Local Team Scoops National Award for Workplace Health

Added by Love Business East Midlands | 14 July 2016

UPDATED: 14 July 2016

Leicester based social enterprise, The Fit for Work Team has won ‘Standout Service of the Year’ at the inaugural SME Awards hosted by Zinc Media and sponsored by KPMG.

A showcase of sector excellence, the team was recognised for their delivery of health, work and wellbeing initiatives at 100 companies across the East Midlands. With their ‘Healthy Workplace Programme’ benefitting more than 4,000 individuals to date, the organisation rose above a shortlist of 12 enterprises selected from across the UK.

Andrew Harris, Workplace Wellbeing Specialist The Fit for Work Team said

“We are still in a state of shock. It was a such a strong category, with such strong competition... It’s great to see health, work and wellbeing being recognised in this way, and at this level. We spend two thirds of our waking lives at work, and the importance of employee health within this arena cannot be understated.” 

The awards recognise and celebrate excellence from across the business landscape. Their purpose is to acknowledge every aspect of what makes #superSMEs successful, and to highlight innovative business models and working practices across the sector. With The Fit for Work Team putting employee wellbeing at the top of the agenda, there’s is an organisation that does just that.

In Leicestershire, 95% of businesses can be defined as an SME. A sector too often overstretched, it is one of the worst performing in terms of employee health outcomes. That’s why, in 2011, The Fit for Work team were commissioned by Leicestershire County Council to pioneer the new Healthy Workplaces Programme, an initiative that continues today as a commercial venture.

With a focus on prevention rather than cure, The Fit for Work Team encourages positive lifestyle behaviour change. To do this, they work in partnership with selected organisations to empower their employees in taking ownership of their health. It’s an innovation that not only supports the health and wellbeing of individuals, but that also boosts local business development, with some companies evidencing a 1 in 10 return on their investment.

Stuart Kellock, Owner Label Apeel said

“We wouldn’t do anything without making the metrics count. We’ve seen a reduction in sick days and an increase in staff retention, and it all pins back to the start of our work with The Fit for Work Team.”

The Fit for Work Team’s ‘Healthy Workplace Programme’ is part of broader portfolio of projects focussed around health, work and wellbeing. Their flagship services in Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire support individuals both in and out of work, as they overcome their health barriers to both sustain, and access paid-employment.

< Back