Parcelforce Wellbeing Programme

Parcelforce Worldwide is a leading provider of time-guaranteed express parcels, reaching all 27 million UK addresses and 99.6% of the global population. In 2002 Parcelforce Worldwide launched its turnaround strategy to maintain its position in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Whilst the project achieved financial success it resulted in increasing high absence and accident rates and low employee satisfaction. In response to this Parcelforce Worldwide committed themselves to creating a safer workplace and a healthier workforce.

Processes

Parcelforce Worldwide identified a strong business case from which they set three key objectives which formed part of the business plan:

• Better understanding of ill health to prevent absence and support absent employees.
• Fewer injuries and absences resulting from accidents.
• Helping employees to improve their own and their families’ health

They achieved this by firstly influencing management behaviour. This included raising the awareness of health and well-being and providing new management information. By doing this they aimed to move the focus from absence to attendance. Parcelforce Worldwide recognised that the best people decisions could be made locally and enabled local managers to make decisions on how to take forward the programme with the Head Office providing the appropriate incentives and support. These included:

• On-site Health Screening clinics. Physical/lifestyle assessment and advice.
  Health risk assessments and control of high-risk activities.
• Better absence management: face-to-face home contacts; get-well-soon guidance cards; return to work place; muscular-skeletal-disorder rehabilitation; stress counselling.
• Well-being resource promotion: gyms; bicycle loans; mutual healthcare; sports grants.
• 2 days annual health and well-being training for every manager.
• 24/7 health and well being contact centre.
• Health education programme including stress, smoking and nutrition guides delivered personally by the managers.

Impact

• Reduced sick absence by 1/3, saving 55,000 days and £5 million
• 45% fewer accidents including 40% fewer absence accidents saving 5,200 days and £440,000
• Increased employee satisfaction by between 1/3
• Reduced the number and values of compensation claims by 2/3 (£1 million) with 50% few new claims/month. Saved £6 million in direct costs through an investment of £2.25million
• Contributed towards 12.5% productivity increase and 50% customer service improvement