Wellbeing

We want to do our bit to support smaller businesses who are going to be harder hit and may be concerned about staff wellbeing during the Coronavirus pandemic.

With so many people​ having to​ work from home for the first time and some unable to leave their homes, we would like to offer clients with 2-20 employees free access to Equipsme plans from now until 1 August, after what we all hope will be the peak period of the virus. 

This includes access to remote GP appointments and a telephone counselling line to deal with stress and anxiety if added as an optional extra. Access to these services could help people affected at home and ultimately, keeps the business going. 

There’s no obligation to stay on the plan, and you can cancel at the end of July without paying a penny.

Understand more about our Equipsme health and wellbeing plan by watching our short video below.

The small print but not too much
 
The Equipsme offer is available to businesses who have between 2 and 20 employees. 

All Equipsme Health Insurance plans start after a 21-day window during which employees can upgrade levels, add partners and children. They pay for these voluntary purchases themselves via a separate Direct Debit collection.

As an example: If you add all employee details and commit to buy on 1st April 2020, your Equipsme plan start date will be 23rd April 2020, the business monthly Direct Debit collection date will be the 1st of each month and won’t be required to pay anything until 1st August 2020 onwards. Instalments will then be collected on the same day of each month (based on the employees and cover in force at the time) until the plan renews.

Should a business remove any existing employees or add any new employees during the free period, any monthly direct debit adjustments due before 1^st August will also be free.

Businesses can cancel the plan at the end of their July instalment cover period and won’t pay anything.

The offer only applies to the premium payments due from the company bank account for the Equipsme plan cover level(s) chosen for employees.  

This offer does not apply to employee upgrades or adding of family.  Premiums will be collected separately at the normal monthly price via separate Direct Debit.

Support your people through these uncertain times and contact us today.

Email [email protected] or call us on 0330 056 3665

Well-being Initiatives to Promote Mental Health

Mental health is a state of well-being in which a person can cope with the normal stresses of life, be productive and contribute to the community. Good mental health is essential for functioning as an individual, as an employee and as part of a community. 

As an employer, it’s crucial to encourage a dialogue and support system surrounding employees’ mental health in efforts to reduce stigma, increase awareness and ensure worker well-being. 

The Cost of Mental Health

Mental health issues such as stress, anxiety and depression are routinely listed as top concerns in employee health surveys, and are a leading cause of workplace absenteeism. 

Even moderate depressive or anxiety symptoms can affect work performance and productivity. Most employees agree that their mental and personal problems spill over into their professional lives and have a direct impact on their job performance. It is in the employer’s best interest to address mental health as part of a well-being programme. Most mental illnesses are highly treatable. However, untreated mental illness can increase the costs to employers in the form of increased absenteeism, work impairment and on-site injuries. Encouraging effective treatment and offering support resources can save costs for employers and improve quality of life for all employees.

Methods for Addressing Mental Health

Employers that support treatment of mental illnesses will reap a wide variety of workplace benefits— including improved employee engagement and well-being, higher product quality, better cost control, greater employee loyalty and an overall healthier workplace. 

Employers can do more to promote integrated mental and physical health by fostering supportive workplaces that encourage self-screening and connect employees to proper support resources.

Consider the following suggestions:

