The Workplace Wellbeing Charter, a nationally recognised award, has undergone a redesign to align with the changing landscape of the modern workplace and reflect the latest working practices.
Launched in 2014 in collaboration with Public Health England, the Workplace Wellbeing Charter has played a significant role in supporting numerous organizations, both large and small, across the UK in showcasing their commitment to employee wellbeing for nearly a decade.
With evolving wellbeing research, guidance, and employee expectations, Health@Work, a part of the Medicash Health & Wellbeing Group, has incorporated these advancements into the Charter to ensure its relevance in today’s workplace. This marks the most substantial update to the accreditation since its inception.
Recent surveys have highlighted stress and burnout as top concerns for HR professionals, while employees are placing increasing importance on work-life balance, progressive company cultures, and mental health support.
The updated Workplace Wellbeing Charter now includes two new standards: ‘Inclusion & Culture’ and ‘Environment & Sustainability’. These additions enable companies to assess their approach across the eight Charter standards, aligning with the changing attitudes towards work.
Sue Weir, Chief Executive of Medicash and Health@Work, explains the rationale behind the update: “The UK work environment has witnessed significant transformations in recent years, leading to shifts in employee expectations, needs, and desires. To attract and retain talented personnel, employers must adapt to these changes. That is why the Health@Work team has comprehensively revised the Charter for 2023. Our objective is to equip our clients with the most up-to-date research, guidance, and best practices, empowering them to prioritize the health and wellbeing of their employees consistently.”
The new standards in the Charter aim to enhance company image and culture for the benefit of the workforce. The ‘Inclusion & Culture’ standard assists organizations in improving psychological safety, supporting workforce diversity, and fostering an inclusive environment. The ‘Environment & Sustainability’ standard helps create a safer, greener, and healthier workplace.
The Workplace Wellbeing Charter serves as a nationally recognized accreditation that validates and certifies an organization’s commitment to employee wellbeing. It has become an invaluable tool in many employers’ retention and recruitment strategies. Lancashire Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one such example, with Health & Wellbeing Lead Lindsey Wharrie expressing the positive impact of their Charter accreditation: “Getting accredited with the Workplace Wellbeing Charter has been a fantastic experience for our teams, helping us take our approach to wellbeing in a new direction. We’re delighted to have earned the accreditation, which has allowed us to benchmark our efforts and focus on continuous improvement. The updates to the Charter are highly relevant to our diverse workforce, and we look forward to using the new standards to assess our support initiatives.”
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