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.
As well as promoting regular team meetings, the firm hosts events that are designed to get staff communicating and energised, such as summer and Christmas parties, quizzes, pizza lunches and coffee mornings. The events help to promote a friendly culture and environment.
The firm encourages staff to live by its values by celebrating those who set good examples regularly. It includes testimonials in the weekly update or rewards individuals directly. Senior leaders provide role models by acting on the values when dealing with colleagues and clients.
Staff are given an extra day's leave that can be used to support their wellbeing. Fisher Jones Greenwood has also developed a wellbeing programme that focuses on mental, physical and financial wellness, lifestyle and work behaviour.
Employees can access free external mental health and wellbeing support services, including counselling, an online GP and a sleep and meditation app. There's also subsidised gym membership and free activities such as badminton and football at head office. Many staff are also trained Mental Health First Aiders, always on hand to offer support.
The company's meeting structure balances the virtual and face-to-face, with set meet-up locations for hybrid and in-person meetings. And staff have plenty of opportunities to feedback on this and other issues, including the yearly engagement survey, working groups on new initiatives and pulse surveys to give instant feedback on things like the summer conference.
There are many opportunities to progress, with a vast library of online learning and prizes for completing 'courses of the month'. There are horticulture and arborist apprenticeships, a GC Leadership Academy and technical training. And the induction programme for new starters sets them up with training to hit the ground running.
Hydrock's management team always make time to listen to employees, providing direction through formal meetings, regular communications and informal interactions. This attitude is exemplified by chief executive Brian McConnell, who hosts induction events, the annual all-company event, regular live webcasts and annual roadshows.
Become a Time Jedi, Personal Resilience, Our Mental Health and Becoming Consciously Inclusive are the titles of some of the webinars staff attended last year. A programme of events was launched by the learning and development manager and a hub containing resources has been set up to support personal growth and wellbeing.
Online courses, such as The Conscious Communicator, are provided for non-management roles, along with a graduate development programme. For those progressing towards or in management roles, there is a six-month programme and aspiring or existing leaders are provided with a four-month course. One-to-one executive coaching is offered to divisional, departmental or regional leaders.
The Group has created a mental wellness booklet specifically to meet and address the needs of its 'Purple People'. The flip book offers guidance and tips and gives access to support. Staff have received it positively, reporting that it's given them more confidence in interacting with colleagues who may be suffering from poor mental health.
The yearly staff conference creates a buzz. It includes the staff awards, where the highly-anticipated 'Purple Person' award is up for grabs. The nominations are staff-led, based on who they think has demonstrated the Group's values. It also includes workshops and learner case studies to highlight how employees are making a positive difference every day.
The Purple People Academy gives a structured and focused four-step approach to employee development. It starts with mandatory and compliance training, progressing to 'Learn & Lead' higher level training for managers. Staff at every level are supported to identify their development point, whether for personal growth or promotion.
Awareness sessions on subjects such as social wellbeing, mortgages, financial wellness, menopause, women’s health, infertility, pregnancy and baby loss, stress management, resilience, hybrid working, nutrition, children’s wellbeing, mental health in the LGBTQ+ community, anxiety, meditation and mindfulness are part of the firm's wellbeing offering.
The firm offers a generous pension that provides the option to salary sacrifice. Staff are given five weeks' annual leave and can buy or sell a week each year. An extra day is given for weddings/civil partnerships, religious holidays and house moving. Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay is also available.
A range of training methods are used, including formal courses, mentoring, coaching, e-learning, action-learning sets and videos. As well as structured training programmes for all areas of the business, the learning and development team provides informal training and support on demand, such as a five-minute chat before an important client meeting.
To encourage a good work-life balance, the leadership team demonstrates that employees' home lives are just as important as work. Leaders bring their children in on company calls, make a point of doing something personal during the day and set the tone by promoting the idea that no one can do it all.
At SF the environment is high on the agenda. The organisation has ditched single-use plastics in favour of bamboo, a more sustainable material. Plastic water bottles and cutlery is banned, along with straws, bubble wrap and business card boxes. Stricter recycling methods have been brought in at all of its offices.
Staff can decide when they work their contracted hours so they can balance their work and home life more effectively. Greater emphasis has been placed on choosing to work when they are at their most productive. The 30 days’ annual leave entitlement is supplemented by ad-hoc company days off, especially when the workload is high.
On the Slack platform there are social channels for specific interests, ranging from recipes and reading — to cats. There’s also a working-from-home channel that provides a social space for sharing tips, anecdotes and news. The optional Slack Donut app pairs people randomly for a weekly chat.
Glean knows that wellbeing and work-life balance go hand-in-hand, so it makes sure staff protect theirs by providing flexible hours, muting notifications from 6pm-8am and giving them three days’ holiday to recharge at Christmas, on top of their 33 days’ annual leave. The company also offers a cash-back healthcare scheme.
The company donated £10,000 to charities, including education bodies and those nominated by staff. A one-off contribution was made in response to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and Glean supported its staff Pride group by paying for its entry to the Pride parade in Leeds.
Staff have access to an external coach for personal or career-related advice and internal counsellors, who offer counselling support or general conversation about work or personal matters. There are also Speak Up Guardians who staff can go to if they have work-related concerns that affect their health. A wellbeing app offers a variety of resources.
A cost-of-living payment has been made to staff and supermarket vouchers are available. Enhanced sick pay is available and staff receive 25 days' leave a year, plus eight bank holidays. The organisation also gives staff the opportunity to buy or sell up to one week's holiday per year.
The trust is working to ensure its work incorporates a greener, eco-friendly output, including ground, air and water-source heat pumps, solar panels and the infrastructure to support electric vehicles. It is also working on a carbon-zero strategy and action plan.
Employee wellbeing underpins day-to-day life at Staysure Group. There's a dedicated quarterly newsletter, trained mental health first aiders, wellbeing champions, a wellbeing room for staff in need of quiet time and walking route maps for those who could do with stepping away from their desks and getting some fresh air and exercise.
Online channels and apps keep everyone part of the social goings-on and activities, even if they're not in the office. They're also forums for people to comment and share ideas. At Christmas, small local businesses were invited to sell their products – an event encouraging staff into the office.
When employees get excellent service, they're encouraged to hand out 'we're looking for great people like you' cards showcasing Staysure job opportunities. Everyone who accepts a job offer gets a welcome pack, including a travel mug and snacks. And they get paid a 'set up' day, so they're ready to go on their first day.
Employee support takes many forms. It includes training so they feel more confident handling demanding customers or challenging safeguarding or domestic abuse situations. There are also more informal opportunities, such as virtual 'open space' sessions where managers can share their experiences and knowledge, and the Wednesday Wellbeing Walk. Counselling services are also available.
All staff, from Board to team members, are encouraged to develop their emotional intelligence. A colour-based psychometric tool helps them better understand their style, strengths and the value they bring. It also supports managers in building high-performing teams. And employee development is continually reviewed through one-to-ones and appraisals.
The Trust provides two community hub buildings for groups to use free of charge for holiday and social activities, youth clubs, food banks and warm hubs. Through its social value project, it's also supported the set-up of a community laundry and an outdoor learning space and has helped deliver anti-social behaviour impact awareness sessions.
