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ProGlobal 2015

ConferenceHRreview Special Edition

Health at Work2016

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Health at work

2016

Ann McCracken: How and why is resilience becoming 2016’s buzzword? 2

Chris Rhodes: Occupational Health Programmes - the pros and cons 4

Rachel Arkle: Top three ways to unlock your productivity 6

Florence Parot: Thinking outside the open plan: improving company wellbeing 16

Karl Simons: Staying ahead of the health and safety revolution 18

David Price: Taking a holistic approach to reducing poor workplace mental health 20

Nina Mehta: Employee wellbeing as the heart of your talent management strategy 22

Sadaf Saied: Health and wellbeing - a top down bottom up approach 24

Dr Yousef Habbab: Calling HR - better wellness equals better business health 26

Anthony Bennett: Healthy eating initiatives in the workplace benefit employees 28

Dear Reader,

Welcome to our latest special edition focusing on health at work. Businesses large and small are spending more time and budget on supporting their employees by actively monitoring and improving their health and wellbeing. They understand that this leads to a more engaged and more productive workforce.

But how best to do this? This edition contains the latest thinking from a range of experts and experienced practitioners on what we feel are some of the key health at work issues in 2016.

We hope you enjoy.

Rebecca ClarkeNews Editor

Contents

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Stress management, Emotional Wellbeing and Resilience have all been buzz words for the last few years, but until Senior Management in organisations up and down the country realise the benefits of a physically and emotionally healthy workforce, nothing will change.

The concept of Stress Management assumes that people are already stressed (that means they are having an adverse reaction to excessive pressures) and are willing to learn the skills to reduce their perceived pressures to a manageable level by employing effective lifestyle and life skill techniques.

Emotional Wellbeing is a state achieved in an individual when they find a balance between effective mental and physical health. Enhanced emotional well-being contributes to increasing self-esteem, performance and productivity at work, and has even been related to longevity (Levin 2000).

Resilience has many definitions :

• a defence mechanism, which enables people to thrive in the face of adversity (Davydov et al 2010)

• the process of gaining a robust attitude in the face of challenging and threatening events. (Mowbray 2012)

• he ability to ‘bounce back’ after challenging experiences (APA 2015)

I see Resilience as a package of skills, attitudes and behaviours all grounded in positive emotions. Individuals and organisations can learn and develop these skills, attitudes and behaviours at any time to help support wellbeing, competence, capability, efficiency and thus the bottom line of business.First and foremost we need to take stock – audit the current status – be it personal or organisational - then build accordingly based on substantiated data

which tells us which initiatives work.

How often have you said “I need to get my head into gear” or “this job makes me feel totally drained”?

These and many other thoughts and comments indicate that some of us are overwhelmed, emotionally drained, rendered incapable, feeling powerless, or even helpless.

What are we doing to ourselves ?What are we doing to our workforce ? What are we doing to our organisations?

There are many pressures on individuals and organisations in today’s workplace and society, and individuals as well as organisations that understand what they have to do, to stay well in both body and mind (be it corporate or individual) will not only thrive but stay alive longer.

One of our key assets is our colleagues and

A healthy workforce is key, but to sustain one a balance has to be found between effective mental and physical health. In a fast moving world dominated by bottom lines and wavering profit margins how can this be achieved and utilised?

Ann McCracken specialises in developing a positive and resilient working culture in organisations by introducing effective strategies in performance and wellbeing at all levels.

Ann is a Director of AMC2 and the vice president of the International Management Association (ISMA UK) – the professional body for stress management Practitioners. She is the author of Stress Gremlins©, regularly writes/broadcasts and is an external lecturer at Westminster University.

Ann McCracken

How and why is resilience becoming 2016’s buzzword?

if they are not encouraged to engage in resilient attitudes, behaviours and skills, both they and the organisation will suffer. To be effective, colleagues need to be self-motivated, take on the responsibility for their own physical and emotional wellbeing and be able to recognise and celebrate their success.

Emotionally resilient managers and leaders are thoughtful, strong, empathic, flexible, optimistic and full of vitality; they have vision and adhere to core values that are meaningful, congruent and realistic for all. Resilient leaders do not bully and coerce their colleagues, they work with their colleagues strengths and enable them to achieve and experience success.

It follows that ‘Resilience Training’ is not a panacea or an excuse to tell people to “Face Up” to perceived challenges and excessive pressures.

Learning about the Steps to Resilience and how to make them work in an individual manner, will empower Managers and their colleagues to :• learn about stress and how to

control it in life and work• value the opportunity for

challenge and competition• be prepared to make

commitments• feel better about themselves

and know how to control their pressure points

• treat each other with respect and empathy

• learn the values of laughter, humour, optimism and flexibility

• have confidence to approach new situations and new people with a positive self-image and self-esteem

• discover the value of humour and laughter

• appreciate the importance of friends and family networks

• engage in realistic optimism• practice taking a flexible

thinking approach to challenges and issues

• make a (flexible) plan to help achieve personal/organisational goals

These attributes ARE achievable - our businesses and country would be the better for more of these elusive resilient people!

More importantly, the outcomes are measurable!

A Wellbeing Assessment is the opposite of a Stress Risk Assessment. Regular Assessment allows HR/Management to assess the value of interventions as well as the areas of need and has the advantage of satisfying the legal requirement of any organisation of 5 or more people to carry out a Risk Assessment for Stress (H & S at Work Regs 1999).

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Resilience is key to maintaining health at work

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Every employer will no doubt have had first-hand experience of the impact that high levels of sickness absence can have on their business. This single issue - long term sickness in the workplace – remains possibly one of the most challenging areas in HR. Designed to help working people who face lengthy sickness absence return to work, Fit for Work provides the services of occupa-tional health profession-als to employed people if they have been, or are likely to be, off work for four weeks or more, help-ing employers get their valued staff back sooner.

Our vision for Fit for Work has always been to ensure it is as effective and efficient as possible in helping employees to successfully get back to work after a long period of sickness absence. At Fit for Work, we employ tried-and-tested occupa-tional health processes to help us deliver the best service we can, for example, we conduct a lot of our assessments by telephone, which is now

widely accepted as being a very effective method for contacting employees on sick leave.

However, whilst we wanted to ensure that our case managers were properly trained in mo-tivational interviewing and using a biopsycho-social approach for these telephone assessments, we were also keen to re-cruit people with a range of different healthcare backgrounds, and this has become a key element of our approach. You would of course expect to see occupational health advi-sors among our team of case managers, but we also have general nurses, mental health nurses, oc-cupational therapists and physiotherapists, amongst others.

The logic is pretty simple – we often match case managers to individual referrals, depending on the case manager’s back-ground. This approach has significant benefits for the employee who has been referred to Fit for Work, because the case

manager is able to make their assessment based on their understanding and knowledge of particular health conditions. For example, a case man-ager with a mental health background will be well equipped to assess em-ployees struggling with moderate depression, ap-proaching the assessment process with knowledge and understanding of de-pression and its treatment. Similarly, a case man-ager with a physiotherapy background can provide valuable input when assessing an employee suffering from back pain or more complex muscu-loskeletal issues.

While our case manag-ers do all have their own specialisms, they are all still more than adept at taking on any referrals that come in. By build-ing a multi-disciplinary team with a rich skill and background mix, this facilitates collaboration, discussion and shared learning within the team to ensure the referred employee receives the best advice. Sometimes

Chris Rhodes

Occupational Health Programmes- the pros and cons

Chris has spent over 20 years delivering and managing occupational services across a wide client base that includes the gas industry, rail, construction, NHS services and media. She developed a keen interest in tropical disease working with the BBC and their Natural History Unit.

