support for aspiring leaders, including external strategic qualifications, professional courses and conferences.
The team has access to a mental health channel on Teams, and there are regular wellness-themed 'Thinking Thursday' sessions to discuss issues such as stress and fatigue. There's also an office gym and regular online yoga sessions. The company has also listened to staff, addressing the issue of increased workload pressure.
New starters get a structured, gradual introduction to the business they’re not overloaded from day one. A mention at Pizza Fridays means everyone is prepared to welcome the new member and knows their role. And workstations, phones and business cards are ready and waiting for them.
The company's working to become a Zero Carbon business in 2023. It has LED lights, low-energy VRF heating and uses carbon-neutral electricity. It also has a green purchasing policy and looks to buy locally. Team members are encouraged to purchase electric vehicles through their car allowances.
The organisation has a staff counselling service which is available to all Touchstone employees and volunteers. Staff can access up to 6 confidential sessions, paid for entirely by Touchstone. It also pays for counselling from a therapist of staff’s choice, including a male or female counsellor, BME or LGBTQ+ background.
The CEO is an ex-Touchstone service user with lived experience of mental health and is supported by a Senior Leadership Team who also have lived experience of mental health and neurodiversity conditions. The CEO produces videos for employees and attends team meetings highlighting his personal vision and experience aligning this to Touchstone’s mission and values.
The organisation organises at least two fun away days per year, with teams doing additional social days as well. In September 2023, it held an whole organisation away day at Herd Farm. The day allowed staff to take part in activities such as giant swings, archery, pottery, walks, face painting, and much more.
With a largely young workforce, TFS keeps them engaged by keeping things lively and sociable, arranging gatherings and activities inside and outside of office hours where possible. It promotes its EAP to all employees so they can seek external support if preferred. It also supports employees’ personal missions, especially with charitable causes and keeping fit.
The organisation offers strong and consistent mentorship, from other senior managers and very open and transparent communication. It promotes within the organisation, to allow for internal development opportunities - however provide full support and transition processes when doing so.
All new starters are assigned a buddy in their team who they can go to for asking questions or an informal chat. Everyone is taken for lunch on their first day, either with their buddy or along with other new starters and a couple of members of the team.
A new wellbeing team of reps from across Tees' offices is looking at ways to improve the firm's approach to health and wellbeing. There are regular internal and inter-business sporting events, and employees get a day off for their birthday and enjoy deals and discounts through the company's benefits platform.
With invitations to social events, new recruits are part of the Tees team before they even start. They get a thorough induction schedule to make effective connections from the get-go, and IT training is standard. A team lunch also supports them to have the best onboarding experience.
The new 'Tees Better Future Fund' offers grants of up to £5000 for projects that support learning and education and promote good health and wellbeing in Cambridgeshire, Essex and Hertfordshire. It builds on the good work the firm and its employees regularly undertake, whether charitable Pro Bono work or sponsoring community events.
Employees enjoy regular events, campaigns and activities thanks to the employee-led and award-winning health and wellbeing group 'Hapus.' It's organised 'Brunch & Babble' sessions, wellbeing walks, online bingo, men's mental health breakfasts and 'Walk in My Shoes' learning lunches to help people find out about experiences and backgrounds different to their own.
Staff now find it easier to identify and request training. They can highlight opportunities at any time rather than having to wait for specific points in the year. RHA supports technical and leadership development and encourages employees to attend networks and conferences. It's investing in training provision to increase the number of courses available.
Staff are involved in numerous projects and fund-raising initiatives. These include walking more than 20 miles to Cardiff to raise money for tenants' Christmas hampers, working with a local organisation to help young people learn construction skills and involving more than 400 people in health and wellbeing sessions, from community walks to chair yoga.
PICs' health and wellbeing forum supports staff with services such as clinical psychology. It's training more Mental Health First Aiders to help employees organisation-wide, and there are plans for an Employee Assistance Programme. Staff are encouraged to take advantage of health service discount schemes and boost their health through the Cycle to Work scheme.
New starters get a corporate induction on their first day supported by a comprehensive handbook with information on structure, training, IT systems and what to expect during their probationary period. The HR team checks in with recruits at two and six weeks to ensure they're settling in and to address any concerns early.
Small changes are helping reduce PICS' carbon footprint. Everything from writing to toilet paper is now recycled, plumbed-in water coolers have replaced bottle systems, a Net Zero lead has been appointed, and it's working with Sherwood Forest Trust to plant hundreds of trees – committing to doing it every year on the organisation's birthday.
Both physical and mental health are important at Pico. It has a group of mental health first aiders that provide aid to employees who feel they need support. Additionally, Pico provides a free gym for its employees, and it holds lunchtime forums on eating and sleeping right.
Managers at Pico have a chat room in which they can share tips, offer advice for less experienced managers, and ask questions. Additionally, there is a monthly recruitment drop-in session so that managers can keep up to date with their interviewing skills as well as partake in some roleplaying exercises.
Its leaders have ensured that their teams have both their full support as well as facilitating a supportive environment. They arrange regular coffee catch-up sessions with their teams to chat about their personal lives. They also run a social media blog where leaders discuss achievements from the month and challenges coming up.
In April, it hosted its first Financial Wellbeing Week, highlighting the benefits it offers such as Westfield Health, Aviva Digicare, and its EAP. It has also hosted 'in-office' events such as Time to Talk Day and Brew & a Biscuit sessions to encourage people to come together to check in.
Peel provides a training library of events open to all employees to upskill within their role, from emotional intelligence to developing self-esteem and assertiveness skills. It also provides a Personal Development Plan (PDP) which are tailored to each individual, supporting their specific development needs. This reinforces its commitment to the growth of its people.
Employees took on the Great Manchester Run raising a total of £1,682 for Once Upon a Smile. Employees also took part in a special volunteering day to mark World Environment Day - encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the environment. It also plans to raise money at Tough Mudder and MacMillan Coffee Mornings.
With access to Spill, employees have easy access to therapy. They can ask a therapist a question about their own wellbeing or how to support others, and they can also arrange one-off counselling sessions. Peak also has trained mental health first aiders and supports employees’ physical wellbeing through its Peak Fit Club.
‘Open’ is one of Peak’s core values. Every Friday, it has a company-wide standup. Peak ensures that these are in-person where possible and provides pastries or lunch as another reason to get together and socialise. The theme for each week is different and are more detailed if at the end of the month or quarter.
Values are core to Peak’s culture. In the last year, it has updated its Culture Manifesto. Innovation and entrepreneurial spirit drive the business to succeed. Employees are included in company initiatives and strategy as its leadership ensures the organisation remains an open and collaborative workplace.
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