Events and news
Here you'll find information on our upcoming events, links to recordings of past sessions, and news related to the Thrive at Work programme.
You can get in touch with the Thrive at Work team for more information at thriveatwork@wmca.org.uk
Upcoming events
Preventative approach to workplace wellbeing with Jonathan Pittam
Date: Tuesday 14th May 2024
Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Location: Online (MS Teams)
Wellness Educator Jonathan Pittam will lead this session on the potential of a preventative approach to workplace wellbeing in terms of reducing health-related absenteeism, presenteeism, and staff turnover.
- A new way for businesses to think about wellbeing for better outcomes.
- The problems with a reactive approach to workplace wellbeing.
- How businesses can harness the power of habit to transform employee health.
You will leave with new ideas and practical approaches to take back to your business, that can be applied to all staff regardless of their starting point on their wellbeing journey at work.
There will be a Q+A after the presentation.
Past events
The Wellbeing Project recordings
Carers in the Workplace
Combining work and caring responsibilities can be difficult and isolating for a working carer, find out how your workplace can support them.
This session was delivered by Gabrielle Borro, Coventry City Council (Joint Carers and Engagement Lead) and Anna Luczyna, Carers Trust (Working Carers Development Officer), and covered:
- An overview of the Carers Trust Heart of England – our local Carers Services and legislation update.
- Identifying carers in the workplace and what a caring journey might look like.
- Creating a caring culture, how can we support carers in the workplace and look at best practice.
- What are the local authorities’ duties towards carers (Care Act 2014) and new legislation (Carer's Leave Act 2023).
- An overview of services provided by Carers Trust Heart of England, what a Carers Assessment is and who is entitled to one.
- How can you develop your approach towards carers – Including a toolkit with resources.
Watch the recording of this webinar below:
Musculoskeletal (MSK) Health with Posturite
Posturite is the UK's leading specialist in ergonomic office furniture, supporting over 4,500 businesses and organisations. Posturite believes that hybrid working is a real opportunity to make headway to support good health and wellbeing at work.
Katharine from Posturite lead this session, covering:
- Taking a holistic approach to supporting MSK Health; it is not just about applying Display Screen Equipment 'DSE' regulations
- How to improve engagement, productivity and wellbeing.
- How hybrid working has impacted computer set-up and use.
- The positive and negative effects on peoples’ health, and potentially on their productivity.
- A recap on the essentials of computer set-up and use.
Watch the recording of this webinar below:
Unlocking Apprenticeship Opportunities
Thrive at Work was pleased to host this 30-minute session during National Apprenticeship Week, informing you on how to source, fund, and work with your apprentices to develop a workforce with future ready skills.
David Tomalin from West Midlands Combined Authority and Sian Roberts from Black Country Chamber of Commerce lead this session, covering:
- Navigating Apprenticeship Basics:
Understand apprenticeships and how they work. - Finding Support for Recruitment:
Discovering resources and avenues for recruiting apprentices. - Tailoring Apprenticeships to Your Needs:
Understanding how apprenticeships can align with your organization's requirements. - How easy is it to hire an Apprentice:
Sian Roberts from the Black Country Chamber of Commerce shares their experience - Q&A Session:
Your Path to Apprentice Recruitment Support
Watch the recording of this webinar below:
Grief in the Workplace with Cruse Bereavement Support
We were pleased to host this 1 hour session during National Grief Awareness Week to inform how you manage bereavement in the workplace and how your response can have a positive impact on employee wellbeing.
Alison Winter from Cruse Bereavement Support lead this session, covering:
- how grief impacts performance, absence, retention and morale
- good practice around returning to work following a bereavement
- how to communicate effectively and compassionately with someone who is grieving
- the importance of creating a supportive workplace for all employees
The session included a 45-minute presentation and a 15-minute Q&A session.