Prior to working in the occupational health sector, Chris spent time working in the Falkland Islands as a ward sister in trauma and general medicine, as well as working as a UK-based practice nurse. She has worked with Fit for Work, assembling and managing a large multi-disciplinary team of health professionals to deliver the Fit for Work service, since October 2014.

Chris Rhodes, Chief Nursing Officer for Fit for Work, explains why a team of case managers from a range of different health backgrounds make the programme more effective.

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this can be by discussion only, where a case manager seeks advice and support from a physi-otherapist, mental health nurse or occupational health adviser. In other instances, case managers can also opt to ask a colleague to provide direct input to sup-port the employee, and we then ‘step up’ the case to a colleague with the most ideal experience or skills. The original case manager still retains the case, however, to ensure that the employee has continuity and a single point of contact.

Our case managers are all trained in using a biopsychosocial ap-proach with referred employees, meaning that their assess-ments cover all the aspects of why someone may be off work. The ‘bio’ part refers to physical and mental health, the ‘psycho’ to their attitudes and beliefs to work, and the ‘social’ to things like their relationships and finan-cial issues. This holistic approach means that employees referred to Fit for Work can discuss any obstacles that may be prevent-ing their return to work, and work with their case manager to resolve these.

We are finding that the combina-tion of a multi-disciplinary team and the biopsychosocial approach is working very well for us, for both employees and for employ-

ers. Referred employees respond well to case managers who have practical knowledge and under-standing of their particular health condition. Case managers will use their motivational interview-ing technique to ask the right questions, gaining the confidence of the employee more quickly and creating the rapport that is so important for people discussing symptoms and personal matters. It benefits the employer too be-cause the case manager’s experi-ence means that the assessment will be well-informed and com-prehensive.

The combination of motivational interviewing and a specialised health care background is par-ticularly powerful for working with employees who may be find-ing the process uncomfortable. While a referral is always based on consent, it’s understandable that there can sometimes be a reluctance to share relevant infor-mation that employees may feel is sensitive. However, Fit for Work is an entirely impartial, confidential service, and our case managers are trained to ensure that em-ployees feel as comfortable and confident as possible. They are also trained to encourage em-ployees to share their Return to Work Plan with their employers and discuss their return to work with line managers, as we know from experience that this will help make a successful return to work much easier. Case manag-ers also often make direct contact with employers when consent is given by the employee, as this can help to resolve any issues much more quickly and help facilitate a smoother and sustainable return to work.

Overall, employers have respond-ed really well to Fit for Work, even those with their own occupational health services. A tax exemption

of up to £500 a year per employee is also available on medical treat-ments recommended by Fit for Work or an employer-arranged occupational health service to help with positive steps towards a return to work. As we grow Fit for Work we are encouraging em-ployers to consider integrating the programme into their HR policies too, to make the referral process as seamless as possible.

Fit for Work is designed to be as comprehensive a service as pos-sible, and our multidisciplinary approach enables us to deal with any case that comes our way – whether the employee is suffering from a musculoskeletal problem, work-related stress, bereave-ment or recovering after surgery. Employers wanting to refer an employee who has been off work for four weeks or more can visit www.fitforwork.org/employer and click on ‘refer an employee’. Our advice line, 0800 032 6235, is also open 8.30am to 6pm on weekdays for those in England and Wales, which anyone with a work and health related query or concern can call to speak to a dedicated advisor. In Scotland, anyone look-ing for advice and support can phone 0800 019 2211.

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Rachel Arkle

Top three ways to unlock your productivity

Rachel Arkle is director of Yoke Consultancy, a leading wellbeing analytics company based in London and Bristol. As an expert in the wellbeing field, Rachel works with UK companies to help them understand and improve organisational wellbeing, in order to drive workforce and cultural effectiveness.

Rachel has worked with a range of companies from global consultancies to social enterprises in the UK and the US, and with over ten years’ management experience, she ensures that her insight always adds value to a business’s bottom line. She is completing a pioneering Wellbeing Masters Programme at Bath University, to deepen her expertise in organisational wellbeing.

Last month’s UK Budget was headlined by a ‘deteriorating’ and ‘uncertain’ economic outlook. Yet again we find ourselves in challenging times; yet this time, how are you choosing to react? For some of us, turbulent times mean sticking to the safe option. We feel secure if we repeat the ‘way we’ve always done things’ to help mitigate the risk of further disruption, especially in the workplace. However for others, risky times spark opportunity. Open minds choose to react in a way that seeks to do things differently in order to drive new growth, whether that be personally or in business.But which approach is most effective, for you and your work?

The productivity position

According to Christine Lagarde (Managing Director, IMF) the prime reason for our economic conundrum is weak productivity. This is

something Angel Gurria’s (Secretary-General of the OECD) also agrees with, as she explains that our ‘output per hour worked, is the central ingredient in the pursuit of (everyone’s) wellbeing’ (2016). So why in the UK are we not mastering the art of being productive?

To paint a grounded picture, the UK now has its lowest productivity since the 1990’s (ONS 2016) and sits not so prettily in the 2nd poorest spot against the rest of the world’s richest nations. Yet according to the ONS, if we increased productivity rates to match our US counterparts, GDP could rise by up to 31%, equating to £21,000 per household per annum.

People matters

Yet how does this effect us individually today?A new study by the Social Market Foundation (2016), released some concerning findings about our working

effectiveness. Average figures showed that> 40% of us experience performance reducing stress! > 34% achieve less than they hoped due to poor health ! > 16% of us struggle to concentrate

This breakdown helps us understand practically where we are going wrong and it even shares the reality that in in some sectors, such as energy, the trends are 20% worse.

Let’s get productive

“CFO ask CEO ‘what happens if we invest in developing our people and they leave us?’CEO to CFO ‘what happens if we don’t and they leave?’’Shifting to a more effective & productive way of working will not miraculously happen over night, but it can be achieved if we choose to change. And before you shake your head, this is not about working longer hours and ignoring the idea of balance. In fact our research shows the

The UK’s productivity is collapsing and the economic outlook is once again ‘uncertain’. Risky times always spark risk and opportunity, how can the current atmosphere be used to open minds and encourage not just economic growth, but personal

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opposite should be celebrated. We at Yoke Consultancy have uncovered the ‘top 3 ways to unlock your productivity.’ The success of which depends on your ability to balance the current focus of learning, which seeks external accreditation and validation, with a new wave of development, focused on your relationship with yourself. This later connection determines who we bring forward each day and with that, our productivity capacity.

1. Growth mindsets

Cultivating a deep understanding that everyone’s ability is achieved through practice, is the premise of Carol Dweck’s (1978) growth mindset. By creating a foundation of possibility that celebrates mindful work and not inherited talent, effective foundations are set in place for highly productive teams that actually embrace change.

The key is to create a culture that moves away from fixed mindsets, based on past experience, towards growth mindsets that genuinely believe we can all excel together.

Many of us still hold on to old stories about our skills and proficiencies; the classic being ‘I’m no good with numbers’ following a teacher’s comment at the age of 7. However this narrative limits our potential and chance to encounter experiences where we can prove ourselves wrong.

Individual action: A. Write down one limiting story you tell yourself frequently that is based in the past. This could be related to your appearance, work success, relationships, financial status….B. Then take a tally of how many times you repeatedly use this story in one day

C. Then write down a sentence that reflects the opposite and begin to practice replacing this story in your head for 1 week, and notice the effects

2. Rest and reflection

For the workaholics amongst us, the hours we work are equal to our effectiveness…right?! However there is no research to prove this is the case. In fact the latest neuroscience studies show that effective cognitive functioning, or productivity, comes from mastering the art of managed focus and rest. Just as we would schedule time in our working life to have a meeting, it is important to do the same for our minds to stop and relax. This is an alien concept for many, but establishing a routine of ‘acting’ and ‘being’ will improve your presence, application and satisfaction of (working) life.Individual action:A. Schedule in 10 minutes everyday to rest with awareness and simply listen to your breath! B. After a week, reflect on how this feels for you, noticing your avoidance tactics and successes and refine your approach to build it into your following week’s routine

3. The mirror effect

The final step consolidates the first two; by helping to improve the way we explore our growth mindsets and rest and relaxation routines, we continue to move forward.

