GTP20: Supporting physical wellbeing at work
Sembcorp Energy UK
This blog post has been produced for the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce as part of the 2020 Growth Through People campaign.
Growth Through People is the Chamber’s annual campaign aiming to help local firms boost productivity and grow through improved leadership and people management skills. In 2020 this involves 8 free workshops taking place between 2nd March and 27th March, culminating in a full-day Growth Through People conference on 2nd April. In addition, throughout the campaign the Chambers will be publishing thought leadership podcasts, videos and blog content such as this.
Thanks to our Headline Sponsors – Prime Accountants Group, Aston University, Curium Solutions and CIPD - all workshops are free to attend. Interested readers can find out more and register to attend Growth Through People workshops here, and the Growth Through People conference here.
Sembcorp Energy UK is proud to take part in the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce ‘Growth Through People’ campaign 2020.
Sembcorp Energy UK provides flexible, rapid-response power direct to the grid when it’s needed most. With a total operational portfolio of 973MW that includes significant battery storage, we help keep the country’s electricity system balanced and resilient.
As an operator of fast-acting, decentralised power generating stations – remotely monitored and controlled from our central operations facility in Solihull – ensuring the safety and physical wellbeing of our employees is crucial.
Prioritising the physical wellbeing of our workforce gives our team the confidence to perform at their best in a fast-paced environment. At Sembcorp Energy UK we see health and safety (H&S) as a collective responsibility and we know we all have a part to play in ensuring the safety of ourselves and our teams.
Staying safe at work
Our H&S team are always on hand and help communicate regular internal campaigns on key topics. The most recent campaign highlighted the serious impacts of seemingly simple slips, trips and falls and was promoted in face-to-face training sessions as well as via regular updates in our internal newsletter. Advice from these campaigns isn’t only applicable to the working environment – such training reminds us to take care in our personal lives too.
Employees regularly complete e-learning courses in all aspects of workplace safety, as well as taking part in training with colleagues and expert consultants, enabling us to deliver the same messages to all staff whether working out in the field or in an office environment. All new starters must complete applicable mandatory courses including Office Safety and Fire Safety, and regular refresher courses are taken. For our engineers in the field, weekly Toolbox Talks are given on topics ranging from the safe use of equipment to the importance of occupational health monitoring.
Day-to-day concern for the physical wellbeing of our employees is enhanced by the presence of four fully trained first aiders in our Solihull office and six fire wardens, alongside our team of four mental health support staff.
Promoting healthy choices
At Sembcorp Energy UK, all our Solihull employees receive medical and dental care benefits, along with exclusive discounts for gym memberships, home care support, and a 12-month free subscription to online fitness classes, ranging in length from seven minutes to hour-long sessions. In addition, we’re promoting a Cycle to Work scheme. Free fresh fruit baskets are also delivered to our Solihull staff to keep the team fuelled throughout the day!
Outside of our strong base in Solihull, our UK headquarters are based at Wilton International on Teesside. We support our employees at this energy-intensive manufacturing site with additional facilities such as a gym, where since 2019 employees have had the opportunity to take part in weekly Boxercise classes.
The benefits of physical wellbeing
A great benefit of ensuring good physical wellbeing in the workplace is that it improves employees’ mental wellbeing too. Our Wellbeing Committee – an internal group dedicated to providing resource and guidance to staff – focus not only on the physical wellbeing of our team, but their mental and emotional health too.
At Sembcorp Energy UK our goal is for everyone to return home safely and in good health every day.
Amy Shaw
Communications and PR Officer
Sembcorp Energy UK