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Employment and Social Developments in Europe 2014
Annex 5: Companies’ accounted for one third of staff absences, Digital Outlook Communications
well-being policies to improve attendance and performance
— case studies capability at work. To that effect, back- Digital Outlook Communications is a Lon -
care workshops were introduced in 2005. don-based digital marketing and creative
Many companies have recognised the 120 workshops were delivered over agency specialising in the entertainment
link between positive mental states of a two-year period with over 1200 partici - and media sectors. The company sought
workers and productivity on the job and pants. Back-related absence was reduced to address the challenge of ensuring the
have implemented specific well-being by 43 % in the 2005 cohort one year intense, long hours culture of its industry
policies. The motivation of the these poli - after the seminar participation. 73 % of did not become a barrier to building the
cies assumes that the benefits of hav- the staff in the intervention group had business on a foundation of sound health
ing happier workers range from fewer no absence up to one year after par- and well-being principles.
interpersonal conflicts and less sick ticipation. The company reported a solid
leave to stronger identification with the return on investment: GBP 1660 per par - The company conducted a Best Com-
organisation or team and therefore more ticipating employee and GBP 31 on every panies survey to obtain employees’
prevalent ethical behaviours, a better pound invested. feedback on their well-being and the
use of workers’ skills for creative ideas perceived quality of leadership and man -
and efficient problem-solving. Moreover, The British Library agement. A Well-being Team, supported
employers who have a reputation for car- by senior management, was established
ing for their people manage to attract The British Library, a renowned research to gather suggestions for, and imple-
and keep talent. These companies also library based in London, developed ment, initiatives which included:
manage to protect their quality workers a corporate well-being vision includ -
from unnecessary stress, fatigue and ing personal development, diversity Introduction of flexible working; Revamp -
frustration, assuring greater loyalty of and a platform for dialogue and opin- ing the agency’s charging system to
workers and greater internalisation of ion survey to promote holistic health of ensure clients paid for work actually
corporate norms of behaviours. employees. The employer guarantees done, optimise profitability and enable
free access to an employee assistance employees to reduce working hours while
AstraZeneca programme. This confidential service, still meeting financial targets; Improved
run by an external contractor, offers sup - promotion of the employee benefits
AstraZeneca plc is a British-Swedish mul - port and advice on financial, legal and system; Introduction of a mentoring
tinational pharmaceutical and biologics psychological issues for staff and their and development scheme; Improving the
company headquartered in London. spouses, live-in partners and dependent ergonomic working environment; Estab-
children aged 16 to 23. Further, employ- lishing health and well-being as a KPI for
The company launched a whole package ees benefit from subsidised member- all senior managers.
of health and well-being initiatives ranging ship in gyms and discounted Tai Chi and
from a counselling and life-management yoga classes, osteopathy treatments Health and well-being survey scores
programme, health promotion activities and Shiatsu massages. The employees improved 11 % to a score of 4.9, better
and ergonomic workspace design to fit- benefit from healthy on-site catering than all other small media companies
ness opportunities, healthy eating options and nutritional guidance. The employer surveyed in 2008. Sickness absence rates
and flexibility arrangements for a better organises annual health events where improved 95 % from 4 days per person
work-life balance. The company reported employees can receive on-site lifestyle in 2006 to 0.22 days per person in 2008.
savings in the range of GBP 500 000– and health guidance and assessments, Staff turnover was reduced from 34 % in
700 000 through improved productivity such as blood pressure and cholesterol 2007 to 9 % in 2008, resulting in savings
after counselling. GBP 80 000 was saved tests, bone density scans and liver func- in recruitment, training and induction costs.
on health insurance costs for psychological tion tests. The Library tries to help staff
illness. Global accident and occupational and their families with health care costs. Google
illness rates went down by 61 %. The pro- It facilitates access to medical diagnos-
gramme has also served company’s image tic, surgical and medical support services Inspired by the Framingham Heart Study,
among its staff well. 84 % of employees via cheap flat-rate membership in the Google developed a long-term study
are proud to work for AstraZeneca and Beneden Healthcare Society and offers called gDNA. The aim of the study is to
82 % would recommend the company as discounts with the HealthShield health- learn how to improve well-being, culti-
a good place to work, 80 % of employees care scheme. Staff also receive a 45 % vate great leaders, better understand
said they had enough flexibility in their job discount for travel healthcare insurance how happiness affects work, and how
to be able to balance work and personal from BUPA. work affects happiness (Bock, 2014). One
life, and 88 % said AstraZeneca demon - issue that became a matter of corporate
strated commitment to the health and The Library reported numerous busi- policy at Google pertains to managing
well-being of its employees. ness benefits of the well-being scheme the work-life balance and protecting the
and reports that over a two-year period privacy of employees after work. Goog-
British Gas Services absence dropped from 10.2 to 7.5 days le’s Dublin office, for example, ran a pro -
per year, cost of absence dropped 11 % gramme called ‘Dublin Goes Dark’ which
British Gas Services, Britain’s largest (GBP 160 000 per year), staff turnover asked people to drop off their devices at
energy and home services provider, was halved from 12 % to 6 % and per- the front desk before going home for the
needed to reduce the level of mus formance management results increased night. Googlers reported blissful, stress-
-
culoskeletal disorders (MSDs), which from 86 % to 98 %. less evenings.