The key to this iterative development is feedback. And before you shy away and say my live is full of feedback … from friends comments to formal work assessments, I want to ask which of these sources are unbiased?

It is rare to have feedback from a truly independent coach or mentor who objectively assesses how well we are growing. Yet as Syed’s (2010) ‘purposeful practice’ research shows, the world’s best sportsman and business leader, seek independent feedback loops that provide an objective view to help further refine our personal development for the better.

Individual action:A. Identify a person who you respect yet is detached from your life!B. Reflect on why you have chosen them and what you seek to learn through a potential ! ! feedback relationshipC. Take action by formalising what this looks like (time, location, regularity) and approaching them to get started

If you need advice on coaching, Yoke has a reputed team of wellbeing coaches. Please get in touch if you’d like to learn more

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May 12, 2016 @ Hilton Hotel, Canary Wharf, London

Media Partner:

Conference Preview

Health at Work conference 2016

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Welcome to the Health at Work 2016 conference preview

Your health is important wherever you go. And now that many people are spending most of their day sitting at a desk or inside an office, implementing health programs inside the workplace has become a vital part of a healthy lifestyle. With the pension age set to rise too, there are things many of us need to consider if we want to finish our working life with our health intact.

Here you have our latest special edition, dedicated solely to workplace health; packed with an overview of the topic, latest trends, innovations, successful stories, case studies and inspiring insight from HR professionals and experts on health at work matter.

Marsha DydoHead of Conference Production, Symposium Events

09:00 Coffee and registration

09:30 Chair’s opening remarks

Ann McCracken, Vice President, ISMA - International Stress Management Association UK

09:45 Overview of the current national policy and initiatives

Stephen Bevan, Director, Centre for Workforce Effectiveness at The Work Foundation

10:10 Helping empower employees with greater productivity and job satisfaction while lowering absenteeism and presenteeism

Companies must invest in the health and prevention of musculoskeletal conditions for they lead to the more serious visceral conditions such as digestive problems, hormonal imbalances, obesity, heaches, depression etc - Full presentation details TBC

Dr Andrew Hatch DC, MBA, PhDc, CEO Founder, Global Wellness Centres

10:35 Leaders and their role in tackling health issues

• Importance of having a robust and visible health and wellbeing strategy• Addressing the needs of the workplace, the worker and the wider community•Strong leadership - essential drive for the creation of an effective healthy working environment and culture

Karl Simons, Head of Health, Safety and Wellbeing, Thames Water

11:00 Questions and discussion with the speakers

11:10 Refreshment and networking

Breakout session 1

11:25 Purpose, Wellbeing and Productivity. Inseparable trio. The Business Case: How Lindt developed it’s purpose

• Having a Purpose – what is an organisational purpose and why have one?• Wellbeing Focus – approach to identifying key wellbeing initiatives Productivity – how we engaged leaders• Productivity – how we engaged leaders and they in turn, inspire their people

Jenny Lawrence, HR Director, Lindt & Sprungli

11:50 Tips for implementing a successful worksite wellness program

• Understand your employees• Create a plan• Get the board involved• Communicate

Helen Houghton, Head of Occupational Health and Wellbeing Health, Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals

12:15 Questions and discussion with the speakers

Breakout session 2

11:25 Mental health through men’s eyes• Understanding why men’s health and mental health is

Conference programme

Health at Work 2016 Preview

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important• Helping employers to understand men and mental health issues• Improving and supporting men’s health in the workplace• What works in male mental health interventions

Martin Tod, Chief Executive, Men’s Health Forum

11:50 Ergonomics and its impact on employee’s health

• Link between ergonomics and health• What kind of problems can ergonomics solve?

Martina Clooney, EHS Specialist - Ergonomics, GlaxoSmithKline

12:15 Questions and discussion with the speakers

12:25 Lunch and networking

13:25 Let’s get active! - Tai Chi Session

Beat the post-lunch slump with this 15-minute session. Learn how tai chi uses deep breathing and relaxation with slow and gentle movement to reduce stress, improve balance, and increase muscle strength in the legs. Then put it to the test for yourself.

Chris Allen, Owner, Corporate Wellness & Events Ltd.

13:40 Knowledge share session

14:10 Why the future of wellness is digital

• Delivery, engagement & data: 3 key challenges for company wellness initiatives• Why digital is an essential part of a multi-channel, wide-reaching, inclusive strategy• Tracking and measuring success

Andrew Reynolds, Managing Director, Revitalised Ltd14:35 The impact of the Fit for Work service – a year on

• Impact of health and work service on OH

• Summary and conclusion• How is it working and what is not working

Chris Rhodes, Chief Nursing Officer, Fit for Work

15:00 Questions and discussion with speakers15:10 It’s a funny business. Are you having a laugh? - Laughology session

When harnessed properly, humour and laughter can be powerful tools in and out of the boardroom. This short session explores how using the science of laughter to develop psychology-based programmes can help communication, development and thinking.

15:20 Trauma, long-term illness and critical accidents

• Implications of a workplace-related critical incident due to legal, ethical or moral reasons• Effective ways to intervene and reduce employee-survivor reactions to crisis• Understanding the importance of “risk management” strategic business plans for sustainability purposes

15:45 Promoting positive mental health at work

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) estimates that every year around 2 million people experience a health problem that they believe to have been caused by their current or past work. Stress and bullying are the two main causes of mental distress at work.

• How performance and effectiveness at work is largely dependent on mental health and wellbeing• Recognising and providing support to employees affected by mental illness in the workplace• Your duty of care: taking action to improve wellbeing and prevent stress developing

16:10 Questions and discussion with speakers

16:20 Chair’s closing remarks and end of conference

Profile of the Chair

Ann McCracken specialises in developing a positive and resilient working culture in organisations by introducing effective strategies in performance and wellbeing at all levels.

Having initially trained as a scientist, she carried out research with DEFRA and consultancy in the NHS. She spent 10 years in Education before retraining as a stress management practitioner in 1996. Ann is a Director of AMC2 and the vice president of the International Management Association (ISMA UK) – the professional body for stress management Practitioners. She is the author of Stress Gremlins©, regularly writes/broadcasts and is an external lecturer at Westminster University.

www.symposium.co.uk

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Our expert speakers include:Professor Stephen Bevan, Director of the Centre for Workforce Effectiveness at The Work Foundation

Stephen is Director of the Centre for Workforce Effectiveness at The Work Foundation and an Honorary Professor at Lancaster University. Stephen has conducted research on high-performance work practices, employee reward strategy, staff engagement and retention and Good Work. He has a special interest in workforce health and wellbeing, leading a number of national and international projects focusing on workforce health and the impact of chronic illness on productivity and social inclusion.

Health at Work 2016 Preview

Karl Simons, Head of Health, Safety and Wellbeing, Thames Water

Karl is Head of Safety, Health and Wellbeing at Thames Water and is responsible for influencing the strategic direction of health and safety within the organisation, working directly for the CEO. He has 25 years of experience in industry, having worked across all continents in numerous safety critical industries. He holds a Masters degree in Health, Safety and the Environment, is a Chartered Occupational Safety & Health Practitioner and is a keen student of behavioural psychology.

