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14 Feb 2019

REBA Award Winner: Newcomer - private sector - Carlsberg

REBA's Employee Wellbeing Awards, held on 7 February, celebrated the very best in workplace wellbeing.  The winner of the Newcomer - Private Sector category was Carlsberg and here's why they won: 

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Size: 700 (UK); 40,000 globally

Sector: Drinks

Initiative: ‘Be The Happiest You’

WHAT IT DID
In business, ‘changes in strategy’ euphemistically mean one thing, and one thing only – headcount reductions. And at beer company Carlsberg, this was one such activity it was engaged in 2016 onwards – when tough market conditions and changes in direction signaled big upheaval, ultimately causing it to downsize from 1,600 staff to 700 by 2018.

The change involved moving the logistics arm of its business  to  DHL,  reorganising the commercial business,  and  embarking on a shift to craft beers. Knowing that keeping its remaining staff engaged was a massive priority, but that the changes had probably created physical and emotional fatigue, Carlsberg identified gaps in its benefits offering – all around the areas of wellbeing. And this win recognises the huge commitment the executive team did here, plus what is also put into a programme called ‘Be The Happiest You.’ It was in-part kicked off based on the results of a staff engagement survey revealing wellbeing was one of three main areas they were worried about. But to ensure it had a sustainable, resilient and flourishing workforce, the leadership committed to taking a fully holistic approach to wellbeing.

Some of this was achieved through providing new benefits (between September 2017-September 2018 it introduced an on- call GP service; it brought in Salary Finance loans; cash plans were added, as was a mortgage benefit), while other initiatives were more unusual – including offering food intolerance testing to staff and putting in a table tennis table. More than this though, it impressed due to the breadth of the programme – which also included signing up to the Mindful Employers Charter, running training on resilience, creating mental health champions, and the publication a new wellbeing booklet. To bring health activities alive, events were run inviting health suppliers to attend and give talks to staff, while bookable events – included health- checks, massages, ’lunch and learn’ sessions and ‘Twalks (talk and walk sessions) all drew the crowds. Knowing that its sales reps – most of whom rack up miles and miles sitting down in their cars – needed specific health information, a bespoke health booklet was designed for them too.

What judges especially liked was the fact it ensured momentum around the initiative is never allowed to drop. There was always something to attach a wellness message to – from running musculoskeletal spinal checks, to doing desk-drops of Carlsberg cool bags containing wellbeing goodies (no, not booze!)

WHY IT WON
By its own confession Carlsberg says it’s just starting on its wellbeing journey, but judges were unanimous in their praise of what it has already achieved. They noted evidence of a strong learning culture that was also part of its transformation – for instance how initial events, like pensions talks, massages, mindfulness and mental health champion training was over-subscribed, and that it would plan better the next time. “It responded to a clear business driver for change; recognised the needs of the different types of employee and demonstrated bravery, aiming to achieve a lot in year one,” said one judge summarises the very strong progress it has already made.

Notable achievements include it saying it is now well down a path of shifting wellbeing from being HR-led to being leadership-led, with the clear support of the CEO and HRD. Because year one was very much creating awareness, future plans include compiling hard statistics on absence, types of absence, types of calls to its EAP, and what healthcare claims are being made. It is also planning on linking wellbeing to its parallel gender pay- gap project (which includes flexible working).

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