4:16 pm, March 29, 2017
JAGUAR Land Rover has been given an award in recognition of its commitment to a mentally healthy workplace.
The Coventry-based manufacturer was presented with its trophy last night by Mind at a ceremony at The Soho Hotel in London hosted by TV presenter, author and Mind ambassador Anna Williamson. It marked the mental health charity’s inaugural Workplace Wellbeing Index Awards.
A total of 29 employers took part in the Workplace Wellbeing Index, with the results coming from a survey of 15,022 employees, and JLR was the only vehicle manufacturer involved, making it something of a pioneer within the sector. Roughly 520 employees in its manufacturing engineering section were involved.
Mind praised JLR for achieving change, with its citation stating: ‘Your organisation has started the journey to better mental health at work by developing and implementing initiatives which promote positive mental health for staff’.
Senior manager Matt Taylor, who received the trophy, told Car Dealer Magazine: ‘We’re really pleased to win the award. It’s recognition of the type of work we’ve started around wellbeing and gives a good levelling point to gauge our improvement in future years. It’s really important for us that it isn’t a one-off and that it’s part of our overall onward development of our wellbeing strategy for our teams.’
He said JLR was keen to support its workers, adding: ‘The whole work-based experience for our employees is really important to us. Taking care of people just makes business sense. It’s the right thing to do. Within Jaguar Land Rover we have very good, strong occupational health teams, supplemented with an employee assistance programme.’
Highlighting what ‘a galvanising experience’ taking part in the Mind survey last October had been for JLR, Taylor said it had helped take some of the stigma out of mental health issues, getting people to talk about them. The company will now look at incorporating within its overall wellbeing strategy what was achieved.
Emma Mamo, head of Workplace Wellbeing at Mind, said: ‘In the past few years, we’ve seen employers make great strides when it comes to tackling stress and supporting the mental wellbeing of their staff, including those with a diagnosed mental health problem. We’re delighted to recognise and celebrate employers making mental health a priority for their organisation through our Workplace Wellbeing Index. In our first year, we’ve seen good practice right across the board.’
Pictured at top: Senior JLR manager Matt Taylor, centre, receives the trophy from awards host Anna Williamson and Mind chief executive Paul Farmer
MORE: JLR sales move ahead on back of new models
MORE: JLR offers first premium online-only purchase option
MORE: JLR rolls out £1bn investment across UK retail network
On SuperUnleaded.com: We List The 10 Best-Looking Race Cars Of All Time