Jenny Lawrence, HR Director, Lindt & Sprungli

Jenny joined Lindt in Jan 2014 and is their HR Director, responsible for the UKI HR strategy.Jenny is passionate about health and wellbeing, recognising this as one of the biggest HR strategic challenges facing the workplace today. Last year, she implemented a number of successful initiatives that earned Lindt a place in the top 50 Great Places to Work and Britain’s Healthiest Company.The HR strategy “making Lindt an inspiring place to work” is a key pillar within the company strategy and aligned to the company purpose “making people feel special”. Prior to Lindt, Jenny worked for Unilever.

Dr Andrew Hatch DC, MBA,PhDc, CEO Founder, Global Wellness Centres

Dr Andrew Hatch is a researcher and US Board certified and licensed physician, technique specialist and international lecturer. . He is an expert in corporate wellness and work-related MSDs, providing guidance on risk assessment, prevention and early intervention to address physical, emotional and chemical stressers impacting employee wellbeing and performance.

Martin Tod, Chief Executive, Men’s Health Forum

Martin joined the Men’s Health Forum in January 2013 as Chief Executive. Before joining the forum, he worked for Shelter, the housing and homelessness charity, in a range of roles including Head of Strategy Development and Deputy Director of Communications, Policy and Campaigns. Martin is currently a Winchester city and Hampshire county councillor, where he focuses on social care and public health issues.

He has a degree in economics from the University of Cambridge.

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www.symposium.co.uk

Christopher Allen, Owner, Corporate Wellness & Events Ltd.

Christopher Allen is a 4th Degree Black Belt Martial Arts Instructor who owns and operates Corporate Wellness & Events Ltd with his business partner Elizabeth Hough who is a Master Practitioner of NLP and Hypnosis.Chris has taught Martial Arts to executives up and down the country at both large events and in small groups. His team also works with companies to implement events as part of Workplace Wellness Programmes.

Helen Houghton, Head of Occupational Health and Wellbeing Health, Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals

Helen is the lead for Health and Wellbeing at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (DBH). Her background is public health and health promotion where she has 14 years’ experience in the field. Helen previously worked for public health in Nottinghamshire for six years with the portfolio for workplace health. In this role Helen developed the ‘Wellbeing at Work Award Scheme’ and supported a vast number of organisations both large and small to achieve the ‘Gold standard’.

Martina Clooney, EHS Specialist - Ergonomics, GlaxoSmithKline

Martina Clooney is an EHS Specialist - Ergonomics, in Environment Health Safety & Sustainability services at GSK. Since joining GSK, 17 years ago, she has gained a range of experience in the Corporate, Commercial, Research & Development and Manufacturing workplace environments. For the past 5 years, her main area of focus has been in Ergonomics and Human Factors, providing regional and currently global support to the business.

Andrew Reynolds, Managing Director, Revitalised Ltd

Andy Reynolds, founder of Revitalised Ltd, has been providing digital solutions to the health & wellbeing industry for more than 12 years. An accomplished speaker, he is passionate about making the latest technology available to businesses and endusers, helping to educate, communicate and motivate people to lead a balanced healthy lifestyle within the workplace and wider community. He studied English, PE & Sport Science at Loughborough University and founded Revitalised in 2004.

Chris Rhodes, Chief Nursing Officer, Fit for Work

Chris has spent over 20 years delivering and managing occupational services across a wide client base that includes the gas industry, rail, construction, NHS services and media. She developed a keen interest in tropical disease working with the BBC and their Natural History Unit.Prior to working in the occupational health sector, Chris spent time working in the Falkland Islands as a ward sister in trauma and general medicine, as well as working as a UK-based practice nurse. She has worked with Fit for Work, assembling and managing a large multi-disciplinary team of health professionals to deliver the Fit for Work service, since October 2014.

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Florence Parot

Thinking outside the open plan: improving company wellbeing

Wellbeing at work is still seen by many as a “soft” theme with underlying tones of health and safety and boxes to be ticked. For some, it is so far from being “innovative” that when my own company, which specialises in training in innovative wellbeing strategies, applied a few years ago for a space for premises in a so-called Innovation Centre, it was turned down on the ground that we did not fit into their target….

It is high time to get our priorities right and to realise that wellbeing at work is not just about safety or a nice working environment (although that’s always a good place to start!).

It is true that although wellbeing at work is by now a well-established theme, many companies still find it hard to be clear on how to approach it or even if it is really such a “serious” theme. In the UK, many initiatives, programmes and official guidance are available but other countries

seem to be even more at the forefront of things. Belgium has had an official Wellbeing at Work Legal Code since 1993 and France took its first official step on the subject with the Légeron report in 2008 ordered by the Secretary of Work after a wave of suicides at France Telecom. Serious, did you say serious?

A company’s primary focus is the bottom line but a company without a workforce does not get very far. It has become urgent to stop thinking in terms of human resources and think about human beings instead. Without healthy and productive teams, the company will not be able to develop to its full potential. If you are going to envision your company’s success, why dream small? As one of my Directors put it at our last Board Meeting: “We should definitely be planning for success; planning for failure does not sound that attractive!” Providing a work environment and organisation that will allow people to work

at the best of their potential and educating all your staff on how to enhance that potential are great ways to go.

As far as work environment and organisation go, ideas such as getting rid of the open plan (who truly likes working in noisy, germ-infested, no-privacy settings, seriously, names please!), having access to flexible work hours, working from home, autonomy, having a participation in the company, being given real support to grow and manage are just some of the very good ideas to look into.

Educating your staff in personal performance management can also have a huge impact. Do you know how many times a day and for how long you need a break to be at your peak performance? Do you know what to do specifically if you start feeling angry or overwhelmed at work and feel like punching the boss or bursting into

Florence is an international expert in stress and sleep management, a performance coach and sophrology practitioner. She works with executives who need to perform at a high level and face pressures and challenges on an everyday basis.

She teaches them practical tools and strategies to be at their best when they need it most, know how to “switch off” and “on” at will, remain in control, have energy, focus, a clear head and build resilience. With methods similar to those used by Olympians, she helps her clients develop the brain power of a corporate athlete: their mind at its best.

Wellbeing might well be advancing up some employer’s priority lists, but some still see it as a subject for softies. Creating a pleasant working environment is key to encouraging employee wellbeing.

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tears? The Director for Wellbeing of a large UK group was telling me last year that what his team needs is to learn practical techniques to help staff with such moments. These can be learnt and makes a real difference.Let’s have a look at some great examples of strategies that have proved very efficient here and there:

- Results Only Work Environment (focusing on output rather than input): focusing on the job done, not how it is done, measuring results, not hours. In his TED talk on the subject of motivation, Dan Pink explains: “In a ROWE people don’t have schedules. They show up when they want. They don’t have to be in the office at a certain

time, or any time. They just have to get their work done. How they do it, when they do it, where they do it, is totally up to them ... What happens? Almost across the board, productivity goes up, worker engagement goes up, worker satisfaction goes up...”- Giving staff unlimited unrecorded time off while giving incentives on results and productivity, not time spent in the office. Like the French company Chronoflex where each employee is paid a bonus on their own performance and the company’s performance, while being free to get organised as they like. After implementing the policy in 2014, the company’s turnover shot up 15% and they started hiring again.

- Teaching particular Sophrology work relaxation techniques to checkout operators and assembly line workers, to be done at specific moments during the day, to prevent repetitive strain injuries. This has been put in place in several French supermarkets and plants.These are just tiny examples, a drop in the ocean of ideas you could have for your own company. And before you start thinking: “nay… couldn’t do that in my company…”, why don’t you take a walk round the block, breathe in a good dose of fresh air to stimulate the creative functions of your brain and literally start thinking outside the open plan?

Creating a pleasant environment at work is key to wellbeing in the office

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Thames Water has 15 million customers and represents a quarter of the UK’s water operation. Simons heads the health and safety operation at Thames Water and is at the forefront of efforts to utilise a change in perception of the role of the Health and Safety manager that has occurred over the period of the last five years.

