Specialist banking firm Secure Trust Bank Group recently launched a monthly ‘Wellbeing Hour’ to help boost the wellbeing of its staff members.
1,000 employees working for the firm are given the opportunity to take one paid hour off from their working day each month to focus on their own wellbeing.
While the paid ‘Wellbeing Hour’ was initially created in Stress Awareness Month as a one-off initiative, positive feedback from colleagues fuelled the firm to introduce this on a monthly basis.
‘Colleague wellbeing is a key priority’
Anne McKenning, HR Director at Secure Trust Bank Group, said that staff wellbeing is a top priority for the banking firm.
As such, the HR practitioner said the firm has a wellbeing strategy in place to ensure that employees are supported in all aspects of wellbeing.
She explained: “The Group’s ‘Wellbeing Hour’ really demonstrates that we are taking positive action in this important area.
“It was launched in response to employee feedback which told us that some colleagues struggle to find the time to access the many wellbeing resources we have made available to support colleagues.
“We’re proud to be able to offer this benefit to everyone who works here.”
And it seems that employees are encouraged to use this time in a way that best suits them – whether this is to attend a wellbeing event or participate in something non-work related.
While Secure Trust Bank Group’s monthly ‘Wellbeing Hour’ is a good example of prioritising staff wellbeing, the firm is not the only one to have prioritised wellbeing during this time.
Aviva’s ‘Wellbeing Day’
Earlier this year the insurance firm Aviva gave all of its 16,000 UK staff members an extra day off in 2021.
Danny Harmer, Chief People Officer (CPO) at Aviva, explained that colleagues had worked hard to support customers during the pandemic and that they wanted to thank them with a ‘Wellbeing Day’.
At the time, Harmer said: “Our people have worked incredibly hard to support our customers throughout what has been a really difficult time for everyone.
“We want to make this winter a little bit brighter for them and say thank you. So, this is an opportunity for colleagues to take a day for themselves.”
