‘We've got to nurture each other'

Telegraph

08-05-2025

There is no silver bullet to ensure employee wellbeing – but a mix of dogged hard work, a company-wide commitment and some deft use of technology can certainly help. From colleague shout-outs through to menopause groups and wellbeing cafes, a raft of imaginative initiatives can help set the tone of company culture.
So says Rachel Nicholls, CEO of Inspire Education Group (IEG), an organisation dedicated to providing further education. 'It's not as simple as waving a magic wand,' she adds. 'We try to employ a whole range of different strategies and mechanisms to support people with their wellbeing, their welfare and their mental health.'
While every business today will declare staff are its greatest asset, IEG is walking the walk. And with good reason, since its 1,300-strong workforce is responsible for the education and wellbeing of some 11,000 diverse students across colleges in Lincolnshire, Peterborough and Cambridgeshire. So what are the secrets to championing wellbeing at work?
People first
'As leaders, we really focus on how we create the right environment so people can thrive,' she says. 'Our people turn plans into reality and deliver for the communities we serve, and they need to feel valued, empowered and have the space to take risks.'
Whatever it is IEG is doing, it's working. Staff across all levels were commended by Ofsted in March for their passionate commitment to the wellbeing of students, and in 2023 they were commended by the Association of Colleges (AOC Beacon Awards 2024/24) for their commitment to the wellbeing and mental health of staff and students.
'It's really important to look at what staff genuinely need and what will genuinely help,' says Sarah Young, IEG's vice principal, student and staff experience, who chairs the mental health and wellbeing group within the organisation.
How do they do it? By prioritising the creation of a thriving workforce and spelling out their caring values. Individuals know they can ask for help when times are tough – personal upsets can spill over into professional lives, and simple acts of kindness among colleagues can be transformative. 'Since the pandemic there's been a blurring of lines between work and home,' says Nicholls, 'another reason why welfare is so important.'
Nurturing employees and giving them space to voice worries is something that leading HR, payroll and finance provider MHR enables with dedicated technology – if staff don't thrive, a company will lose valuable talent. Its People First platform helps everybody, from employees to people managers and HR teams, find the best opportunities to suit individuals and offers well-designed feedback loops to connect employees, all of which helps support wellbeing.
Embedding wellbeing
Setting the tone from the top down is also critical, says Nicholls, and IEG has signed up to the AOC's mental health charter and reinforces these values through leadership training.
'It's really important that we talk about that from the word go,' she says, pointing to the fact that new managers are specifically trained in recognising the importance of mental health and wellbeing when they join the company. ''Let's look out for each other and be kind' is a really important part of our communication,' she adds.
Mental health champions work across IEG's campuses. 'They are trained to listen and to help signpost staff to a range of support,' says Young. There are also pop-up cafes – with tea and cake – where staff can have open conversations. And each year, the company dedicates a day of its development week to wellbeing, featuring activities based on the NHS's Five Ways to Wellbeing guidelines for good mental health.
Some initiatives at IEG have come from staff themselves – there's a cancer support group formed after employees affected by the disease welcomed a space where they could talk and support each other. Another group supports women with menopause and endometriosis. And IEG seeks to be a menopause-friendly employer. 'It's really important to look at what staff genuinely need and how we can support them,' says Nicholls.
From big to small
One of the most popular initiatives is a tech-enabled 'high five' on IEG's digital wellbeing platform, which allows staff to recognise and thank colleagues – which can include anything from helping with a troublesome task to receipt of good feedback from parents. 'It's just that act of kindness and its ripple effect that's so lovely,' says Young. 'It's essential for fostering a supportive community.'
Colleague recognition matters in healthy organisations. Using MHR's People First platform, staff can recognise good work and share success stories with ease. As well as celebrating each other, managers can use the software to set individual goals and enable employees to see the impact of their work.
IEG also offers free activities for staff – this term it's yoga and badminton – and round-the-clock advice and counselling. All students and staff across the colleges are invited to enjoy a free breakfast. 'We firmly believe that coming together with colleagues before the day starts has such benefits,' says Sarah Young.
If this culture spreads beyond the confines of IEG's colleges, the entire sector will benefit, and there are a host of organisations doing some great things within further education, says Nicholls – and this offers hope for the future. 'Let's just do more of it, let's learn from each other. The humanity that we show as individuals in the organisation is so important…we have to nurture and value each other.'