Karl is Head of Safety, Health and Wellbeing at Thames Water and is responsible for influencing the strategic direction of health and safety within the organisation, working directly for the CEO. He has 25 years of experience in industry, having worked across all continents in numerous safety critical industries. He holds a Masters degree in Health, Safety and the Environment, is a Chartered Occupational Safety & Health Practitioner and is a keen student of behavioural psychology.

Karl Simons

Staying ahead of the Health and Safety revolution

In terms of protect-ing your workforce has there been any schemes that you have created yourself to assist this process?

Several years ago Thames really did change the game to-wards looking at risk in a very different way. We have cut in half the num-ber of injuries that lead to lost time (i.e injuries that prevent people from returning to work the next day). We have also cut in half the number of high potential incidents within the organisa-tion. What we have done within the organisation is create a greater level of confidence and assur-ance in health and safety procedures and the fact that health and safety risks are being man-aged. Reliance within the team has also improved, people are looking after each other and are also not afraid to challenge each other. What’s dif-ferent about my role is I don’t just represent the 15,000 people that work

and safety as a catalyst to get things done, to get investment approved and to be fair, all credit to my chief executive, manag-ers have been empow-ered to invest correctly in safety. Health and safety is now at the forefront when business decisions are taken.

You say that more and more people are en-gaged with health and safety now, so would you say that your job is starting to get a little bit easier?

The changing attitudes certainly make it easier. I suppose my sole respon-sibility, ultimately, os to do myself out of a job! But, it is refreshing to see my sixty strong team from systems analysts to trainers , all people that do a terrific job in sup-porting the organisation. It is also encouraging to see my health and safety advisors who have gone from being just inspec-tors of sites to being strategically aligned to the business operating model, so they are part

on behalf of the com-pany, but I am also act to ensure that members of the public get safe reli-able drinking water.

How have Thames gone about achieving these impressive injury re-duction figures?

Innovation has been pushed through the organisation in order to tackle risk areas. We are also attempting to embed appropriate messages reminding our workforce of the risks and what needs to be done to avoid them. Investment has gone up when it comes to main-taining the saftey of our assets.

Many years ago health and safety was stig-matised as blocker to work being undertaken, interestingly now within Thames health and safe-ty if viewed as an enabler to get work undertaken. I see more and more thing coming across my desk that prove that people are using health

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of the leadership team, in which they support and influence things and are accountable for the per-formance of a business unit. So we have shifted our model of how we integrate into the business. So the health and safety profession-al’s role has matured extensively over recent years and is seen now as a business professional, a leader within an organisation.

What are some of the areas that case the most injuries within the business?

I think we will always be in a position where the vast majority of our injuries are from trips and falls and the vast majority of our energy and focus is always based around removing the human abil-ity to fail. As human beings we make mistakes, we have lapses in concentration and I think if we understand how we are going to tackle that and make sure that anything that is introduced into the organisation has a physical understanding of how you remove the human ability to make a mis-take, then we will start to solve the problem.

When it comes to trips and falls I recently took my entire team up to the health and safety labora-tory and we went through each of our risk areas and the special-ists from the HSE (Health and Safety Executive) labs took us through the latest in health and safety technology. On trips and falls, which account for over fifty percent of our organisation’s injuries, they showed us a new grip test they were working on for footwear. So that is moving away from managing the behavior of individuals. So we gave them all our boots and told them to test everything and lo and behold, the boots were not living up to certain grip test.

You mention new technology and investment, do you sometimes still have to fight for health and safety investment?

Well, like any business you have to be sensible around how you mange your cost base and like an organisation we have budgets, but what has changed is that the executive team now very much understand the positive outcomes of not only the tangible indicators i.e. the reduction in injury, but also the indirect culture within the organisation. So this makes it easier for me, yes.

So you would say that there has been a cultural change, a revolution if you will, in the way health and safety is perceived within a business?

Yes, certainly. A huge cultural shift. But it has taken and will continue to take a lot of work. It is one of those kind of topics that is relentless. We are constantly evolving and we are constantly learning from where incidents have taken place, but what I re-ally love is that we are now in the position at Thames now where everyone is looking at creativity.

How can this cultural change be developed and utilised in the future?

The emerging risks will come from the change in environment and the increased demand on water due to population growth. The change in environmental cycles and the more dramatic weather events are creating risks that we have to understand better. We are always looking forward and that is what is exciting about working for Thames Water in this current climate.

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Recently we have started to witness a critical shift in the way businesses are responding to mental health in the workplace, moving from a reactive approach to a more proactive framework. Whilst the negative effects brought forth by the recession appear to be easing, post-recession, businesses are facing a new set of challenges, as employers remain focussed, and rightfully so, on how to build a business that is prepared for any potential pitfalls. In light of this, employees will likely experience undue pressures from factors including increased workloads and tighter deadlines, as businesses work to meet the demands of their clients and/or consumers.

The prevalence of mental health

By nature, stress and other mental health issues are not visible to the naked eye in

the same way physical ailments are, which make them difficult to detect and quantify. For this reason, instances of poor mental health in the workplace can often go unnoticed or take longer to detect. Nonetheless, stress and other instances of mental health are still prevalent.

According to Health and Safety Executive (HSE), in 2014/15 there were 440, 000 cases of work-related stress, depression or anxiety. Moreover, stress accounted for 35% of all work-related ill health and 43% of working days lost due to ill health. With this in mind, it has become vital for all businesses owners to become active advocates of employee wellbeing.

Building a holistic wellbeing strategy

Whilst stress can be a result of variables within the working environment, in order to

adopt a holistic approach to wellbeing, employers should also take into account external factors that may cause poor mental health. This is likely to become more prevalent with the aging workforce, who will experience increased responsibilities including caring for children or other dependents. The framework for a healthy work environment includes the implementation of wellbeing polices that include all aspects of managing people from communication and engagement to consultation. This should include ensuring that managers are fully trained in stress management, whilst being confident and competent in dealing with difficult conversations surrounding personal wellbeing. Aside from the emotional issues employees’ experience, the financial constraints felt in recent years have had a huge impact

David Price is Group Director for Health Assured: a provider of innovative health & wellbeing solutions. He advises employers daily on how to encourage and develop a healthy workplace, whilst outlining best practice guidance on how to combat and control workplace stress and anxiety.

David’s career has always centred on the development and wellbeing of employees. He is a long standing member of the UK Employee Assistance Professionals Association (EAPA) and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

David Price

Taking a holistic approach to reducing poor workplace mental health

The way that businesses approach mental health is changing for the better, but the post-recession world is posing a new set of challenges to those wishing to tackle the problem in the workplace.

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on health and wellbeing. My colleagues at Health Assured have supported a large number of employers and their employees through financial worries, which if left unattended could contribute to mental stress, with those who are experiencing financial stress more likely to suffer from fatigue, heart conditions and other health-related issues.

Getting the balance right

The complexity of metal health issues means that any policies an organisation creates need to incorporate how the workplace is organised, the degree of autonomy employees have and the organisational structure. Whilst these factors may be interrelated, only when employers look at their overall impact can a business’s approach to wellbeing be optimised. Below are just some of the options employers can consider when looking to implement an effective holistic wellbeing strategy

1. Assess your businesses values and principles

Workplace culture is one of the biggest factors that draws potential employees towards a company and keeps employees happy and engaged at work. For the longest time, mental health has had a stigma attached to it which has prevented many employees from coming forward due to the fear of being ridiculed by their colleagues. Thankfully, this is starting to dissipate, however it is up to employers to challenge this stigma by creating open and honest dialogue regarding mental health, helping to build knowledge to support a healthier outlook with regards to stress and other forms of mental health. Employers should look to implement training programmes for their management and employees, teaching them to

identify the signs of poor mental health and the procedures to follow to seek support for themselves and/or others.

