At Business First Partnership, we place a strong emphasis on maintaining a healthy company culture in which mental health and employee wellbeing is championed.
Therefore, we are pleased to support World Mental Health Day again this year. The theme for 2024’s global awareness day is ‘it is time to prioritize mental health in the workplace.’
At BFP, we could not agree more.
The average adult in the UK spends more of their waking hours at work than anywhere else, which is why it is so important to ensure workplaces are inclusive, positive spaces where mental health is both prioritised and valued. Creating nurturing and productive working environments creates happier, more resilient workplaces and helps prevent issues including burnout and poor mental health.
Tsuyoshi Akiyama, World Federation for Mental Health President, said: “The goal is clear: to champion mental health in the workplace and build best practices that create cultures where workers have the potential to contribute productively and thrive.”
Here is how BFP is doing just that.
Flexibility and support
Following the pandemic, our team voted to transition permanently to a fully remote working model, and we’re always looking for ways to offer flexible working solutions to promote staff wellbeing.
Our team value having the ability to work around childcare and family commitments. We’re particularly proud of the initiatives we have introduced to support working parents, especially on their return from parental leave, to allow them to return to work at their own pace and in a way which makes them feel comfortable and supported.
Health and wellbeing hub
Every member of the BFP team has access to our health and wellbeing hub, through which they can contact a dedicated therapist for free mental health support, if required. The hub also contains information on upcoming events, both in person and online, workouts, recipes, and tips for staying well working from home.
Our monthly company-sponsored book club is a very popular initiative which many members of the team have joined.
The hub is also where the BFP team can explore our colleague rewards programme which offers an array of benefits to choose from each quarter. From shopping vouchers and theatre tickets to family days out, we’ve found this to be a great way of rewarding our team for all their hard work.
Great Place to Work
We’re very proud to have recently become accredited as a Great Place to Work by the global authority on workplace culture.
BFP is proud that 100% of our team agree we are a great company to work for, compared to an average of only 54%. The priority we place on mental health was a common theme in the comments section of the survey.
One team member said: “BFP genuinely care, not just about your work life but your personal life too. I feel that I can come to my colleagues or management with anything, and I know I will be received with kindness and support.
“As a remote company, our bi-annual events are a key part of our company culture. When we all get together, you wouldn’t know we don’t see each other every day. It’s so unique to work for a remote company with such a strong family feel.
“BFP have an in-house therapist which we can use whenever we like and which I have utilised myself. Having this professional support without having to even think about the cost is amazing. I truly believe I would not be who I am today without BFP.”
