Healthy employees help to create a healthy business, with happy, healthy staff often resulting in increased productivity and fewer sick days.
Wythall-based business Phoenix, have been testing out this theory over the last 18 months, and came along to NWBL to tell us how the Worcestershire Works Well (WWW) programme has worked out for the 600 staff at the Worcestershire arm of this large financial services company.
Lucy Symonds, the Corporate Responsibility Manager, explained that the WWW programme tied in with Phoenix’s Corporate Responsibility strategy, which focuses on wellbeing.
She said: “Everything leads back to wellbeing, and the financial, physical and mental wellbeing of all of our key stakeholders is vitally important. Anything we do onsite must be linked back to improving the wellbeing of our staff, our policy holders and our community partners – schools, scout groups and charities.”
Lucy explained that the WWW process has been quite quick for Phoenix, as they were already doing a lot to promote wellbeing among their staff, but the programme gave them more information and ideas, enabling them to plan events they might not have thought of.
Sharing best practice with other companies has also been useful, and has worked as a great networking opportunity.
Phoenix won their Level 1 accreditation in November 2015, and they expect to achieve Level 2 shortly.
Health campaigns and resources they’ve promoted have included:
- The flu jab
- Not smoking in vehicles
- Quitting smoking
- The eat well plate
- Wellbeing support hub
- Blood pressure checks
- Alcohol awareness
- Mindfulness sessions
- Stress management
The onsite restaurant has been awarded the gold standard for the Healthier Choices Food Award. They were the first company in the region to be awarded this, and were featured in the Chamber of Commerce magazine.
Other initiatives have included buying four table tennis tables, which have led to staff that would not normally take part in exercise to play on a regular basis.
Over 60 members of staff regularly play at lunchtime or after work and have set up their own tournaments and fundraisers.
There are 25 members of staff having extra coaching with Table Tennis England coaches, and they are even being featured in a case study to encourage other businesses to follow suit.
Staff were able to meet and play with an ex-commonwealth champion – Helen Lower who came to support a charity fundraiser in aid of Phoenix’s air ambulance charity partners – and they took part in a 25 hour ping pong a thon, and played a robot.
Other sporty activities include a cycle to work day, hot pod yoga and the annual Phoenix Mile run. There is an on-site gym, tennis courts, putting green and football pitches too.
The result of all this hard work is a happy, healthy workforce with a high level of staff engagement – 78% Employee Engagement Index – plus low staff turnover and absence.
For more information on how to participate in this scheme visit www.worcestershireworkswell.co.uk
If you would like to join NWBL our annual membership is £99, which comes with a range of benefits. The monthly events will remain FREE of charge for members, and we’ll continue to ask for a voluntary contribution of £5 for our chosen charity. Click here to find out more, including details of our upcoming Workshops. Non-Members will be charged £10 per meeting plus a voluntary contribution to our resident charities.
Membership will also include access to the BizSmart SmartRoom, a valuable resource giving you access to downloadable resources to help you grow your business, along with regular specialist webinars and blogs.
As we enter the second year of WBL, we’ll continue to collaborate with organisations across Worcestershire, continue to raise money for local causes, and continue to grow our membership. We do hope you’ll join us at the next meeting on 21st June 2016, from 10am to 12pm at Hogarths Stone Manor.
Blog post written by Andrew Pain, New Starts
