Global Centre for Healthy Workplaces

Mars, Multinational Employer Healthy Workplace Awards Winner, Gary Webb

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gary webb, mars

Interview with Gary Webb, Regional Health & Wellbeing Manager – Asia Pac, Middle East, Africa & LATAM, Mars, USA

What does it mean to you to be a Global Healthy Workplace Awards winner?
Winning a Global Healthy Workplace Award is a fantastic recognition of the Mars team’s hard work, and the long-term commitments and investments the company has made to create a culture of health, safety, and energy where all our Associates can thrive. It provides affirmation that Mars is focusing our efforts on the right things and truly having an impact. It’s also an honour to be recognized alongside the calibre of previous winners, which we continue to benchmark against and learn from.

What do you think are the particular strengths of your program?

  • Our Associate Health & Wellbeing vision to create a culture of health, safety, and energy where everyone is thriving: It is directly connected to one of the Mars Purpose destinations: In the world we want tomorrow, everyone is thriving. It is an integral part of how we do business every day, and is an example of Mars delivering on our Five Principles through action.
  • Our global strategy’s holistic approach with customer needs at the forefront: Our strategy and Be Well Together framework incorporates all aspects of health, meets people where they are, and recognizes the importance and short and long-term health for our Associates at work and at home. It aims to drive reach and impact through integrating with business strategies and igniting a social movement. In order to achieve this, we have strong internal business partnering capabilities to design and deliver meaningful processes, programs, and initiatives that empower our businesses to solve local challenges and achieve global ambitions.
  • Our investment in the enablers (signature processes, health and safety management systems, healthy leadership behaviours, healthy working environments, Be Well Together framework, etc.): These are critical success factors for how we deliver health and safety outcomes at Mars.

Where do you see the main challenges of creating a healthy workplace?
The success of a healthy workplace program is not determined by the activity set, but rather through the leadership, environments, processes, and capabilities that support it. One of the main challenges is to ensure that your capabilities continue to meet the evolving needs of your strategy and the business, and that leaders are brought along the journey. In our experience, leader sponsorship coupled with right capability delivers the best outcomes.

What advice would you give to a multinational employer thinking of developing or advancing a global strategy?

  • Have a clear strategy in place that seeks to understand and positively impact—at the organisational, regional, and team level—the environmental, cultural, individual factors and ways of working that have biggest impact on health, safety, and wellbeing.
  • Define the challenges and identify the root causes at each of those levels to ensure you’re solving for the right thing. Embed your strategy into the business, so it’s part of daily operations and clearly enables the business priorities, processes, people objectives, culture, and sustainability goals. It should be seen as an enabler of these, not a separate item.
  • Invest in the enablers (e.g., healthy leadership behaviours, healthy working environments, a clear, holistic health & wellbeing framework), not only in products and processes, to maximise reach and drive meaningful impact.

What did you take away from the 2023 Global Healthy Workplace Summit?
It was inspirational to learn the latest best practices from global experts and other organisations. It was also a great opportunity to network with leaders in the field and gain a broader global perspective through interactions with other participants.

 

View Mars’ Profile and Awards presentation

Learn more about the 2023 Global Summit

Learn more about the Global Awards

Copel Foundation, SME Employer Healthy Workplace Awards Winner, Carlos Machado

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carlos machado, copel foundation

Interview with Carlos Machado, Executive Manager of Business Management, Copel Foundation, Brazil

What does it mean to you to be a Global Healthy Workplace Awards winner?

Winning the GHWA was a great satisfaction. We know the actions we keep in order to take care our workforce are more than enough. However, to get the trophy in our category allowed us to prove that these actions are world class.

What do you think are the particular strengths of your program?

The connection with our healthcare plan. This allows us to outline human resources strategies connected to healthcare, which gives us the strength to adhere to the programs.

Where do you see the main challenges of creating a healthy workplace?

Maintaining programs with strong support from people. Previously, it was common for practices to begin and then lose strength. Today, with the connection between human resources and health insurance, this no longer happens.

What advice would you give to an organization thinking of developing or advancing a healthy and wellbeing strategy?

Listen to employees demands. Act in order to solve – at least – the majority of that list. Those things difficult to execute, make a plan and answer each one, periodically.

What did you take away from the 2023 Global Healthy Workplace Summit?

Mainly, the networking! It was amazing to know different strategies with experts worldwide.