• Provide materials and messages about mental health, mental illnesses, suicide prevention, trauma and health promotion through brochures, fact sheets, payroll stuffers and online resources.
• Offer confidential screenings for illnesses such as depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder.
• Encourage the use of telephone help lines.
• Offer a variety of mental health presentations and trainings for all staff with an emphasis on prevention, treatment and recovery messages.
• Offer stress reduction presentations on topics like conflict resolution, managing multiple priorities, project planning, personal finance planning and parenting.
• Provide flexible scheduling for access to classes during or after work. Classes could include yoga, meditation, physical activity and self-help groups.
• Create and support a mental health-friendly work environment that accommodates employees who are returning to work after receiving mental health treatment. Allow schedule flexibility to accommodate treatments and appointments. 
• Educate managers and supervisors in recognising mental health as a factor in performance issues. Address mental health issues specific to their needs.
• Create policies and practices that provide guidance to supervisors and managers on how to address performance issues. Provide mental health consultation and information, and improve their skills in supervising an employee with mental health issues.
• Review policies and practices concerning employee privacy and confidentiality, accommodation, return to work, and relevant UK regulations.
• Evaluate the workplace environment, organisation, and culture with a focus on reducing workplace stress, workload issues and performance reviews. Address employee concerns.
• Provide employee assistance coordinators to help obtain information about resources in the community.
• Provide and maintain comprehensive privatised medical insurance cover, which includes mental health in employee benefits packages. Include screening, brief intervention and referral as a covered evidence-based benefit. Offer referral mechanisms to connect employees to mental health treatment services.
• Offer an Employee Assistance Programme.

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/world-mental-health-day

Recent data from the HSE revealed that 1.4 million UK workers suffer from work-related ill health (eg conditions such as stress, depression, anxiety, musculoskeletal disorders or other illnesses that are caused or made worse by work). What’s more, 26.8 million working days were lost in this past year as a result of work-related ill health—totalling a £9.7 billion price tag across the country. Clearly, employee well-being is something we cannot afford to ignore.

At a glance, employee well-being affects your company’s bottom line in many ways. Implementing workplace well-being initiatives can help control costs, increase productivity, reduce workplace accidents and staff turnover, decrease absenteeism and raise employee morale. And because employees spend many of their waking hours at work, the workplace is an ideal setting to address health and well-being issues. Consider the following reasons for implementing a workplace well-being programme within your organisation: Healthier employees are more productive.

Research shows that workplaces with well-being programmes have employees who are more productive at work. Healthier employees miss less work. Healthier employees mean less sick leave, which is another benefit companies generally achieve through well-being programmes. Plus, employees’ healthier behaviour may translate into better family choices, so employees may also miss less work caring for ill family members. Reduced absenteeism can create significant cost savings and return on your well-being investment.

Consider the following reasons for implementing a workplace well-being programme within your organisation:

• Healthier employees are more productive. Research shows that workplaces with well-being programmes have employees who are more productive at work.

• Healthier employees miss less work. Healthier employees mean less sick leave, which is another benefit companies generally achieve through well-being programmes. Plus, employees’ healthier behaviour may translate into better family choices, so employees may also miss less work caring for ill family members. Reduced absenteeism can create significant cost savings and return on your well-being investment.

• Well-being programmes can reduce employers’ liability costs. Employees who make healthy changes and lower health risk factors often have a lower chance of a workplace injury or illness or a disability. In both cases, this can save the employer money, not just on insurance, but also the replacement cost of recruiting and training a new worker to replace one out of work for health reasons.

• Well-being can create higher morale and improve recruiting. A company that cares about its employees’ health is often seen as a better place to work and well-being programmes can attract top talent in a competitive market. In addition, expressing a commitment to your employees’ health can improve employee morale and strengthen retention. Employees can experience many potential benefits after joining a well-being programme, including:

• Increased well-being, self-image and self-esteem.
• Improved coping skills with stress or other health factors.
• Reduced risk for developing chronic or life threatening conditions.
• Easier access to health improvement programmes and convenience can increase motivation to improve health.
• Improved overall health.
• Access to needed social support, as co-workers strive towards. healthier lifestyles as well.
• Improved job satisfaction.
• Safer and more productive work environment.

More than anything, employees who experience these positive changes and benefits will often feel more loyalty to the company and grateful for the company’s commitment to their health.

Get in touch today to talk about our new and innovative Health and Wellbeing Plan designed for UK businesses – Equipsme.

Click Here for the full downloadable Equipsme guide.

