Pictured (L-R): Sophie Moran, Ibec, Nikki Taggart, Coolehouse Consultant Ltd., Paula Cain, Ibec, Marina Gainova, Coca-Cola Hellenic Ireland Ltd., Tracey Carney, Catalyst Media, Moira Faherty, Alkermes.
Business & Finance, in partnership with Ibec, launches ‘top 100 companies leading in wellbeing’ Index at event in The Marker Hotel, Dublin
Business & Finance Media Group, in partnership with Ibec, the group that represents Irish business, has launched an index of the top 100 companies leading in wellbeing.
In recent years, employee wellbeing has continued to rise further up the agenda for employers. Public awareness of the importance of good workplace mental health and wellbeing is also growing. To move beyond good intention and to realise a true culture of wellbeing, employers must make positive health and wellbeing a core business priority.
Speaking about the launch, Ibec CEO, Danny McCoy commented: “It is encouraging to note the diversity of industries spanning the full breadth and scope of the Irish economy that are represented in this index. These 100 companies that we are celebrating today are leading the way in workplace wellbeing and their commitment to instilling a best practice approach to wellbeing has made a lasting impact on their employee.
Pictured: Tracey Carney, Catalyst Media, holding the latest edition of Business & Finance magazine at the launch of the Leading in Wellbeing Top 100 Companies Index at The Marker Hotel, Dublin.
Ian Hyland, Publisher of Business & Finance and President of Catalyst Media Group, commented on the launch: “As the world opens up and we start to return to the office, the importance of wellbeing in the workplace takes on an extra dimension. Working with our partners Ibec, we are delighted to support this very worthwhile initiative. As we navigate these new opportunities, it is critical that companies continue to place employee wellbeing at the heart of their strategy and priorities. Employees are, after all, our greatest asset.”
Sophie Moran, Programme Manager of Ibec’s KeepWell Mark added: “Workplace wellbeing has risen to the top of the agenda for companies, and more frequently being called out as a core component of their business strategies. This is reflected in an increased focus by businesses on their workplace culture and ensuring it is conducive to staff attraction and retention.
The index is comprised exclusively of companies in Ibec’s KeepWell community. The list focuses primarily on those companies who hold an active KeepWell Mark accreditation with exception being made to include a limited few companies, who upon entering the programme had already demonstrated a high standard of wellbeing performance and have put the appropriate measures in place to meet the standards of the KeepWell Mark and are scheduled for formal assessment.
By making the index an annual occurrence, Ibec expects to drive even greater public awareness of the importance of wellbeing in every workplace across the country.
The index is comprised exclusively of companies in Ibec’s KeepWell community. The list focuses primarily on those companies who hold an active KeepWell Mark accreditation with exception being made to include a limited few companies, who upon entering the programme had already demonstrated a high standard of wellbeing performance and have put the appropriate measures in place to meet the standards of the KeepWell Mark and are scheduled for formal assessment.
Concurrent to release of the Index on the Business & Finance website, a special event was held in The Marker Hotel, Dublin, which was attended by representatives from companies featured in the index. There was also a panel discussion featuring contributions from:
- Nikki Taggart, Organisational Psychologist and KeepWell Assessor, Coolehouse Consultant Ltd.
- Moira Faherty, Director of HR, Alkermes
- Marina Gainova, People & Culture Director, Coca-Cola Hellenic Ireland Ltd.
- Sophie Moran, KeepWell Programme Manager, Ibec
The event opened with an address from Tracey Carney, Managing Director of Business & Finance Media Group, who noted that the index, now in its second year, and the first of its kind in Ireland, “recognises top businesses of all sizes who are leading the way and have improved their performance in supporting employee mental health and wellbeing.”
Ms Carney continued: “We are delighted to partner with such a progressive association, Ibec, and one that is truly leading the way in recognising employee wellbeing. Two weeks ago, we hosted over 900 attendees at the Business & Finance Awards, and it was the first year we recognised ESG as a core part of entry criteria. The changing world of work has shifted the focus of businesses towards maintaining more sustainable corporate practices.
“The tide has changed and never has it been more vital to have an approach that supports the future of our planet and our people. Not only are businesses climate focused, but the S in ‘ESG’ has also risen to the fore with an emphasis on corporate culture fuelled by the competitive jobs market and indeed, changing employee expectations. The Wellbeing 100 Index is part of our C-Suite Executive Series which showcases excellence and leadership across the Irish business community.”
Paula Cain, Commercial Director of Ibec, was invited to speak. Noting that it was the first in-person event for Ibec in over two years, she highlighted the diversity in the index and in the room. She congratulated attendees for leading in wellbeing in their individual organisations.
Pictured (L-R): Sophie Moran, Ibec, Marina Gainova, Coca-Cola Hellenic Ireland Ltd, Moira Faherty, Alkermes, Nikki Taggart, Coolehouse Consultant Ltd.
Ms Carney then turned to the panel of expert speakers, asking Nikki Taggart, Organisational Psychologist and KeepWell Assessor, Coolehouse Consultant Ltd., what she is seeing on the ground through assessment and wider experience, how important employee wellbeing is, and if leaders are changing priorities.
Ms Taggart replied: “If you all think to the KeepWell Mark Framework, there are eight standards that we look at. The first standard is leadership, and that really is the most heavily weighted standard – 35%. The next one is mental wellbeing. It starts with leadership, and leadership means culture, to me, so when it comes to a healthy culture, it is one that enables wellbeing.
“That maybe goes down two routes: One of them is organisational design … the other side of leadership maybe comes down to behaviour, how do employees feel every day when they go into their workplace, how are they treated by their leaders?”
Ms Taggart urged leaders to be mindful of making flippant remarks, as they might ruin an employees day.
Ms. Carney then asked about the practical side of wellbeing and how it can be implemented within companies. Marina Gainova, People & Culture Director, Coca-Cola Hellenic Ireland Ltd., replied by saying that, unless the culture is correct, the experience of employees will not be correct. She continued: “I am coming from a company that is very results-oriented … We have been one of those companies that have said ‘we need to evolve in our culture.’ [We] created a whole new culture narrative, a much more wellbeing oriented organisation and not only a results-oriented organisation.”
Ms Gainova said that the narrative needed to be co-designed and co-created with the whole organisation, not just by leadership. She also said it was important that all teams across the business met. Coca-Cola Hellenic Ireland Ltd. also did the ‘journalism’ groundwork of speaking to people on the shop floor and reporting their lived experiences to management.
Moira Faherty, Director of HR, Alkermes, then spoke, noting that her organisation has a strong wellbeing team, established in 2011. “The team themselves,” she said, “is passionate and committed.”
She continued: “It’s very much an employee-led team. They do this alongside their day-to-day job … The team itself is sponsored by our senior leadership team. It’s currently sponsored by the Director of IT. It’s not a HR-led initiative. We have a key HR person on the team, but what is key to me is that it’s a business initiative.”
Sophie Moran, KeepWell Programme Manager, Ibec, later spoke about what they are doing in the wellbeing space in Ibec. She noted: “Clearly, it has been a priority for businesses over COVID, and when we talk about wellbeing, we’re talking about more than that superficial notion of the healthy eating, the physical activity in the workplace. I think that has been reflected in the conversation so far. What we’ve been doing is keeping up with that in terms of supporting members, and how we are thinking about the future.”