190
Annex 5: Companies’ accounted for one third of staff absences, Digital Outlook Communications
well-being policies to improve attendance and performance
— case studies capability at work. To that effect, back- Digital Outlook Communications is a Lon -
care workshops were introduced in 2005. don-based digital marketing and creative
Many companies have recognised the 120 workshops were delivered over agency specialising in the entertainment
link between positive mental states of a two-year period with over 1200 partici - and media sectors. The company sought
workers and productivity on the job and pants. Back-related absence was reduced to address the challenge of ensuring the
have implemented specific well-being by 43 % in the 2005 cohort one year intense, long hours culture of its industry
policies. The motivation of the these poli - after the seminar participation. 73 % of did not become a barrier to building the
cies assumes that the benefits of hav- the staff in the intervention group had business on a foundation of sound health
ing happier workers range from fewer no absence up to one year after par- and well-being principles.
interpersonal conflicts and less sick ticipation. The company reported a solid
leave to stronger identification with the return on investment: GBP 1660 per par - The company conducted a Best Com-
organisation or team and therefore more ticipating employee and GBP 31 on every panies survey to obtain employees’
prevalent ethical behaviours, a better pound invested. feedback on their well-being and the
use of workers’ skills for creative ideas perceived quality of leadership and man -
and efficient problem-solving. Moreover, The British Library agement. A Well-being Team, supported
employers who have a reputation for car- by senior management, was established
ing for their people manage to attract The British Library, a renowned research to gather suggestions for, and imple-
and keep talent. These companies also library based in London, developed ment, initiatives which included:
manage to protect their quality workers a corporate well-being vision includ -
from unnecessary stress, fatigue and ing personal development, diversity Introduction of flexible working; Revamp -
frustration, assuring greater loyalty of and a platform for dialogue and opin- ing the agency’s charging system to
workers and greater internalisation of ion survey to promote holistic health of ensure clients paid for work actually
corporate norms of behaviours. employees. The employer guarantees done, optimise profitability and enable
free access to an employee assistance employees to reduce working hours while
AstraZeneca programme. This confidential service, still meeting financial targets; Improved
run by an external contractor, offers sup - promotion of the employee benefits
AstraZeneca plc is a British-Swedish mul - port and advice on financial, legal and system; Introduction of a mentoring
tinational pharmaceutical and biologics psychological issues for staff and their and development scheme; Improving the
company headquartered in London. spouses, live-in partners and dependent ergonomic working environment; Estab-
children aged 16 to 23. Further, employ- lishing health and well-being as a KPI for
The company launched a whole package ees benefit from subsidised member- all senior managers.
of health and well-being initiatives ranging ship in gyms and discounted Tai Chi and
from a counselling and life-management yoga classes, osteopathy treatments Health and well-being survey scores
programme, health promotion activities and Shiatsu massages. The employees improved 11 % to a score of 4.9, better
and ergonomic workspace design to fit- benefit from healthy on-site catering than all other small media companies
ness opportunities, healthy eating options and nutritional guidance. The employer surveyed in 2008. Sickness absence rates
and flexibility arrangements for a better organises annual health events where improved 95 % from 4 days per person
work-life balance. The company reported employees can receive on-site lifestyle in 2006 to 0.22 days per person in 2008.
savings in the range of GBP 500 000– and health guidance and assessments, Staff turnover was reduced from 34 % in
700 000 through improved productivity such as blood pressure and cholesterol 2007 to 9 % in 2008, resulting in savings
after counselling. GBP 80 000 was saved tests, bone density scans and liver func- in recruitment, training and induction costs.
on health insurance costs for psychological tion tests. The Library tries to help staff
illness. Global accident and occupational and their families with health care costs. Google
illness rates went down by 61 %. The pro- It facilitates access to medical diagnos-
gramme has also served company’s image tic, surgical and medical support services Inspired by the Framingham Heart Study,
among its staff well. 84 % of employees via cheap flat-rate membership in the Google developed a long-term study
are proud to work for AstraZeneca and Beneden Healthcare Society and offers called gDNA. The aim of the study is to
82 % would recommend the company as discounts with the HealthShield health- learn how to improve well-being, culti-
a good place to work, 80 % of employees care scheme. Staff also receive a 45 % vate great leaders, better understand
said they had enough flexibility in their job discount for travel healthcare insurance how happiness affects work, and how
to be able to balance work and personal from BUPA. work affects happiness (Bock, 2014). One
life, and 88 % said AstraZeneca demon - issue that became a matter of corporate
strated commitment to the health and The Library reported numerous busi- policy at Google pertains to managing
well-being of its employees. ness benefits of the well-being scheme the work-life balance and protecting the
and reports that over a two-year period privacy of employees after work. Goog-
British Gas Services absence dropped from 10.2 to 7.5 days le’s Dublin office, for example, ran a pro -
per year, cost of absence dropped 11 % gramme called ‘Dublin Goes Dark’ which
British Gas Services, Britain’s largest (GBP 160 000 per year), staff turnover asked people to drop off their devices at
energy and home services provider, was halved from 12 % to 6 % and per- the front desk before going home for the
needed to reduce the level of mus formance management results increased night. Googlers reported blissful, stress-
-
culoskeletal disorders (MSDs), which from 86 % to 98 %. less evenings.
190
