Employers Invited to Join Forces on Wellbeing

A new initiative from Business in the Community, Staying Healthy at Work and City College Norwich is urging businesses to work together to improve wellbeing opportunities for employees. 

The idea behind the Health and Wellbeing Exchange is simple: employers will come together and exchange their wellbeing services for staff, to improve the overall packages available within firms and organisations throughout Norwich and the surrounding area.

Looking after the health and wellbeing of employees can bring significant benefits to both staff and business, but during difficult economic times it can be especially difficult for employers to put in place the services they would like to offer.

Through the Health and Wellbeing Exchange employers will not only come together to share ideas and experiences, but also practical health and wellbeing initiatives such as training, sports classes and flu jabs.

Among the benefits that the exchange would bring, are:

• giving organisations access to services that large organisations buy in, such as flu vaccinations and employee health checks, where spare capacity could be made available to others;
• offering access to spare places on training courses, which an organisation’s own demand may not justify running in house;
• and providing opportunities to connect smaller organisations to take advantage of free services which require a minimum number of employees to participate, such as NHS health checks,

Dick Palmer, Principal, City College Norwich said: “A health and wellbeing exchange for the city’s businesses will enable employers to further develop employee wellbeing within the current financial constraints we all face.  This is an excellent initiative and I look forward to more employers coming on board and exchanging initiatives to complement their existing staff wellbeing packages”.

Debbi Christophers, Head of Business Development, Business in the Community said: “We hope that this pilot scheme in Norwich will pave the way for others across the East of England. Working with others in collaboration is a key tenet of BITC’s framework for responsible business and this is a great example of it in action.”

City College Norwich and Business in the Community are holding a breakfast meeting at St Andrew’s House in Norwich on Tuesday 24th May from 8.30am -9.45am for interested employers and providers to come and find out more about the plans for the Health and Wellbeing Exchange and how they can get involved.

Anyone interested in finding out more, and to book a place at this exploratory meeting, can call Business in the Community on (01638) 663272.

For more information on Staying Healthy at Work visit www.stayinghealthyatwork.co.uk/employernetwork