Tag Archives: Employers

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Come along to our new well-being forum!

We’re excited to announce the launch of our NEW well-being forum, dedicated to helping Worcestershire Employers improve health and well-being in the workplace.

 

With the first event to be held at The Three Pears on the 4th July 2018, the Well-Being Forum is free to attend and will provide a friendly platform to support businesses in improving well-being in the workplace; enabling participants to ask questions, share experiences and offer support for one another.

 

Liz Preece, Founder and Managing Director of The Healthy Worker, explained: “Businesses lose over 15 million working days to stress, anxiety or depression each year, therefore it comes as no surprise that over 50% of Senior Managers now place improved employee wellbeing high on the agenda, according to the latest results from the CIPD Health and Wellbeing Survey.”

 

“These figures alone magnify the importance of putting strategic steps in place to ensure staff are working in a healthy, supported environment. By creating something like the Well-Being Forum, Employers can start to explore their own well-being strategy, guided by the Healthy Worker team and other industry professionals. It will also provide an excellent opportunity for networking with like-minded local professionals.”

 

To gain primary research, Liz conducted a survey to gain insight into the wellbeing needs of local businesses and their priority areas for action moving forward. With the aim of then engaging relevant local stakeholders who can join together to help provide a boost for Workplace Wellbeing within Worcestershire and the surrounding areas.

 

“This survey provided me with the best possible primary research, ensuring I can tailor the forum to the current needs and wants of local employers.” explains Liz. “The first meeting will be held at The Three Pears on the 4th July from 9am, and I’m delighted to welcome Rachel Vann, of Malvern Hills’ District Council, who will host a talk on improving well-being in the workplace, following their success in winning the Chamber of Commerce ‘Health and Well-Being in the Workplace Award.”

 

For more information and to keep up to date with more news on the Well-being forum, please visit contact liz@thehealthyworker.co.uk or get in touch on 01684 231461.

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How do businesses benefit from employing a dedicated Wellbeing Champion?

In the last five years, we have seen a positive rise in the number of employers shining a light on wellbeing in the workplace, including mental wellbeing.

 

More organisations are sitting up and taking notice, recognising the direct link between employee health, happiness and levels of productivity.

 

One way that companies, such as Virgin, have shown commitment to this is through the recruitment of Wellbeing Champions.

 

So, what is the role of a Wellbeing Champion?

Wellbeing Champions are members of staff who have the aptitude and training to serve as an inspirational voice to promote the wellness of every person within an organisation.

 

Their work is often alongside HR colleagues, with Wellbeing Champions contributing to the development and implementation of a health and wellbeing strategy, instilling wellbeing into company culture and engaging with employees to promote healthy lifestyles and positive mental health both inside and outside of the work place.

 

Why is this a vital role?

Every year in the UK alone, a staggering 70 million working days are lost due to mental health problems, costing employers over £2 billion.

 

Research by Time to Change revealed that one in ten people have resigned from a job due to stress and that a further one in four had thought about it.

 

A national survey carried out by the charity Mind also found that 90% of working people who suffered from a mental health problem told their employer they were suffering from a physical illness instead and research suggests that only 50% of GP ‘sick’ notes for those with mental health reasons for absence actually reflect this.

 

By developing Wellbeing Champions, businesses can demonstrate that staff are a top priority. It provides a safe place for staff to say “I’m struggling” or “I need support” and encourages people to speak openly about their mental health without fear of judgement.

 

Organisations can also benefit in other ways, such as improving employee engagement as well as the recruitment and retention of staff.

 

As more and more companies invest in the health of their team, it highlights that workplace wellbeing is no longer a nice benefit- it’s a vital part of working life. All measures which help with reducing stigma and take us closer to ending mental health discrimination are valuable.

 

Interested in finding out more? The Healthy Worker is hosting a series of workshops including one dedicated to developing Wellbeing Champions in the workplace. Contact us today for more details.