Falkirk Council
As one of the largest employers in the Central Belt, Falkirk Council has a significant role to play in supporting the health and well-being of around 8,000 employees.
Six years ago, Falkirk Council underlined its commitment to staff by signing up to the Scotland’s Health at Work (SHAW) scheme, and at the same time, setting up its own dedicated Health, Safety and Care team.
With guidance from NHS Forth Valley, the team quickly ensured that the council stepped up its health promotion efforts, for example, through regular health fairs and briefing sessions to raise awareness of topics like healthy eating, alcohol and cancer. Health and safety at work was also promoted at these events as good practice for staff.
As a result, the council became one of the very first employers to achieve the SHAW Gold Award, which it continued to maintain by providing a range of initiatives to promote health and well-being, including early work such as a no smoking policy introduced in 2001. NHS Forth Valley often uses the council as an example of good practice when working with other employers to improve health in the workplace.
The council continues to work in close partnership with NHS Forth Valley to promote national and local health initiatives, in line with new Healthy Working Lives Award Programme criteria. Its team also works with Falkirk Council’s policy unit to promote community-led initiatives, through the workplace pillar of the local Community Plan, and in line with the objectives of the council’s strategic plan for Health, Safety and Care.
In 2007, the council transferred from SHAW to the new Healthy Working Lives Award Programme, which covers not only health promotion but also health and safety at work. The team was keen to achieve the Gold Award in the first group of organisations to participate in the new award programme, and did so in November 2007, having already covered the promotion of safety at work in their remit. The team is now working to build on this success and achieve the Healthy Working Lives Mentally Health and Well-being Commendation Award.
Wendy says that information is also targeted to different groups of staff – for example, advice on sun safety will be particularly useful for employees who work outdoors.
One of the council’s initiatives for promoting well-being is the ‘Looking Good Feeling Good course’, run in partnership with Forth Valley College. During the course, trained beauticians give council staff top-to-toe lessons in beauty and well-being, including tips on make-up, hair, skin and nail care, posture and techniques to relieve stress.
“It’s a self-esteem and confidence building course,” explains Wendy Malarky, the council’s Employee Care Adviser. “The idea is that if you are looking your best, then you will feel your best."
“The course has not only proven very popular but has also given some members of staff a beneficial confidence boost. We have had employees go on the course having been through personal crises such as relationship break-ups and it really helps them.”
Most of the council’s employees are women, but men’s needs are not overlooked. The Lifestyle 21C course – a free health and fitness programme – is popular with both men and women and there is a men’s clinic available to provide male employees with 40-minute detailed health checks that they can attend during working hours. Wendy is also introducing a free six-week weight management course for male and female employees at work.
Karen Algie, the council’s head of human resources, says she is proud of the team’s work and notes that the Healthy Working Lives Gold Award is a real achievement. However, she adds that the council’s work won’t stop there.
”The council has already done a huge amount to help improve employee health, safety and care but we won’t be resting on our laurels,” she says. “We will continue to build on what we have achieved.”
