Background

The University’s Wellbeing and Engagement working group was set up in the spring of 2011 as a result of the findings of a Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) funded project on the impact of wellbeing and engagement on higher education staff.

The group ascertained what wellbeing and engagement activities were already in existence for staff throughout various services and departments, and a plan was formulated to draw these initiatives together. This has resulted in the wellbeing web pages - a centralised, focused resource for staff.

The group will continue to work further to develop a wellbeing and engagement strategy and to develop further the University’s culture as an employer and community of learning and research, enabling and encouraging staff to perform to the best of their abilities.

Wellbeing and engagement encompasses a variety of areas, but is ultimately to what extent we are ‘…healthy, happy, contented, comfortable and satisfied with one’s quality of life...’ (Waddell & Burton (2006).

There is an increasing body of evidence that employee wellbeing and engagement has a direct relationship with positive business outcomes... For universities, these outcomes relate to students, innovations, research and a thriving university. Healthy, engaged employees will deliver a better student experience, better teaching and more innovative work’

Professor Dame Carol Black DBE MD FRCP FmedSci
Dame Carol Black, Wellbeing; Improving performance through wellbeing and engagement – essentials tools for a changing HE landscape, 2011.

Dame Carol Black is the National Director for Health and Work, Department for Work and Pensions. In 2007 she was commissioned by the Secretaries of State for Health and Work and Pensions to undertake a review of the working age population of Britain. Dame Carol produced a report Working for a healthier tomorrow, which identified how health impacts upon the government, society and the economy, the aim being to make recommendations regarding improving the health of our working age population. Within this, the role of the workplace in the health and wellbeing of staff was examined. (Source; Department of Health).

Dame Carol is a supporter of the Wellbeing and engagement in Higher Education project, co-funded by HEFCE.

Aims

These web pages have been developed to draw together and add to a wide variety of information about health and wellbeing information, initiatives, events, values and promotions, offering an accessible clearly signposted resource for staff. It also directs staff towards further internal web pages and valuable external websites.

Contributors

The Health and Wellbeing web pages were developed by the Wellbeing and Engagement working group:

Jeannette May (Chair), Deputy Director of Human Resources

Chris Burke-Hynes, IT Systems and Relocation Coordinator, Estates Department

Jacky Dillon, Secretary to the Deputy Director of Human Resources

Louise Harrower, Service and Wellbeing Coordinator, Occupational Health Service

Ross Lamport, Duty Manager, Department of Sport and Recreation

Nick Leach, Head of Catering Services

Amanda Martin, Occupational Health Manager

Lynda Martin, Service Centre and Training Manager, Health and Safety Department

Paul Tilley, Head of Sport and Recreation

Sarah Avison, Internal Communications Manager, Marketing and Communications Department

Dave Small, Senior Equality and Diversity Adviser

David Wright, Health and Safety Manager

Have your say

The Health and Wellbeing web pages are a useful focus for staff and the group would welcome your input to improve them further.

If you have any comments regarding these pages please email Jeannette May:

Jeannette May
Deputy Director, Human Resources
Telephone: +44 (0)2392845510
Email: jeannette.may@port.ac.uk