Employer’s may also consider supporting or partnering with a local mental health charity, encouraging employees to engage with mental health experts who can educate them on the prevalence of the issue, what can cause it, and what action can be taken to prevent poor mental health from escalating.

2. Providing continuous support Whilst building an open work environment with regards to mental health is a crucial step in developing an effective mental health strategy, suffering from poor mental health can be an extremely difficult and sensitive issue that some individuals may find hard to discuss with their colleagues.

With this in mind, providing an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), where employees have access to support 24 hours a day, can bring a much needed sense of relief to those suffering with mental health issues. An EAP enables employees suffering from poor mental health to seek confidential support and guidance from fully trained counsellors in a comfortable environment, providing piece of mind for the employee in question, whilst also reducing some of the pressure placed on management.

3. Facilitating personal growth

For a majority of employees, the workplace represents an environment whereby through mentoring, training and performance management, they can progress and grow on a personal and professional level. One of the main factors relating to work-related stress is a lack

of managerial support and meaningful tasks. It is important therefore that employers work alongside their employees from the very beginning to build a development plan, with strategic aims and objectives that the employee is encouraged to achieve. Performance reviews play a significant role, as they provide the opportunity to discuss where the employees’ strengths lie, whilst also looking at areas for improvement and where the employee would like to see their role go moving forwards.

Outside of performance reviews, employers should also implement regular catch-ups, which facilitate open communication, enabling employees to air any issues they may be facing, whilst also helping to establish a stronger working relationship between employer and employee based on mutual respect.

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Nina is a Talent Management Consultant at Halogen Software responsible for delivering continuous advancement consulting services to clients across EMEA. She works with clients to evaluate their talent management strategy to structure the best solution for their talent requirements.

Nina Mehta

Employee wellbeing as the heart of your talent management strategy

Health and wellbeing in the workplace is steadily rising up the business agenda as more employers recognise the benefits of introducing workplace health and wellness policies. The CIPD defines wellbeing in the workplace as ‘creating an environment to promote a state of contentment which allows an employee to flourish and achieve their full potential for the benefit of themselves and their organisation’.

Studies have shown that healthy, motivated, and engaged employees create a productive and high performing workforce. Conversely, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) flags employee absence due to illness as a major business issue and a key indicator of how well an organisation is managed. Work-related ill health accounts for 28 million working days lost every year in Great Britain. The biggest cause is stress and related mental health

issues, according to the HSE. HR and business leaders can play a vital role in helping employees manage stress and remove barriers to productivity that could negatively impact employee wellbeing.

Impact of work-related stress

The HR department at the University of Cambridge collated a list of examples of the impact of work-related stress on the organisation. Where stress is not controlled and the individual and organisation suffer, there are many physical, emotional, and behavioural side effects such as:

•Sleep disturbances •Headaches•Anxiety•Irritability •Depression•Loss of concentration •Poor decision-making•Substance abuse

The effects on the organisation as a

result of stressed employees, according to Cambridge University’s research, includes: high absenteeism; increased staff turnover; poor time keeping; low performance; low morale; lack of motivation and productivity.

Personalised approach to wellbeing

Employee wellbeing should be closely aligned with a talent management strategy that takes any available opportunity to manage and observe employee performance all year long. The recent trend in managing employee performance on an ongoing basis provides the perfect opportunity to identify and mitigate potential stressors because of the frequent interaction between managers and employees.

There are a number of effective techniques that will help HR or line managers get the best from these interactions. One technique is to schedule regular one-to-one meetings, a

How can performance management improve employee wellbeing? What more can be done to ensure that work related stress and the health issues that it prompts are removed from the office atmosphere?

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dedicated time for managers and employees to have regular conversations with employees. These regular discussions, in contrast with annual appraisals, are a good way to ‘check in’ with employees to see how they’re doing. They are an opportunity for leaders to get employees talking about what is and isn’t working – for the organisation and for the employee.

Open ended questions are better than those that invite simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers. Managers should ask the question and wait for a reply – don’t be tempted to fill a lull in the conversation. Potential questions include:

• What barriers are preventing you from achieving your goals? • What skill gaps may prevent you from reaching your goals? • What are the issues that affect your daily work? • What do you enjoy least about your job? Allow the employee to suggest ways to address barriers and find solutions. Ask how you as a leader can help and then put together a plan of action. Here are some additional tips to help keep employee wellbeing top of mind in the workplace:

• Incorporate flexibility into workplace culture. Allow employees to work from home and focus more on the results an employee achieves rather than where they work or how long it

takes them to complete the work. A productive employee might leave the office early every day, but still completes projects on time and meets deliverables.

• Allow enough downtime. Against the backdrop of an ‘always-on’ culture, employees often fail to take holidays – or managers prevent them from doing so. Tell employees to take a vacation and/or mandate certain ‘no work hours’ such as between 10pm and 6am.

• Provide fun ways for employees to let off steam. Showing your employees that you appreciate them and inviting them to partake in some workplace fun will help keep morale high and performance levels elevated. Some organisations provide table sports such as table tennis or table football. Tap into seasonal fun – recognise your team’s accomplishments with an outdoor picnic in summer or hold a decorating competition over the Holiday season.

• Keep employees motivated and engaged with performance-based incentives. It’s not necessary for incentives to be financial. In fact, they don’t have to cost your organisation very much at all. Consider giving an employee an afternoon off in recognition for accomplishing a particularly challenging stretch goal. Say, “Thanks for a job well done,” with a fruit basket, gift card, or even a

handwritten note recognising the employee’s strong performance.

• Measure the results of your wellbeing initiatives. Productivity cannot be measured by how much time an employee spends working. In fact, working fewer hours can result in greater productivity. At Menlo Innovations, offices are dark and locked by 6pm4. Employees aren’t allowed to work from home. “Tired programmers start putting in lots of bugs,” says chief executive, Rich Sheridan. He says that the cost of software glitches can exceed the benefits of overtime. Engagement surveys should reveal an increase in engagement and decreased absenteeism rates should indicate how effective your wellbeing initiatives are.

Prioritising the wellbeing of employees as part of your ongoing performance management strategy can help employees and their managers alleviate workplace stress. Regular check-ins with an employee can help better manage sources of stress that could become overwhelming.

Additionally, ongoing performance management improves engagement as employees feel listened to and are able to review organisational and personal goals with their manager regularly. This means that engaged employees are healthy employees, and healthy workers make for a productive workplace.

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Sadaf advises operational teams on interpretation of legislative and regulatory dietetic specifications. She is also responsible for undertaking periodic menu reviews for the healthcare and education sector.

She leads and develops the ‘Steps4Health’; G4S Integrated Services Health and wellbeing programme and delivers dietetic training for managers, frontline staff and student placements.An experienced HCPC (Health & Care Professional Council) registered dietitian with the last 11 years spent in food service dietetics.

Sadaf Saied

Health and wellbeing - a top down bottom up approach

The workplace is an important setting in which to address the health and wellbeing of employees. Employers can and should play their part by making the right choices either in partnership with foodservice companies or as part of their health and wellbeing strategies.

Employers are becoming increasingly aware of how important employee wellbeing is for companies. They know that a healthy and happy workforce makes a more efficient workforce and aids retention, innovation and helps employees enjoy the environment in which they work and in most cases spend the majority of their time. Well looked after staff can bring their ‘best self’ to work and are more productive; morale is improved and less sick days are recorded. Here in the UK, we’ve seen that the overall absence levels have risen slightly from an average of 6.6 days of absence per employee in 2014 to 6.9 days in 2015.

