Wellbeing Strategy Case Studies

by | Nov 18, 2019 | Case Studies, Wellbeing consultancy

Examples of our workplace wellbeing strategy consultancy success are listed below. 

See the article: https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/voices/comment/successful-wellbeing-strategy.

GSK Health and productivity – Preventive workplace wellbeing strategy to effectively target HR and OH resources

Workplace wellbeing strategy – (GSK) is a leading research-based pharmaceutical company. Headquartered in the UK and with operations based in the US, the new company is one of the industry leaders, with an estimated seven per cent of the world’s pharmaceutical market and has 24000 UK employees across 21 locations and a very diverse workforce. GSK proactively manages the health of their large employee population using a highly targeted and focused approach. It has gained an understanding of the health status of its employees, having collected health data from over 60% of its workforce using a health risk appraisal (remote health profile questionnaire).

The health data was then used for strategic decision-making, resource allocation, and change measurement. GSK has effectively engaged employees in active health, resilience and work-life balance programmes to support health-enhancing behaviour through remote and on-site programmes that are measurable and quantifiable. It also has been able to understand the future work patterns and needs of GSK employees through a work-life balance assessment to manage employee engagement and productivity.

Approach

GSK collaborated with Mark Holt-Rogers to design a workplace wellbeing strategy to deploy a methodology that would engage as many of the 23,000 employees in a manageable, measurable way. The methodology used was Population Health Management: a large-scale process of measuring the current health of each employee, then targeting interventions specific to their health needs with health programmes and tracking and measuring the outcomes. The methodology engages individuals remotely (by email or telephone), encouraging them to be measured (via a validated health risk appraisal) and then to participate in a sequence of remote programmes targeted to every individual’s health status.

GSK’s approach also includes on-site health enhancement, resilience and work-life balance programmes delivered through Employee Health Management and the wider HR community and signposting community services. For example, validated programmes on smoking cessation, weight management and physical activity are run with high take-up. All activities are tracked for participation – and outcomes. The resultant reduction in the overall number of health risks is measured. This programme enhances success, performance and productivity both in and out of work.

Client comments

“GSK operates in a competitive business and has always gone the extra mile to recruit and retain the best people. We wanted to find new ways to support employees so they could perform at their optimum. We were deciding not just to address existing issues around physical health and wellbeing, but to go further and take proactive action on health, wellbeing and work-life balance.” – Sue Cruse, Employee Health Management, GSK.

Wylfa Power Station wellbeing strategy – Health and Stress with the effect of reducing the absence

Wylfa power station is part of BNFL the group. Like most power stations, Wylfa’s health provision consisted of a full-time Occupational Health Nurse supported by a company MD. Absence management has always been a strong point of the Personnel Department, with attendance records and management as one of the most effective in the UK.

However, Wylfa wanted to deal with the underlying causes, not just monitor them. Wylfa wanted to learn if there was a correlation between often absent people and lifestyle, stress and overall wellbeing. Then, armed with this information, become more proactive about treating the underlying causes. For example, relationships, organisational climate, recognition and workload problems were more associated with those of work. Also, inactivity, musculoskeletal problems, smoking and sleep were correlated with poor absence.

Mark Holt-Rogers worked with Wylfa over a 12-month rolling programme, and their absence was reduced.

“We’ve learned a great deal from the project. It has helped me do my job better. It’s highlighted health and pressure issues in a way that people understand. It’s made them realise they need to look after themselves.” The key achievements have been:

  • Knowledge of people’s health and wellbeing allowed me to target resources where needed
  • Raised health awareness and morale
  • Everybody knows WELL
  • Less sickness absence relating to Cardiovascular issues

– Sue Hill, Occupational Health Nurse

Workplace wellbeing strategy – Meat Hygiene Service – Health and stress in an organisation going through change – absence and turnover key issues

Given limited resources, MHS decided the most effective strategy was to understand and support their managers as key assets and who shouldered much of the responsibility throughout the organisational restructuring. MHS decided they needed evidence of the underlying causes of work-life balance and restructuring issues before tailoring or developing their current work-life initiatives.

MHS wanted to address staff turnover, absenteeism and low morale but first needed evidence of the underlying issues. Using health and pressure assessment tools, With 86% completing the assessments, Business Health and Meat Hygiene Services could deliver an accurate analysis of the true pressures senior managers were under. 

Barriers overcome

Culture – through a changing culture, MHS was concerned about launching an employee Wellbeing and Workplace wellbeing strategy. They thought people would not be interested. Mark Holt-Rogers managed the programme and ensured that the scheme was communicated as a personal benefit to the individual so they could contribute to the “Moving Ahead project.”

Trust – MHS wondered if people would be open and honest with their profiles and in their focus group workshops. This was overcome by MHS making quick small changes due to any recommendation. One large-scale initiative was a two-day “Moving ahead”, a major communication exercise that allowed people to attend work-life balance workshops. Home working – due to employees working remotely,

  1. Reduced absenteeism (self-reported) – 17.7 days in 2001-2 to 8.4 days in 2002-3
  2. Improved morale – the percentage of people with morale levels low enough to be potential leavers has reduced from 19% in 2001-2 to 11% in 2002-3
  3. Risk management – managers can carry out risk assessments for stress.
  4. Capacity to deliver – managers understand the relationship between health, stress, lifestyle and key performance indicators such as absence and staff turnover; therefore can increase the organisation’s capacity to deliver.
  5. Performance – healthy people who are less stressed, sleep well, and have higher energy levels perform at higher levels. Managers needed to be resilient. The influence of health and wellbeing on performance over the last three months was reported to increase by 27%
  6. Organisational data – as many managers within an organisation were profiled for health and pressure, the organisation could utilise the data generated to monitor performance and morale.
  7. HSE guidelines – the programme enabled managers to understand HSE guidelines, and through participation, the managers were themselves risk assessed

“We were concerned about morale and had an idea of the causes. The pilot has confirmed our thinking in several areas but opened our eyes to others. The group report of our organisation enabled us to identify key areas and cost-effectively deploy resources. We are now aiming to involve all employees in this process.”

Steve Benn – Human Resources Manager

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