Local employers have been recognised for the work they do to support their employees’ health and wellbeing at the inaugural Healthy Workplaces Gloucestershire celebration on Wednesday (December 7)

The ceremony, held at The Growth Hub on the University of Gloucestershire's Oxstalls campus, brought together business leaders and representatives from business support groups to recognise fifteen businesses who have achieved accreditation in the past year. 

Nicky Marshall was guest speaker on the evening. Nicky is an award winning, international speaker, workplace facilitator and best-selling author from ‘Discover your Bounce’. She is recognised as an expert in corporate wellbeing and works with individuals and organisations to offer a pathway from stress and overwhelm to energy and vitality, through a range of programmes and events.

The Workplace Award recognises businesses across Gloucestershire who are committed to improving the health and wellbeing of their employees. Organisations are assessed through a series of online standards and commitments in a range of health areas from mental wellbeing and stress reduction to healthy eating to physical activity.

Sue Weaver from public health for Gloucestershire County Council, who commissions the award said: “Good business leaders understand employee health and wellbeing is essential. It’s fantastic to see more and more businesses joining in with the scheme, and recognising the importance of a healthy workforce. Congratulations to everyone who has worked towards an award, and thank you for contributing to a healthy and happy Gloucestershire.”

The Gloucestershire businesses and organisations that have earned the foundation level of the accreditation include The Nelson Trust, Gloucestershire Constabulary and Clarkson Evans. Recognition was also given to UCAS and NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board who were accredited with the enhanced level of the Healthy Workplaces award.

Sarah Black, International Communications Specialist from Publica Group who also received an enhanced accreditation, said ““Working with the friendly team at Healthy Workplaces has been such a valuable experience for our us over the last two years. Their accreditation process has not only helped us get a handle on all the great wellbeing support we make available for our employees, but it has helped us to spot the gaps too. The umbrella of health and wellbeing in the workplace is huge and there’s a lot to cover if you want to offer the best support for your people, but thanks to the excellent guiding hand we’ve received from Healthy Workplaces, we’ve been able to take action and set up new schemes which really make a difference.”

Jo Young, Workplace Wellbeing Manager from the Nelson Trust said: “My role was established earlier this year in recognition of supporting the health and wellbeing needs of our colleagues, our most important asset.   We know that by prioritising and investing in this we will inevitably bring benefit to the people that we serve throughout our organisation.  This award is an acknowledgement of our commitment towards ensuring that our organisation is a healthy place to work.   The work involved in achieving this has given us the valuable opportunity to see where we needed to improve and take action and also to acknowledge what strengths we already had.”

The businesses who received their awards have worked through the accreditation over the past year to implement health and wellbeing measures to support their workforce to be as healthy as they can be. Evidence shows that healthier workplaces can increase productivity, reduce sickness absence, save money and increase profitability.  

If you would like to register your workplace or find out more information on the Healthy Workplaces scheme, please visit www.hwglos.org or call the team on 0800 122 3788.