Potential employees also take the business of

wellbeing very seriously, it’s no longer seen as a fad or a passing trend. The science of wellness is beginning to take hold. According to NICE (The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) physical activity programmes at work have been found to reduce absenteeism by up to 20 percent and physically active workers take 27 percent fewer sick days.

The changing workplace demographic

There are many studies around millennials joining the workforce and expectations of what an excellent workplace should provide. They have a more expansive view of personal well-being than generation X and the demand to weave wellness into all aspects of the working day is growing stronger. Successful programs must be proactive and provide positive, holistic experiences.

Workers are also getting older! An aging population is directly

linked to an ageing workforce. According to DWP estimates, by 2024, nearly 50 percent of the adult population will be 50 and over. As a responsible employer, companies need to adapt policies and programmes to service the needs of older employees and in turn keep the millennials happy.

Singleness of purpose

So, this brings me to why I think it’s critical that there is a top down and bottom up approach to wellness at work. I believe that it’s everybody’s responsibility to look after their health and wellbeing and to seek out employers who take it seriously. Why wouldn’t you want to work for the company that is going to take your wellbeing as seriously as you do? I also believe that senior management teams should actively encourage the adoption of these initiatives in an open and transparent way. Attitudes at the top matter. They can proliferate through an entire organisation quickly and effect the DNA of a

Employers are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of employee wellbeing, but as the workplace demographic changes, what more can be done to ensure the revolution continues

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company. Wellbeing ‘initiatives’ and policies can take many forms. As an example, senior management can look at employing the right in-house expertise or seek external consultancy. I’m employed as an in-house dietician at G4S FM and am empowered to drive initiatives that can have a positive impact on employee health such as running awareness events where we offer personal consultations on diet, health and nutrition. I also advise on nutrition and food offerings across our client base to help people make more informed choices when they are operating catering services across hospitals or schools.

Employers can also ensure regular wellbeing updates and tips and services are used throughout company newsletters and that they form part of the overall internal communications plan.

In-house experts and consultants can assist with staff training programmes and work on improving catering options providing input on healthier hydration and food choices then progressing onto advice on physical activity, smoking cessation schemes which all contributes to a healthier lifestyle.

Learn to adapt

As with all company initiatives, leaders of business need to put processes in place around wellbeing so the effectiveness of programmes can be properly evaluated. Feedback is important, but it’s what you do with that data that is going to have an impact on your business. Learn from what employees are asking for from a wellbeing perspective and act on it. Companies can do this through individual performance reviews (a good way to implant the

importance of individual wellbeing), through employee engagement surveys and from taking counsel from outside organisation such as British Dietetic Association (BDA). The BDA have recently published a white paper highlighting the evidence of effectiveness of nutrition and wellness interventions. This is supported by a programme with tools, resources and a team of work ready accredited dietitians leading this wellness initiative. It focuses on maintenance of healthy weight for employees and thus reducing the risk of preventable health issues.

Five Top Tips for better wellbeing;

1. Do a company wide health needs assessment. It is important to set out a health and wellbeing strategy for the company that works and can be adapted for the type of workforce you employ.

2. Employee wellbeing will be more effective if supported from the top down. Senior management need to drive these initiatives and ensure healthy meals, snacks and hydration choices are on offer.

3. Employers can set up lunch and learn sessions which focus on practical steps to healthy eating. I.e. for fleet drivers having complex carbohydrates to keep a steady flow of blood glucose level for the brain enabling better concentration on the road as opposed to high calorie sugar

snacks.

4. Employers can also encourage an increase of physical activity in the workforce by group walking sessions, pedometer challenges, discounted gym memberships and exercise taster classes. Research studies indicate that a reduction in 5-10 percent of your body weight reduces your risk of non-communicable diseases such as Heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes, Stroke, musco- skeletal disorders (such as Osteoarthritis) and certain types of cancer.

5. Support the change! Research studies show that by establishing policies and programmes, encouraging support from peers and ongoing environmental initiatives such as healthy food choices, information posters at the workplace may enable behaviour change over a period of time.

Yousef is a Consultant Occupational Health Physician. He joined AXA PPP healthcare Health Services in 2010 and, in March 2015, became Medical Director for Health Services. He began his medical career in surgery in 2002, working in various NHS hospitals before embarking on a career in occupational medicine.He has achieved the Membership qualifications of the Royal Colleague of Surgeons of Edinburgh (MRCSEd) and is a Member of Faculty of Occupational Medicine (MFOM) of the Royal College of Physicians as well as the Society of Occupational Medicine.

Dr Yousef Habbab

Calling HR - better wellness equals better business health

Workplace wellbeing is a concept which has come of age. Twenty years ago, it scarcely registered on the boardroom agenda but today, spurred on by the recession and relentless pressure of globalisation, interest in the subject has mushroomed. But what is workplace wellbeing and why should HR professionals be sitting up and taking notice?

There’s much more to managing wellbeing at work than simply knowing what makes employees happy. Rather, think of it as a state affected by a myriad of physical, psychological and social drivers – the biopsychosocial axis. It might, for example, be affected by an employee’s financial and relationship issues, which can lead to stress, anxiety or even depression, or by an ailment that adversely affects their mobility.

Whatever the cause, the consequences of ill health can be calamitous for a business, with considerable direct and

indirect costs arising from sickness absence (estimated by the CIPD* to cost UK employers £554 per employee per year, with employees off work sick on average 6.9 days a year) and presenteeism (where employees attend work when unwell and perform sub-optimally). According to the Centre for Mental Health, £15bn of the UK’s annual £26bn business costs of mental ill health at work are attributable to reduced productivity of employees when at work.**

Important though it is to manage sickness absence effectively (as I will set out below), equally if not more important is prevention – taking a proactive approach to promoting employees’ physical and psychological health and wellbeing. While this may be as simple as promoting flu jabs for at-risk employees in advance of the winter flu season, at a higher, more strategic level, HR can really shine by taking the lead on the development and introduction of programmes to support

and strengthen employee resilience. And a good place to begin is building and sustaining a positive, supportive workplace culture where employees are encouraged to lead healthy, active lives, have a good work/life balance and, if they should become ill or injured, are actively supported to secure suitable care. (This includes encouraging employees to take time off when necessary for check-ups and medical appointments.)

Strong leadership – led from the top – is critical for success, with senior management evidencing its commitment to the cause. Line managers also need to be suitably trained and supported to promote employee wellbeing – for example, by being attuned to signs of psychological distress so that in these circumstances they can guide employees to suitable professional help. To help employees to have a good work/life balance, it’s important to avoid the pitfall of overworking. While

Simply knowing what makes employees happy is not enough, more consideration has to be given by employers to the causes of unhappiness and how they can be addressed.

there will, of course, be times when the pressure is on and teams have to put in extra effort, employers should nevertheless try to encourage employees to work to their contracted hours as often as possible. It is good policy to encourage them to do their best when they’re at work but also to make the most of their time when they’ve finished for the day, unburdened by workplace concerns. Encouraging employees to take regular breaks (and their holiday) will also help as will accommodating flexible working, where practicable. Steps such as these will enable employees to be more resilient and less likely to succumb to stress and fatigue.

While employers may be nervous of counselling employees on lifestyle choices such as diet and exercise, these can significantly affect both physical and psychological health. Indeed, poor physical health can be bad for mood, self-esteem, energy levels and resilience. High blood pressure, for example, is associated with diminished cognitive ability, according to a 2008 study of people aged 40 to 60 by Stefan Knecht and colleagues from the University of Munster.**** Even simple measures such as encouraging a healthy, balanced diet (which employers can facilitate by ensuring their canteens, vending machines and lunch delivery services offer healthy choices) and regular exercise (which they can facilitate through gym discounts and by promoting activities such as walking groups or company sports teams) can help to improve physical and mental health.

