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Good Health and Wellbeing puts System Concepts in the National Business Awards 2008 Final
Source: System Concepts Ltd, 25 November 2008
Submitted by
Tanya Heasman
Usability and ergonomics consulting group, System Concepts, made the finals of the National Business Awards 2008 in the Health, Work and Wellbeing Award for Small Business.
System Concepts' philosophy is that organisations benefit from putting people first - in designing their products, software and websites, and looking after their employees. With a strong track record of walking the walk, the company is delighted to have been short-listed for this award and have its efforts to improve the wellbeing of staff recognised.
The winners were announced on November 18th, with the judges declaring themselves very impressed with System Concepts' entry. They rated its leadership as excellent and remarked that for its size it is a high performer, demonstrating excellence and delivering leading results within its sector. System Concepts MD, Tanya Heasman, said: It was a great experience and we all enjoyed the presentation evening which was very impressive. We will be working hard to improve our entry for next year.
WELLBEING INITIATIVES
Over the last three years System Concepts has grown rapidly and recognises that focusing on wellbeing can make an organisation more attractive as an employer and service provider, and more effective as a business. Recent initiatives implemented include:
Setting up a small team, led by two directors, to champion health, safety and well-being to drive progress.
Stress risk assessment and reduction, on an individual and company wide basis
Flexible, family friendly working schemes for all staff
Encouraging fitness and sporting achievement through matched sponsorship and company-organised outdoor team building activities
Healthy eating initiatives
On-site ergonomist and physiotherapist advice and support including DSE assessments and manual handling training for all staff
Occupational health support through an external provider
Improving disability-friendly policies and return-to-work management
STRESS MANAGEMENT
"We are particularly pleased with the results of our stress reduction strategy which we started in 2006 using the HSE stress management tool," continues Heasman. "We surveyed all staff and used the results to run focus groups with employees to generate ideas for reducing stress levels and to involve them in deciding suitable control measures." Improvements implemented as a result included:
Providing PDAs to allows people to check their emails whilst at client sites, instead of at home in the evening, giving them greater control over their working life.
Issuing a company handbook to clarify job descriptions and centralise policies and procedures.
Revising the performance review forms to include ratings for the six key stressors.
Recognising the need to recruit more staff.
Completing individual stress risk assessments for staff when necessary.
THE BENEFITS
Staff turnover has decreased considerably since 2006. According to Heasman, these initiatives have helped to keep valuable staff and avoid recruitment and training costs. Accident and injury statistics remain at zero and this is not due to under-reporting! There has never been a lost-time incident, nor have any staff received anything more than a minor injury (eg paper cuts) while working for System Concepts.
If you would like System Concepts to help you improve the health and wellbeing of your workforce, please contact Tanya Heasman on 020 7240 3388 or email tanya@system-concepts.com.
 Associated Link:
System Concepts
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