Bracknell Forest Council are inviting local businesses to join a Healthy Workplace Alliance. Workplace Health is an important public health priority in Bracknell Forest.
Why is this important?
Evidence shows that good working conditions are good for health. Organisations that demonstrate support for health and wellbeing, show better levels of retention and a competitive advantage when recruiting prospective employees.
Workplace health is about promoting and managing the health and wellbeing of staff and includes managing sickness absence and ‘presenteeism’ (a person who is physically at work, but unproductive). There is a wealth of evidence which shows the number of days lost each year are due to mental health, long term conditions and musculo-skeletal conditions.
Purpose and role of the alliance
The purpose of the Healthy Workplace Alliance is to provide information and support to local businesses so they can create a culture that promotes good health and wellbeing with their employees.
The alliance will be facilitated by the Bracknell Forest Council Public Health Team in collaboration with other network organisations such as the Bracknell BID and Economic Skills Development Partnership.
The role of the alliance is to:
- Give the opportunity for businesses to meet, share best practice and ideas on workplace health
- Create a forum to communicate with businesses and signpost to local services and support
- Identify priority themes locally and invite regular speakers and experts to provide insight
- Offer a local Healthy Workplace Award available for those who wish to gain accreditation for supporting health and wellbeing at work
- Provide a free repository of information, credible tools and resources for all to use
- Facilitate mutual support for health and wellbeing in the workforce; possibly larger organisations ‘guiding’ other smaller businesses that have a less-well established offer
The alliance is in its infancy, and Bracknell Forest Council are keen to learn from businesses about what they are currently doing to support health and wellbeing as well as helping those who want to know what they can do to create a healthy workplace.
Next steps
If you would like more information and are interested in joining the alliance, please email Louise Duffy, Senior Public Health Strategist: louisem.duffy@bracknell-forest.gov.uk.