Watch the recording of this webinar, below:
Henpicked: Menopause in the Workplace
Following our introductory webinar earlier in the year, we were pleased to be back on World Menopause Day to host a follow-up 30 minute session providing a more in-depth look at Menopause Awareness within the Workplace.
We were thrilled that Julie Glyn-Jones from Henpicked Menopause in the Workplace returned to run this short session on:
- How can we start the conversations around Menopause Awareness in the workplace
- Some practical suggestions in how to put the right support in place
- How can becoming a Menopause Friendly Employer save you money?
The session included a 20-minute presentation and a 10-minute Q&A session.
Watch the recording of this webinar, below:
Mastering Microsoft Teams: Infuse Kindness & Resilience into Your Culture
Thrive at Work partnered with Microsoft to introduce a wide range of wellbeing and productivity insights within Microsoft Teams.
You are invited to join Ryan Fraser, Workplace Solutions Specialist at Microsoft for an informal educational session on enhancing wellbeing using Microsoft Teams.
Watch the recording of this webinar, below:
Pension Power-Up: Unlocking the Financial Future of Your Employees
Rewatch our insightful webinar from Bravo Benefits and delve into the world of pensions, where you'll gain valuable knowledge and actionable strategies. Learn how to maximize the benefits of your company pension scheme and empower your employees to secure their financial future.
Watch the recording of this webinar, below:
Disability in the Workplace - The hidden talent pool
The hidden talent pool: why businesses are ignoring disabled employees. Why are 75% of businesses globally experiencing a talent shortage while 47% of disabled people in the UK are unemployed? That’s over 10% of the working-age population. Disabled people are an untapped talent pool, often ignored by EDI strategies. The disability employment gap is growing, currently at 29.8%, and businesses need to do more to support disabled colleagues present and future. During this webinar, Alice Hargreaves, COO and Co-Founder of SIC covered:
- Disability in the here and now
- The language of disability
- Societal bias
- How to appeal to disabled talent
- How to retain disabled employees
- The next steps to becoming an ally
Watch the recording of this webinar, below:
Menopause Awareness in the Workplace
This 30-minute session provides an introduction to Menopause Awareness within the workplace, Julie Glyn-Jones from Henpicked Menopause in the Workplace ran a short introduction session on:
- Why we all need to talk about menopause at work
- What the menopause is and how someone could be affected by it
- Key ways of managing menopause
The session included a 20-minute presentation and a 10-minute Q&A session.
Watch the recording of this webinar, below:
No jab, no job? Let's talk about COVID-19 vaccines and company policies
On Thursday 29th April, Thrive at Work hosted a 'No jab, no job? Let's talk about COVID-19 vaccines and company policies' webinar. During this webinar, the latest positions on Employers looking to introduce vaccination and/or testing policies into their organisations in response to Covid-19 were discussed and some of the best practice tips for developing, consulting, and introducing relevant policies and procedures were looked at as well as the risks and points for considerations upon implementation.
Watch the recording of this webinar, below:
Suicide: Let's talk about prevention
Every ninety minutes someone in the UK ends their own life. Many of these people are not known to the health services and have kept their struggles hidden from friends and family. Employers can play a crucial role when a person reaches a place of personal internal crisis. On 4th March 2021, we hosted a Q&A webinar with a panel of experts where they discussed:
- How to spot signs that someone is at risk
- Tips and best practice to prevent situations from escalating
- An understanding of what safeguarding is and how and when to use it
- Does UK-GDPR prevent an employer from assisting at a time of crisis
- The role of wellbeing conversations in the workplace
You can watch the recording below:
Thrive at Work Wellbeing Awards 2020 and 2021
We are delighted share the Thrive at Work Wellbeing Awards Celebrations, which moved online in 2020 and 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We were able to celebrate the success of accredited businesses and the organisations taking the first steps to Thrive accreditation.
A recording of our Thrive at Work Wellbeing Awards 2020 is still available, as well as our Thrive at Work Wellbeing Awards 2021 on the WMCA YouTube channel.