 

View Copel Foundation’s Profile and Awards presentation

Learn more about the 2023 Global Summit

Learn more about the Global Awards

 

TLC Healthcare Interview, Large Employer Healthy Workplace Awards Winner, Elvera Liebenberg

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TLC Healthcare Interview, Large Employer Healthy Workplace Awards Winner, Elvera Liebenberg

Interview with Elvera Liebenberg, Chief Human Resources Officer, TLC Healthcare Australia

What does it mean to you to be a Global Healthy Workplace Awards winner?

We are tremendously honoured to have received this award in the large employer category. We have a relentless focus on creating a healthy workplace and culture for our people. We achieve this by embracing our values of innovation and excellence, with continuous improvement in the DNA of our company.

What do you think are the particular strengths of your program?

Our program has become a significant driver of engagement at TLC. As Executive and HR teams, we use every day and targeted communications in addition to our TLC Wellbeing app (self-developed) to ensure a well-rounded, inclusive program.

We have 3 Ambassadors per site, which helps to drive the programs locally. These ambassadors self-elect to participate, and to ensure their continuous engagement and effectively driving the program  on the ground, we enlist a reward system which provides ways for the business to say ‘thank you’.

Research indicates our employees love the activities and interaction. They know when they provide feedback on how we can improve, it is taken on board.

Where do you see the main challenges of creating a healthy workplace?

Most HR / PC teams would say time and resources are a constant challenge. The programs take a significant commitment to both. To deliver a program well, you it is incumbent on us to leverage the initial investment, and build upon it from year to year. Another challenge is keeping the program fresh. We do this by listening to our people and refining our program year after year.

What advice would you give to an employer thinking of developing or advancing a healthy workplace strategy?

Consideration should be given to how you reach and engage your whole workforce for maximum impact and engagement. Make sure your program is fun and relevant, and not something that is arduous to participate in. Remove as many barriers from people getting involved as possible. And ask for feedback. Don’t assume you know what your employees want. Take an agile approach, and make it your own with each reiteration.

What did you take away from the 2023 Global Healthy Workplace Summit?

The quality of the programs of the other finalists were particularly impressive. Clearly a lot of passion and dedication goes into each and every program. The key takeaway for TLC is to continue to work on creating a healthy, safe and productive workforce, inspired by the mission of the GCHW. This in turn will help us to fulfil our mission of being leaders in innovative and integrated healthcare renowned for providing wellbeing to our communities.

 

View TLC Healthcare’s Profile and Awards presentation

Learn more about the 2023 Global Summit

Learn more about the Global Awards

 

Investment in workers’ wellbeing could boost world economy by 9%

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11th Winners

More than 100 delegates from 22 countries attended the annual Global Healthy Workplace Summit at the University of Northampton this month.

Now in its 11th year, the three-day conference (30 Aug to 1 Sept) brought together businesses and organisations to learn from the best in the field and to take steps to improve the health, wellbeing, and safety of their employees.

In her keynote speech, Professor Dame Carol Black DBE (former government advisor on workplace health), said global events had accelerated the pace of change in workplace practices and that poor management of people led to unhealthy work environments which studies showed cost the global economy $8.8 trillion or 9% of GDP. She quoted the work of Richard Donkin whose 2010 vision for the future saw an increasing blur between the home and office, that workers would want more autonomy, that emotional intelligence would be as important as technical mastery and that health and wellbeing of workers would be essential for success.

Dame Carol Black argued COVID, war and the cost-of-living crisis had led those changes to evolve sooner than expected and presented the latest research from around the world spelling out the trends and how employees and employers have responded to them. She said greater investment was needed in the occupational health profession and concluded: “I do think there’s a different emphasis on what leaders should do, what managers should do, but I would agree with this quote, ‘people not assets make organisations thrive,’ and that really is the global message going forward.”

University of Northampton Vice Chancellor, Professor Anne-Marie Kilday said: “I am delighted that Northampton was chosen for the venue for this prestigious international event which explores a topic of importance to us all; the creation, sustenance, and recognition of healthy workplaces. In a world that is constantly evolving, where the dynamics of the workplace are undergoing rapid change, the significance of fostering environments that promote the wellbeing of employees, and celebrating them, cannot be overstated.”