• Simply give us a call on 0330 056 3665
• Email us at [email protected]

Or enquire below by filling in a fast and simple form and we will do the rest!

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Recent research from the HSE revealed nearly 20 per cent of workers experience very high or extremely high levels of stress at work. While specific sources of stress and the way we deal with them differ from person to person, many of us especially struggle to cope with factors that are out of our control.

Common Sources of Stress

Common job stressors include heavy workloads, pressure to perform, long work hours, travel, office politics, and conflicts with co-workers. Our ways of living and communicating are constantly changing, and adapting to these changes is never stress-free.

Red Flags to a Problem 

While dealing with stress is a normal part of everyday life—the following early warning signs serve as red flags to serious health conditions that can be provoked by stress:

• Insomnia
• Anxiety or depression
• Low morale or short temper
• Stomach or back problems

Managing Stress

The good news is that it is possible to manage stress that originates in the workplace or life in general by becoming aware of what increases or decreases your level of stress. The following are six methods to help you manage stress:

Plan and prioritise: Set realistic deadlines. Creating pressure will only increase the probability that you’ll make a mistake. Always have an alternate plan in mind. Give yourself time to think projects through instead of rushing through them.

Focus on what you can control: Create a “to-do” list to prioritise your work. Break larger tasks into smaller, more doable steps. Begin with the most pressing tasks and then move on to less important projects.

Slow down: Think things through before you act, and begin with a clear goal in mind. In this way, you’ll prevent having to start over halfway through a misguided project.

Think outside the box: When you’re feeling overwhelmed or overworked, search for alternative ways to get the job done. By doing so, you could save time and money, and put your projects into fresh perspective.

Use all your resources: Learn to effectively delegate work that you cannot handle. If you cannot finish a project internally, explore outsourcing options.

Take a break: To relieve stress, make time to take a break. Taking a walk or discussing your work situation with another person may help you to gain a fresh perspective.

Be safe and healthy on-site at work with these helpful tips provided by Offshore & Marine.

We are excited to introduce you to a new and innovative Health and Wellbeing Plan designed for UK businesses – Equipsme.

What is Equipsme?

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There are nearly 5 million self-employed people within the UK—that’s 15 per cent of the workforce, according to recent figures from the Office for National Statistics. That’s an increase of 47 per cent more self-employed workers since 2001.

And while many may imagine self-employment as a liberating experience, the reality isn’t quite that simple. Despite the perceived benefits of self-employment and freelance work, such as deciding your own hours and getting the chance to work from the comfort of your home (or even in your pyjamas), a variety of risks are present within this widespread field.

What are the risks?

Being self-employed or working freelance places a significant burden on your overall health and well-being, according to industry research. The Centre for Research on Self-Employment  (CRSE) states that the self-employed often suffer from higher levels of stress and anxiety than their employee peers. The top stressors for self-employed people include increased isolation due to a lack of co-worker engagement, heightened financial pressures from irregular cash flow, inconsistent hours, and an inability to ‘switch off’ or take holiday out of fear of missing an important work opportunity and non-existent paid holiday.

The combination of these risks can erode your health and well-being, leading to mental health complications such as extreme stress, depression and anxiety.

Top Self-employment Tips

Don’t let the potential risks prevent you from pursuing self-employment or freelance work and reaping the rewards of heightened fulfilment and overall job satisfaction. Use the following guidance to stay healthy and improve your overall well-being within your unique career path.

Stay social

Due to the lack of co-workers in your career, try building strong relationships with others and interacting with friends and family frequently. Indeed, 84 per cent of the UK self-employed work alone and do not create jobs beside their own, according to the CRSE. Consider the following tips to stay social:

• Establish a weekly schedule that allots for time spent with family and friends, such as eating a meal together.
• Join a group related to a hobby of yours, such as an exercise class or book club.
• Consider searching for more freelance opportunities that allow you to meet with clients in person rather than communicate solely online, or jobs that require increased group collaboration.