In recognition of this year’s World Wellbeing Week, we are taking the opportunity to share how we reflect upon and promote wellbeing at Pointer. As a people-focussed small business, we aim to empower each member of the team and to build an open culture that destigmatises and supports employee mental health.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are particularly significant in this context, as they account for 99% of businesses in the UK. However, research indicates that SMEs often lag behind larger organisations in addressing mental health issues effectively (Mental Health at Work). This disparity suggests that there is a crucial need for SMEs to prioritise mental health and wellbeing, ensuring that their employees receive the support they need to thrive.
As a small business, we recognise the challenges and are committed to this by promoting transparency and flexibility, supporting employee mental health, encouraging personal and professional growth and building strong relationships.
What do we do?
1. Promoting Transparency and Flexibility
Every member of the team has a voice that is listened to and respected, enabled by our flat-hierarchy structure, where everyone has the opportunity to positively impact how we operate. We have complete transparency across internal operations and encourage employees to share their experiences and perspectives, through open communication channels that connect team members even whilst working remotely.
Also, we understand the importance of balancing professional responsibilities with personal life. Therefore, we have flexible working hours and remote work options that allow our team to manage their time effectively.
2. Supporting Employee Mental Health
Last October, we invested in the T-Cup app for all employees to use. Their solution ‘WellCup’ allows employees to self-reflect daily on a range of different factors that can influence wellbeing (i.e., diet, exercise, water-intake, relationships, sleep). As a result, users are provided with a visual indication into their wellbeing, as well as support in the form of wellbeing resources that are tailored based on their self-reflection. We have found this solution powerful on two levels. Firstly, at a team level, through connecting employees through their ‘Buddy Up’ scheme, allowing employees to check in on each other. Secondly, at a wider organisation level as the dashboard provides real-time insight into wellbeing across the organisation, providing confidential data to enable the tracking of long-term wellbeing trends.
3. Encouraging Professional Growth
We encourage professional growth by offering accredited training to employees (e.g. project management training through the Association of Project Management), to sharpen professional skills. Complementing this with mentoring schemes helps employees to navigate their careers with confidence and clarity. Both initiatives create an environment that not only elevates professional capabilities, but also cultivates a supportive work culture where employees feel valued and motivated.
4. Building Strong Relationships
We foster strong working relationships between employees by organising company socials, or away days such as our annual company strategy day last October held in Bath. Such experiences enable employees to build rapport, enhance communication, and develop a deeper understanding of each other’s strengths and perspectives. By stepping away from the office and engaging in these shared activities, we create a sense of unity, which translates into a more supportive and cohesive working environment.
Conclusion
Fostering a culture of openness and trust requires time, dedication, and commitment — this is especially crucial for smaller organisations. Investing in employee wellbeing is a vital part of this process. To learn more about the positive impact we make or to explore how we can help you create yours, visit our website or contact us today.