We chose to enter the IIP awards to celebrate achieving silver accreditation in the IIP ‘We invest in Wellbeing’ Framework and recognise the progress we have made in prioritising our workplace wellbeing and advancing health, support, and positive change for our people. Our IIP Wellbeing Steering Group as well as our HR HWB team were a key driving force for all the engagement and work to help us achieve the accreditation. We know our people are our biggest strength, and we were determined to improve the way we managed and supported a culture of wellbeing. We wanted to benchmark BSO Health & Wellbeing against the highest standards, learn and share best practice with other large organisations and hold ourselves accountable for our continuous improvement journey.
Our submission gave us the opportunity to showcase our substantial investment in the wellbeing of our workforce. The BSO Health & Wellbeing Strategy was launched in March 2024, supported by networks of Health & Wellbeing Champions and Mental Health Advocates. The HWB Champions, Advocates, leaders at all levels and social committee are key partners in the delivery of our wellbeing offering and this partnership working supports in the delivery and championing of wellbeing initiatives/messaging across our whole organisation, covering a wide geographical spread.
We host quarterly wellbeing focus weeks covering themes such as healthy body, mind, living, and culture. Additional initiatives and resources include a Disability Toolkit to support reasonable workplace adjustments, access to Lena by Inspire (our EAP), Cancer Focus Health Checks, and the establishment of the BSO Social Committee. We have also introduced Flexible Working Provisions and Pension Flexibilities to support work-life balance.
We hope that our entry reflects the commitment to our people that has delivered measurable impact across BSO ensuring our people feel supported, empowered, and motivated to deliver outstanding public services.
Personally, I have a deep sense of pride that BSO has been shortlisted for an IIP Health and Wellbeing award as it demonstrates that I have contributed to creating a culture where wellbeing is not a checkbox, but a priority.
For an organisation as large as BSO, we have a very small team dedicated to the Health & Wellbeing of our employees and being shortlisted for an Investors in People award has been an incredible honour as it recognises the contributions we have made, and has boosted our confidence and motivation to continue to make a difference. We are proud that the collective efforts and commitment of our team to nurture a culture of mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing have made a real difference.
However, the real reward has been the Investors in People journey, as it has helped our organisation focus on the right areas and provides a roadmap for further growth that we are excited and ready to commit to. Being shortlisted for the IIP Award for Health and Wellbeing (500+ employees) demonstrates that our approach to health & wellbeing as an organisation actively values our employees and that we are on the right track when it comes to leadership, staff engagement and development.
It also reinforces our credibility as an employer of choice within the public sector. Given our extremely complex context, we are so very proud to have this accolade, and look forward to the next steps in our continuous improvement journey. Being shortlisted has inspired our team to keep driving change, listening to each other, and leading with empathy.
Winning the Investors in People Accolade would be an incredible accolade!
Wellbeing is often highlighted in organisational messaging but winning this award would demonstrate that BSO doesn’t just talk about wellbeing but that we embed it into the DNA of our organisation.
Our organisational impact and success would not have been possible without our unwavering commitment to people and wellbeing practices across the organisation. We recognise our people as our most valuable asset, and through the implementation of our People Strategy Action Plan and insights from previous Investors in People (IIP) recommendations, we have made significant improvements across several key areas. Winning this award would honour the resilience and dedication of our staff, who consistently go above and beyond to support our workforce.
We would hope that winning an Investors in People award would confirm BSO’s genuine commitment to wellbeing and would help us attract and retain the very best people. It would position us as an organisation that others can look to for inspiration and best practice in supporting their people.
It would be recognition and celebration that the power of putting people’s wellbeing at the heart of everything we do was validated!
Being part of the IIP community shows our clear and ongoing commitment to improve how the organisation supports, leads, and develops its people. It’s a journey of continuous learning, evolving and growth, guided by best practice and benchmarking.
At BSO, our strategy was to achieve the IIP ‘We invest in Wellbeing’ accreditation as well as maintain our “We invest in people – Silver” accreditation and this is rooted in our commitment to continuous improvement, staff engagement, and organisational excellence. Our journey began with a clear recognition: to deliver high-quality services across health and social care, we must first invest in our people.
Engaging in awards and events like the IIP Awards gives our team the chance to pause, reflect, and celebrate the incredible work of our staff in our people investment and the culture we are building. It gives our organisation the opportunity to be recognised on a national stage for doing the right things and by showcasing our progress through our awards submission we are able to demonstrate a strong message that we truly appreciate the contribution of or staff and greatly value our workforce.
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Ready to make work better? Complete the form below and one of our team will be in touch to discuss your accreditation enquiry.
Ready to make work better? Complete the form below and one of our team will be in touch to discuss your accreditation enquiry.
