Managers already went through a programme of transformational leadership to help motivate employees and to develop good role models. This helped to establish a culture which was people centred, and encouraged employee involvement and empowerment.
The Policy & Employee Relations Manager wanted to explore how organisational and individual resilience could be designed into ways of working to mitigate the factors that lead to stress.
Attendance at a Warwickshire County Council’s workshop, on the Health & Safety Executive’s (HSE) Management Standards for Work-related Stress provided the tools to set a strategy in motion to enable the organisation and its employees to become more resilient. A wellbeing audit using the HSE Indicator Tool was conducted and 80% of employees returned the questionnaires.
Practices and Procedures
The Company has been based in Birmingham since July 2000 and the wellbeing audit has highlighted and supported activities which have been evolving since the Company was established.
- In addition to the questionnaire focus groups, involving 34 people from different departments were involved in gaining a deeper understanding of the survey results. Through the audit a number of cases of unacceptable behaviour had been identified and this was addressed in the focus groups. Employees felt able to talk about this and subsequently explored areas for improvement when their departments considered their action plans following the audit. As a result action can be taken and employees are aware of the policy which deals with relationships and intimidating behaviour.
- Following analysis of the data obtained from the audit and focus groups, a report went to the Board of Directors and, with their full support the findings were communicated to everyone in the business. As a result departmental teams have explored the results and decided for themselves where they want to focus their attention.
- A presentation was made to individual departments and folders of information provided which included the full results of the Wellbeing Audit, details of the HSE Management Standards and action plan templates.
- Workshops open to all staff have been run to discuss and define core values – those of Integrity, Trust, Respect and Pride. Everyone is responsible for ensuring the core values live and breathe throughout the Company.
- A Wellbeing Policy has been introduced, an Employee Assistance Programme is available to all employees and members of their family who live with them. In addition a series of top tips have been published on the local Intranet which includes ’20 ways to beat stress’ and ’25 top tips for caring managers’. Workplace Therapies are made available; Indian head massage, Reiki, neck and shoulder massage and nutritional advice.
- Flexible working opportunities for everyone were introduced. Employees are allowed up to 3 day’s paid compassionate/bereavement leave per year and depending on the circumstances managers can use their discretion to extend this. A similar principle applies to emergency time off for dependants and employees are paid for up to one week in a year. The Company recognises that these policies enable employees to use their annual holiday leave in ways that enable them to take time off to relax and feel refreshed when they return to work. In addition unpaid career breaks of up to six months are available with a qualifying period of two year’s continuous service.
- An employee information Hub is available on the Company Intranet, that provides readily accessible information on topics such as pension schemes, healthcare, ways to beat stress and top tips for caring managers. Included is information about the Employee Assistance Programme and if required counselling is made available to employees who may need help in resolving personal issues.
Outcomes
The organisation continues to develop a culture of involvement and empowerment and is cognisant of the need to communicate and manage change.
Individual teams are empowered to develop action plans, to suit their team, using the HSE factors.
Managers have an understanding of the company’s HR Policies & Procedures, the company’s statutory obligations and how our people strategy designs resilience into the organisation so that employees are better equipped to deal with workplace stress.
People feel well, are happy, and more productive! |