Despite best efforts to promote wellness, illness and injury will inevitably affect employees from time to time and, to manage this effectively, HR professionals have a critical role to play in ensuring their company both has a sickness absence policy in place and that it’s effectively communicated to everyone in the workforce. In addition to setting

out the company’s approach to sick pay, it should explain what to do if employees are ill and the support the company offers. This should include an explanation of procedures for sickness absence reporting and certification, keeping in touch when off sick and returning to work when better.

To manage absence effectively, a balance needs to be struck between encouraging ill or injured employees to return to work at an appropriate opportunity but not pressurising them to come back while they are still unfit or unwell. This can be an issue even for well meaning employers as we know from our own research that two thirds of employees go to work even if they are ill.*** But getting this wrong can backfire and, if mishandled, a too early return to work can even lead to an extended period of absence should the employee have a relapse or recurrence of their condition. And, for some contagious conditions, a too early return can result in the illness spreading to other members of the workforce.

For employees who are absent for longer periods, it is important for employers to stay in touch with them both to see how they are progressing as well as to help them feel less isolated by letting them know that they’re missed and the team is thinking of them. In most cases this is best effected by line managers, whom HR can support by introducing suitable protocols for maintaining contact that meet both employers’ and employees’ needs. Staying in touch should also help to boost absent employees’ morale as well as enable employers to track their recovery and identify things they can do to progress it such as paying for physiotherapy or counselling or providing access to occupational health support. Indeed, the input of OH professionals can be especially

helpful as their insight and experience are invaluable in helping employees make a timely, successful return to work – for example, by advising on an appropriate rehabilitation programme which might include a phased return to work, amended duties, altered hours and/or workplace alterations.

By dealing with sickness absence quickly, sensitively and professionally, HR professionals can go a long way towards minimising the disruption it can cause. Prevention, early intervention and allowing ill or injured employees sufficient time to recover are all key to positive attendance management. Healthy, confident employees are an asset to any organisation and, by actively engaging with your workforce to support their health and wellbeing, you can go a long way to creating a workplace culture that optimises performance and productivity.

*CIPD (2015). Absence management 2015:http://www.cipd.co.uk/binaries/absence-management_2015.pdf

**Centre for Mental Health (2007). Mental health at work: developing the business case:http://www.incorporasaludmental.org/images/doc/D_ENG_EMP_DOCU_GUIA_0036_Developing_the_business_case.pdf

***AXA PPP healthcare (2014). Two thirds of Brits go to work when sick:http://www.axa.co.uk/2014/newsroom/media-releases/two-thirds-of-brits-go-to-work-when-sick/

****Stefan Knecht, Heike Wersching, Hubertus Lohmann, Maximilian Bruchmann, Thomas Duning, Rainer Dziewas, Klaus Berger and E Bernd Ringelstein (2008). High-normal blood pressure is associated with poor cognitive performance. Hypertension: 51: 663-668:http://hyper.ahajournals.org/content/51/3/663.full.pdf

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Who hasn’t wolfed down a chocolate bar from the office vending machine because they’ve been too busy for lunch, or to counter the stress of a deadline? Most of us have done it, and indulging once in a while is no bad thing.

But having too many sugary snacks and bad foods, too often, can have a seriously detrimental impact on employees’ energy, stamina, productivity, mood and overall health. The converse is also true: eating well can work wonders for the body and mind.

These days, people know this, of course. And yet knowing doesn’t always translate into doing. So how can employers help their employees to steer clear of the vending machine and, instead, make good food and drink choices, consistently?

Bennett Hay, voted as the best place to work in hospitality by The Caterer, has been

implementing health and wellbeing strategies across its workforce since day one of the business.

In its recent SRA Sustainability Rating Report, Bennett Hay scored 94 percent in its commitment to society, which includes colleagues, customers and communities. ‘Healthy Eating’ was the bespoke hospitality provider’s second highest scoring area, after ‘Treating People Fairly’.

Bennett Hay has adopted various initiatives to promote healthy eating among our colleagues, to help them counter the stresses of modern life. Based on our initiatives, here are a few suggestions that might also work for other businesses.

Give staff a free meal per shift and provide a good selection of freshly-prepared, healthy meals, and drinks, for them to choose from. This might include a special healthy

range of food and drinks, similar to Bennett Hay’s Restore range, which helps people rehydrate, manage their blood sugar, support their immune system and get more antioxidants.

Consider bringing on board a nutritionist to help you design a healthy range of menus. Bennett Hay’s Restore menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner are designed around research by celebrity nutritionist Ian Marber, also known as The Food Doctor, who trained at the Institute for Optimum Nutrition (ION) in London. The menus are extremely popular with staff and customers alike because they are healthy and taste great, and they help people make their food choices work for them.

Foods used in healthy ranges should generally have a low glycaemic index and pack a nutritional punch. Dishes might include: legumes, such as beans, peas and lentils, which are packed with magnesium, an

Anthony Bennett

Healthy eating initiatives in the workplace benefit employees

Co-founder of Bennett Hay, Anthony Bennett, possesses over 20 years’ experience within the hospitality and facilities service industries. Bennett Hay operates in London workplace buildings providing guest services, food and wellbeing and workplace support to clients. The bespoke hospitality provider’s expertise lies in blending on site teams to deliver two or more complementary workplace support services. These can include reception, telephony, concierge, staff catering, hospitality, fine dining, events, mailroom and reprographics and housekeeping services.

Providing healthy meals for employees is a perk that many companies cannot pull off, yet it has its benefits. A healthy worker is a happy worker as the old saying goes and there is no better way to ensure both happiness and healthiness than to eat well throughout the day.

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essential mineral that helps the body to break down glucose into energy; foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon and avocado, which can protect against heart disease and improve cognition; walnuts, which are a top dietary source of the happy chemical serotonin; dark leafy greens, which help ward off bad moods thanks to being high in the vitamin folate; and chicken and eggs, which contain tryptophan, the key ingredient in making serotonin.

For drinks, provide a bespoke range of freshly ground artisan coffees, which can increase mental alertness and cut the risk of depression, when consumed in moderation. Also provide premium teas, some of which contain high levels of antioxidants, and fresh juices and smoothies, which are high in vitamins and minerals.

Signpost healthier and reduced fat options on menus, and put any healthy food range in packaging that can be easily identified. Also offer reasonable portion

sizes and give people the option of requesting healthy cooking methods.

Further encourage employees to eat healthy by providing a complimentary fruit platter in the office. For meetings, provide genuinely healthy options, rather than force people to overdose on carb-laden sandwiches and biscuits.

Healthy eating initiatives that are done for the right reasons tend to be especially successful. Bennett Hay colleagues repeatedly tell us in surveys, and in other ways, that they love our initiatives. Why? Because we genuinely care for them and want them to feel healthier and happier. Productivity and performance gains are not our main aim, although they are a fantastic by-product.

It’s also tempting to want to evangelise about healthy eating and expect everyone to get on board straight away. But many people are wary of change and need time to get used to it. Trust

that people will naturally pick up initiatives over time, when they see others doing so and feeling and looking great. Also ensure that there are enough options to allow varying levels of engagement, in order to appeal to as many people as possible.

It’s also important to strike the right balance between helping employees to make good choices and not interfering with, or damaging, their sense of autonomy. Support staff in creating, owning, delivering and driving their own healthy eating initiatives, and trust them to get it right.

If staff want to have chocolate, crisps and sugary drinks in their vending machine, then so be it. And if they want to have protein bars, energy balls, packets of fruit and nuts and seeds, and water, to keep them energised, focused and positive throughout the working day, then even better.

Food habits define mood in the workplace