Fife Council, Fife
In addition to providing resources to support the public with childcare, health, money and refuse queries, Fife Council has launched a comprehensive COVID-19 portal on its website especially for its staff.
The portal includes a breakdown of all the latest government advice, as well several menus set up to advise employees on how to keep safe, well, connected and making a difference.
University of Strathclyde, Glasgow
Noticing employees struggling to balance working from home with other responsibilities like childcare, the University of Strathclyde has moved all its employees to a four-day work week. Having every Friday off since they entered lockdown has also helped limit ‘mini burnouts’ as a result of a new Zoom culture.
Biffa, Wirral
Waste management business Biffa and the trade union Unite have agreed to give refuse collectors in the Wirral a 3.5% pay rise for their ongoing service to residents. The raise will be backdated to April 2019 and will include a one-off payment of 0.5% of their annual salaries at the end of 2020.
Kellogg’s, Manchester
Kellogg’s UK has given its employees the option to finish at 12pm on a day of their choice throughout the summer. Offered to office-based employees in prior years, the scheme has been extended to include field sales employees this year in efforts to give more flexibility during the pandemic.
Rightsteps, Manchester
Rightsteps and Secondsight have teamed up to create a free wellbeing portal to help businesses safeguard their employees’ financial, mental and physical health. The hub will be free to use for three months to help support high demand.
Haywood & Padgett, Barnsley
Bakery Haywood & Padgett has maintained all operations throughout the pandemic. To thank its staff during this time, the MD has granted all employees a 10% pay rise.
In a time when bread supplies have been low too, the development team has been making free loaves for people to take home every other day.
Good Things Foundation, Sheffield
The UK government has launched an online toolkit to help people build their skills during the outbreak. As one of the charities featured in the toolkit, the Good Things Foundation is offering free tools to help people develop their digital skills – pinpointed as one of the most critical areas for development in the workplace.
AXA UK, Newcastle (Nationwide)
Observing International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia & Transphobia, Pride Month and Mental Health Awareness Week, AXA UK has developed a dedicated online initiative to help support the LGBT+ community. Activities in the initiative include a virtual Stride for Pride, a podcast on ‘Bringing your Whole Self to Work’ and a virtual panel discussion on ‘Breaking the Silence.’
The initiative is particularly pertinent at this time as research from the LGBT Foundation that those in the community are disproportionately impacted by coronavirus.
This piece appears in the May/June 2020 print issue. Subscribe today to have all our latest articles delivered right to your desk
Read the first part of this positive news roundup here.
