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.
Fever-Tree is passionate about physical and mental health. Through its benefits package, it provides mental health resources and physical health initiatives. These include sports tennis, running, and football clubs. It also hosts hobby clubs such as baking, books, and singing. Additionally, it encourages its people to speak up if they are struggling mentally.
‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’ is a golden rule. As an organisation, it is very focused on 'citizenship' and ways of being. Citizenship refers to proactivity and ideation within everyday work. Its leaders encourage people to be ‘radiators’ and solutions hunters and to be involved in community initiatives.
Fever-Tree cares about rewarding its employees. It ensures this for its people through everyone receiving a bonus potential of no less than 10%, through spot bonuses and recognition awards, share options, SAYE share schemes, and its competitive remuneration offers.
A dedicated health and wellbeing programme includes webinars, promotes awareness days, and shares healthy living tips on topics from finances to menopause and prostate cancer. Staff and their families also have private health care provision, including a 24/7 support line.
All employees can access a wide range of courses through the online learning management system, allowing them to learn at their own pace and at a time that suits them. There's a Future Leader Programme for managers, and each department has a training budget supporting staff to take courses aligned with their specific job roles.
All employees are given reusable coffee cups to help reduce the number of cups ending up in the ground. And the company has a dedicated 'ReUse shop' with items saved from landfill. It also uses the many donations of cutlery, cups and glasses in its own departments to keep them from buying new ones.
Its holistic therapy service offers colleagues an opportunity for physical and mental wellbeing. All staff are supported and enabled to take time out within the week to access time for a range of therapies, which promote both physical and mental health agendas. Staff feedback from a short course of massages has been universally positive.
The organisation has introduced 'team in the spotlight' at its membership meetings. Open to all staff and community members, it encourages a deep-dive into a department and service to greater showcase and understand the work of the team along with challenges and good practice they have faced and developed.
As the company supports placements for healthcare professionals, an education and learning environment is evident across its services. Individual development requests are also encouraged. These are peer reviewed by managers, over 90% of personal study leave requests are supported immediately. In the last year, it has appointed two new roles of 'Professional Development' leads.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