Barry Crisp, Marketing Director for the Global Centre for Healthy Workplaces and Lecturer in Marketing and Entrepreneurship at University of Northampton said the highlight of the summit was the Global Awards Finalist presentations. He said: “We were inspired by the stories of the organisations that are leading the way in workplace wellbeing. These organisations are making a real difference to the lives of their employees, and they are setting a new standard for what it means to be a healthy workplace. The ideas and insights that were shared will help organisations all over the world to create healthier, safer, and more productive workplaces. We are grateful to everyone who attended the summit, and we look forward to continuing the conversation at next year’s summit.”

Global Awards Winners & Finalists

SME

Large Enterprise

Multinational Enterprise

For more information on the awards, a summary report of the summit (which features key highlights), finalist profiles, photos, and key note presentations, visit the Summit page.

 

Unveiling Northamptonshire: Britain’s Best Surprise – A Hidden Gem of History, Culture, and Countryside Charm

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Northamptonshire

Experience the enchanting allure of Northamptonshire, where Elizabethan mansions majestically grace romantic deer parks, and earls’ residences nestle amidst English farmland. Discover the essence of true countryside living, where Barbour and Dubarrys are the essential uniform for witnessing the thundering horses across cross-country courses and the adrenaline rush of Grand Prix cars whizzing through village circuits. If you seek a more relaxed escape, explore the serene long-distance walkways, leading you past royal hunting lodges and over scenic viaducts. Along the way, stumble upon understated towns with hidden farmers’ markets and classical cathedrals, or embark on a tranquil canal trip through this water-filled county, adorned with boating lakes and country park reservoirs.

Northamptonshire’s roots in history run deep, earning its reputation for impressive country houses and churches since the Norman period. It’s a place of spires and squires, boasting more stately homes than any other county and a treasure trove of beautiful historic churches. The 18th century witnessed a resurgence after the Great Fire of 1675, transforming Northampton into England’s shoemaking and leather capital. A testament to this prosperity is the Neo-Gothic Guildhall, a masterpiece from 1861-64.

Dive into the rich historical tapestry of Northampton, where the echoes of the past reverberate in the remnants of one of England’s largest Norman castles. The town was once the stage for Medieval Parliament sessions and royal residences. The countryside, adorned with plush manor houses and estates, offers a glimpse into the lavish past. Althorp, the residence of the Spencers since the 16th century and the final resting place of Diana, Princess of Wales, stands as a testament to timeless grandeur. Castle Ashby and Cottesbrooke Hall, still owned by ancient families, graciously open their magnificent gardens to visitors.

In Northampton, history intertwines with culture. Explore the captivating theatre scenes, music venues, and sports events in stunning cultural quarters. Discover the newly refurbished and extended Northampton Museum and Art Gallery, boasting the world’s largest collection of shoe heritage, a journey through time from Egyptian footwear to contemporary British design. Northampton is celebrated as the shoe-making capital of the world, producing footwear for James Bond and Prince Charles. Immerse yourself in vibrant shopping experiences, where independent shops coexist harmoniously with high street names, boutiques, cafes, and bars, all showcased in the market square with traditional local produce.

Nature enthusiasts will be delighted with Northamptonshire’s abundance of outdoor spaces, including award-winning parks and majestic country houses like Althorpe and Delapré Abbey, which open their doors to the public for a mesmerising experience. Sports enthusiasts can indulge in the town’s passion for sports, cheering for the Premiership rugby club Northampton Saints, Northampton Town Football Club, and Northamptonshire County Cricket Club. A visit to Silverstone circuit and Towcester Racecourse Greyhound track adds to the thrill.

Support the heart of Northampton by embracing its independent businesses. From restaurants to vintage stores, each one adds character and charm to the town’s vibrant atmosphere.

Uncover the best-kept secret of Britain, where history blends with modernity, creating a county unlike any other. Northamptonshire’s allure lies in its stunning countryside, historic houses, artisan craftsmanship, and rich cultural experiences. Explore this hidden gem, just one hour away from major cities like London, Birmingham, Oxford, and Cambridge. Whether you’re a history enthusiast, culture addict, or nature lover, Northamptonshire welcomes you with open arms and a delightful surprise at every turn. Plan your visit now and be captivated by Northamptonshire, Britain’s Best Surprise.

We look forward to welcoming many visitors to the 11th Global Healthy Workplace Awards & Summit taking place at the University of Northampton from 30th August – 1st September.

View our Quick Guide to Northamptonshire for information on accommodation and how to get here. 

 

View Summit Page!