A company's success is deeply intertwined with the health and happiness of its workforce. When employees feel supported both physically and mentally, they are more likely to be engaged, productive and happy in their roles. Here at Lanes Group, the largest privately owned drainage and wastewater utility specialist in the UK, employee wellbeing is more than a buzzword - it's a strategic priority. With over 2,200 dedicated staff, Lanes Group has committed to creating a safe and healthy working environment where wellbeing is at the forefront of everything we do.

Employee wellbeing encompasses a range of factors, from physical and mental health to financial stability and work-life balance. Recognising this, we have implemented a comprehensive strategy that aims to foster a culture of positive wellbeing, encouraging and supporting employees to lead healthy lifestyles. This commitment extends to supporting individuals with health problems or disabilities, ensuring they have the necessary resources to maintain or regain their work capabilities.

By prioritising communication and creating an open dialogue around stress and mental health, we are striving to build a workplace where every employee feels valued and supported.

The Importance of Employee Wellbeing

Employee wellbeing refers to the overall health and happiness of individuals in the workplace. It encompasses various aspects such as mental health, physical wellbeing, financial wellbeing, and work-life balance. Wellbeing is not merely the absence of illness or stress, but the presence of positive conditions that support employees to thrive both personally and professionally.

The importance of employee wellbeing cannot be overstated. A healthy and content workforce is more productive, engaged and committed to their organisation. When employees feel their wellbeing is valued, it fosters loyalty, reduces turnover, and enhances the overall morale of the team. Moreover, promoting wellbeing leads to fewer absences due to sickness, which directly impacts the organisation's efficiency and productivity.

Understanding current trends and statistics can provide valuable insights into the state of employee wellbeing. According to the CIPD’s Health and Wellbeing at Work report, the average rate of employee absence is 7.8 days per year, which is the highest in over a decade. This equates to 3.4% of working time lost annually, a significant increase from 5.8 days in 2019. Public sector employees have higher absence rates (10.6 days) compared to the private sector (5.8 days).

Mental Health and Stress

Mental health is a major focus for many organisations, with 78% taking steps to identify and reduce stress. Stress-related absence remains a prevalent issue, reported by 76% of organisations. The most common causes of stress are heavy workloads and management style. To combat this, approximately 66% of organisations use staff surveys or focus groups to identify the causes of stress. Mental health first aid training is provided by 66% of organisations, and 43% train managers specifically to support mental health.

Presenteeism and Leaveism

Presenteeism, where employees work while unwell, was observed by 87% of respondents in the last year. Leaveism, where employees work outside contracted hours or use holiday entitlement to work, was observed by 63%. Despite these high figures, only 41% of organisations are actively taking steps to discourage presenteeism, and 35% are working to reduce leaveism.

Line Manager Support

Line managers play a critical role in managing both short-term and long-term absence. In 70% of organisations, line managers are responsible for managing short-term absence, while 61% manage long-term absence. However, a lack of skills and confidence among line managers is a significant challenge. To address this, 68% of organisations provide tailored support and 59% offer training in absence-handling.

Wellbeing Strategies

A comprehensive wellbeing strategy is essential for supporting employee health. According to the CIPD, 53% of organisations have a standalone wellbeing strategy, and 69% report that senior leaders have employee wellbeing on their agenda. Financial wellbeing is also increasingly prioritised, with 57% of organisations promoting financial wellbeing activities to a large or moderate extent. Additionally, employee assistance programmes (EAPs) are now offered by 84% of organisations, up from 74% in 2022.

Challenges in Employee Wellbeing

Despite the growing awareness and initiatives, several challenges remain in promoting employee wellbeing. One of the primary challenges is managing work-related stress. Poor mental health and high stress levels can lead to increased absenteeism and presenteeism, negatively impacting productivity. Additionally, there is often a stigma around discussing mental health, which can prevent employees from seeking the help they need.

A comprehensive health and wellbeing strategy is essential to address these challenges effectively. Organisations need to foster a culture where wellbeing is seen as a shared responsibility, and where employees feel supported in maintaining their physical and mental health.

Implementing Employee Wellbeing Initiatives at Lanes Group

At Lanes Group, we understand that the wellbeing of our employees is crucial to our success. Our comprehensive approach to employee wellbeing reflects this commitment, focusing on various strategic objectives to enhance both mental and physical health.

Strategic Objectives

Creating a Safe and Healthy Working Environment

• Foster a culture with wellbeing at its core.
• Ensure workplace practices and policies promote physical and mental health.

Encouraging Healthy Lifestyles

• Support employees in developing and maintaining healthy lifestyles.
• Promote physical activities, offer nutritional guidance, and provide stress reduction resources.

Improving General Wellbeing

• Make wellbeing a collective responsibility.
• Provide necessary resources and support to enhance overall employee wellbeing.

Supporting Employees with Health Problems

• Assist employees with manageable health issues to maintain or regain work.
• Offer early intervention and ongoing support for productivity and engagement.

Enhancing Communication on Health and Wellbeing

• Improve communication about health and wellbeing.
• Foster open discussions about stress and mental health to create a supportive environment.

How We Will Achieve These Objectives

An Active Approach to Wellbeing

We take an active approach to wellbeing by regularly assessing and addressing the needs of our employees. This includes conducting wellbeing surveys and check-ins to gather feedback and identify areas for improvement.

Training and Development

We deliver training in partnership with identified experts to equip our employees with the skills to support their colleagues. This includes mental health training for all employees and specific training for managers to handle mental health crises and signpost resources.

Expanding the Mental First Aiders Network

We are committed to embedding and growing our Mental First Aiders network within Lanes Group. Providing ongoing support and development for these first aiders is crucial to ensuring they can effectively support their colleagues.

Monitoring and Addressing Work-Related Stress

Monitoring the incidence and causes of work-related stress is vital to our strategy. We use this data to develop targeted interventions and support programmes to mitigate stress and its impacts on our employees.

Developing a Wellbeing Strategy

In collaboration with our employees, we are developing a comprehensive wellbeing strategy and a programme of events and initiatives. This ensures that our approach to wellbeing is inclusive, relevant and effective.

Providing Early Intervention and Occupational Health Services

We offer early intervention and occupational health services to support employees with health problems. This helps employees stay at work or return to work as soon as possible following a period of absence.

Launching the Lighthouse Charity

To further support our employees and their families, we are supporting the Lighthouse charity. This initiative provides emotional, physical and financial wellbeing support, extending our commitment to employee wellbeing beyond the workplace.

Key Measures of Success

We will measure the success of our wellbeing initiatives through various metrics, including:

• Mental first aiders to employees ratio: ensuring an adequate number of trained first aiders.
• Participation in wellbeing events: monitoring employee engagement in wellbeing activities.
• Reduction in sickness absence rates: evaluating the effectiveness of our policies in reducing absenteeism.
• Voluntary employee turnover rate: assessing the impact of our wellbeing initiatives on employee retention.

Work with Us

At Lanes Group, we are dedicated to fostering a workplace where employee wellbeing is paramount. We believe that a supportive and healthy working environment not only benefits our employees but also drives our success as a company. By prioritising physical health and mental health, encouraging healthy lifestyles, and offering comprehensive support, we ensure that our team feels valued and cared for.

If you are passionate about working in an environment that prioritises your wellbeing and professional growth, consider a career with Lanes Group. Join us in making a difference in the drainage and wastewater industry, while enjoying a work culture that truly values your health and happiness.

Contact us today or search our current job openings to find your next opportunity with Lanes Group.

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