Edel Spillane
AVP, HR, Unum
The KeepWell Mark — a holistic workplace wellbeing accreditation — has been helping companies like Unum implement an effective health and wellbeing strategy to benefit their staff.
Organisations can’t fake an interest in the health and wellbeing of employees. The best companies know that effective health and wellbeing strategies are critically important to help create a positive and inclusive workplace culture.
Recognising workplace wellbeing with accreditation
Employee benefits provider Unum prides itself on being proactive about health and wellbeing. “Unum has a comprehensive health and wellbeing strategy called Live Your Best You,” explains Padraig O’Neill, its Managing Director and VP. “We genuinely careabout our people’s health and wellbeing and use the strategy to create a safe environment where everyone feels supported to be themselves.”
As part of Live Your Best You, the company has been awarded the KeepWell Mark from Ibec, the lobby and business representative group. KeepWell is a workplace wellbeing accreditation that helps companies demonstrate their commitment to improving the lives of their employees.
Organisations can’t fake an interest in
the health and wellbeing of employees.
Holistic view of workplace wellbeing
“Many wellness strategies simply focus on physical health,” notes Edel Spillane, AVP, HR of Unum Ireland. “However, KeepWell considers a wide range of workplace wellbeing areas, including physical health, mental health, financial health, leadership and absence management. It’s a comprehensive framework that allows organisations to evaluate themselves and benchmark the standards they are achieving against their goals.”
The process to get — and attain — the KeepWell Mark involves a thorough audit including a site visit and is based on employee feedback. “By listening to staff, an organisation can understand which of its health and wellbeing strategies are working and which ones are less effective,” says Spillane. “For example, your people might tell you that they appreciate the company’s focus on physical wellbeing but would like more focus on financial wellbeing, especially during the cost of living crisis.”
Responding to feedback positively
Since being awarded the accreditation in 2018, Unum strive to retain it — and have since won the KeepWell, ‘Company of the year award: SME’ in 2022. “We have received invaluable feedback and guidance from the KeepWell accreditation, some of which we used to introduce innovative and creative wellbeing strategies,” says Spillane. “We are genuinely committed to evolving our approach and being attentive to the wellbeing of our employees, adopting the caring spirit of our values.”