At Sopra Steria, employee wellbeing takes centre stage. It is at the heart of our commitment to our people. So, we are delighted this commitment has been recognised with our ranking among the top organisations in the first-ever UK's Best Workplaces™ for Wellbeing 2022 by Great Places to Work UK. The list celebrates organisations for putting wellbeing at the forefront of their workplace culture.
Our commitment is to have a workplace where our people are actively supported to be emotionally and physically healthy and can talk openly about their mental health. To achieve this, we’re taking a truly holistic approach so that there is ‘something for everyone’ to help them manage their wellbeing.
What does this look like in practice?
We offer as much flexibility as we can to help employees achieve a healthier work-life balance. We’re working with our people to shape their working patterns so that they can perform at their best and enjoy the benefits this brings inside and outside of work.
Of course, many businesses have made longer term changes to ways of working as a result of the pandemic, but I believe what sets us apart is that we are giving our people a choice. And giving them the autonomy to shape their working life. Plus, we’ve been able to introduce a level of flexibility into some teams and accounts that previously wouldn’t have been considered possible.
We have also introduced a range of wellbeing tools, which are now just ‘business as usual’ for us. For example, our weekly Wellbeing Wednesday bulletin promotes wellbeing. We’re running programmes on mindfulness, healthy eating / nutrition and resilience, as well as on-demand fitness and wellbeing classes.
Our Mental Health First Aiders provide a first point of trained contact for employees to talk to about anything affecting their mental wellbeing. Plus our Employee Assistance Programme gives employees access to free, professional, independent and impartial information, support and counselling in total confidence.
Our wide ranging benefits programme allows employees to choose the benefits that work best for their wellbeing, whether that’s the peace of mind that various health and financial insurances can bring, cancer screening, value for money gym membership arrangements, the cycle to work scheme, discounted dining out or independent financial advice.
We are also very fortunate to have The Sopra Steria Employee Trust which exists for the benefit of the employees of Sopra Steria UK and India. The Trust encourages employees to acquire and hold Sopra Steria shares. They also offer financial support to employees who are suffering hardship, providing unprecedented support recently as a consequence of Covid-19. The Trust is also available for employees to seek support in personal growth outside of work, as well as offering support via a the principle of adding funds to charitable fund raising by employees.
So, today we celebrate what we have achieved and our place in UK's Best Workplaces™ for Wellbeing whilst knowing that the work doesn’t stop here. We understand that wellbeing is a deeply personal and ever-changing equation. And so there is always more to be done, more we can change and new thinking to introduce so that wellbeing remains at the heart of our commitment to our people.
At Sopra Steria, the world is how we shape it. And we will shape our employees’ wellbeing for the better.