Helping businesses in Wales to improve the health, safety and wellbeing of their workforce

Pauline MouldWorkplace Health Practitioner

Public Health Wales

A Tale of 2 Fish

Case Study 1

• 2001-Laing O’Rourke UK's largest privately owned construction company >100 workplaces in the UK - a mixture of construction and infrastructure projects, manufacturing facilities, plant depots and offices

• Employs approximately 5,000 trades people and operatives, along with a further 3,500 professional and office-based staff

Background• Laing O’Rourke’s workforce is

disproportionately at risk of mental health – why is that?

• Like the rest of the construction industry vast majority of its employees are male!

Why is that an Issue?• Rate of suicide among men is more

than 3 x higher than women – with the biggest group being men aged 45 to 59.

• Suicide is the leading cause of death for men between 20 and 34 in England and Wales

Partnership Working• October 2015 partnered with MIND• 180 managers have received mental

health awareness training. • A new online mental health resource

centre has been created on the company intranet

Partnership Working• 4 February (Time to Talk Day) a dedicated

mental health ‘toolbox talk’ was launched to the site-based workforce.

• Employee assistance provider also hosted a special stress-management webinar for staff

• Recruited a team of mental health champions from across the business

Partnership Working• May 2016, Laing O’Rourke signed the

Time to Change pledge• Event was attended by 200 of its project

leaders and senior managers. Joining them was CEO of Mind, Paul Farmer

• Laing O’Rourke is among over 400 organisations to have signed the pledge

Top Level Commitment• “Our industry has an issue with mental

health. There’s absolutely no doubt about that. We’ve got to start talking about it. Normalising it. Making it a part of every-day conversation. It’s not enough simply making our people aware of the services available to them, if they don’t feel comfortable accessing it. They need to know that, if they need it, the business will support them.”

Case Study 2• Butler family have been building in North

Wales for 3 generations - that's nearly 100 years of tradition and experience

• October 2014 the company moved to premises, with the ongoing growth of the business took over the unit next door and relocated

• Based in Garden city 8 trades staff , 2 admin staff and a number of subcontractors

Background• Partnership Working• Engaged with HWW December 2014• Highlighted areas which had not

thought about before and signposted organisation implement changes to policies

Partnership Working• Engaged with the workforce

more regularly and took on board their suggestions and requests

• Regular team meetings and toolbox talks also created an open environment which allows employees to feedback

• Appointed an employee representative who is involved in the Health & Wellbeing process

•Stress Policy which outlines the Company commitment to the welfare of employees. •Stress risk assessment •Stress control information and MIND leaflets/posters displayed in staff room and emailed to staff•Open door policy

Partnership Working

Partnership Working

• Member of staff having family problems outside work

• Owner agreed financial support, time of for solicitor meetings and reworking rotas when looking after his children

Workplace Health AwardsSilver Small Workplace Health AwardWinners

July 2016

“Company is forward looking and has a number of excellent practices”

“Example of how the business had supported one of its employees during a difficult time provided strong evidence that the company takes its responsibility in supporting staff seriously”

Top Level Commitment• Our staff feel there are more open lines

of communication if they feel stressed about work or personal issues.

• Throughout the process we were supported by PHW and found the process to be clear and easy to follow , the assessment day was very relaxed

Thank you for listening – any questions?

Pauline MouldWorkplace Health PractitionerT: 07580901806E: pauline.mould@wales.nhs.uk