Employee Well-being in HR: Case Studies of Tesco and Sainsbury's

This report delves into the critical aspects of employee well-being within the context of human resource management. It begins by defining employee well-being, outlining its scope, nature, and limitations in general practice, emphasizing the importance of employee satisfaction and organizational productivity. The report then presents two case studies, focusing on the initiatives undertaken by Tesco and Sainsbury's, both prominent retail companies. The examples highlight strategies such as collaborations with wellness providers, physical activity programs, and partnerships with charities to promote employee health and work-life balance. The analysis includes the benefits of such initiatives, such as increased employee engagement, productivity, and reduced turnover. The report also considers the limitations of these programs and the importance of a supportive work environment. Overall, the report provides a comprehensive overview of employee well-being, offering insights into effective strategies for fostering a healthy and productive workforce.

Managing Human
Resources
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
Definition of Employee Well-being, its scope, nature and limits in general practice............4
First example of an organisation's attempt at Employee Well-being initiative.....................7
Second example of an organisation attempt at Employee Well-being initiatives..................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11
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INTRODUCTION
Managing human resources is considered as a desirable process which is carried out
within business entity in order to engage significant amount of staff as well as employees to
carry out routine operations within systematically. It is an essential part of management
processes under which focus is given to enrich the knowledge, skills, aptitude, creativity and
performance of manpower (Denhardt and et. al., 2018). This successfully helps an organisation
to attain long term commitment and maintain job satisfaction which helps to creates synergy in
order to carry out well being for an employees. For the better understanding of report Sainsbury
and Tesco company is selected which fall under the category of retail sector. It offer multiple
product like grocery items, shopping material, utility item and clothings for the convenience of
customer. Topics covered in the report includes like determine employee well-being within
workplace including its scope, nature and limits. Along with that apply examples of various
organisations that help to take the initiatives in relation to Employee Well-being.
Definition of Employee Well-being, its scope, nature and limits in general practice
Employee well-being represent the prosperity as well as experience shared amongst
individual to bring specialisation within working areas and discover feasible methods to
effectively manage the stress.
Initially, the business organisation focus on business objectives and goals where
employees are not considered as assets of organisation. In changing environment, it is important
for organisation to focus on employees and their needs because they are one who give efforts to
run a business and increase organisational productivity (Holmqvist and Spicer, 2013). The
manager by understanding what their employees wants and how they can be satisfied that helps
to increase organisational productivity as they contributes in organisational activities. It has
defined that, in changing environment, the nature of manager should be very attractive and
attentive so they can get done work from employees and support them to work effectively. In
other words, the supportive nature of employment encourages actions and working capacity of
employees as well as employer where they enhance the commitment for flourishing the
management and operations effectively. It helps to maintain the further productivity and
profitability of organisation by completing task and maintaining good behaviour. Moreover,
activities and initiatives are taken by HR manager of chosen organisation by evaluating
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performance that helps to maintain good health of employees and reduces stress. All activities
are performed by managers which helps to carry out the operations and management in effective
manner.
It is the responsibility of internal manager of an organisation to conduct various seminars
associated with wellness programme. This promote the internal staff as well as staff to take
desirable initiative in terms to enhance the lifestyle as well as making healthier choices in terms
of eating. It basically not only help them to remain physically but mentally fit as well. Based on
well designed programmes the organisation can overview the performance of employees and
help them to take desirable initiatives (Jackson, Ones and Dilchert, 2012). As employees are the
internal stakeholders of an organisation that rapid changes and leads immense pressure amongst
internal staff. Thus, to revitalise the energy of employees, the manager can support the well-bing
by promote various programme like arranging parties, conduct dance competition, organisation
marathon and meditation program,me. This led to optimise the performance of staff and enhance
productivity successfully.
Workplace that look for employee well-being focus to support both the physical and
mental state in order to significantly maintain the efforts of overall workforce. For better
physical well-being efforts are taken to improve the internal designs and structure under which
adequate space is offered to employee where they can work with positive zeal. Along with that
efforts roof top and windows are build to maintain natural sunlight and ventilation due to which
employees feel fresh while working. Cleanliness needs to be maintained because it helps in
maintaining desirable mood to work. Along with that for mental stability the manger focuses to
maintain work life balance by encourage the staff to lead healthy life. Meditation session are
organised for mental peace and silence. Greenery is maintained along that reenergises the efforts
of manpower in terms to expand overall productivity as well as profitability (Pareek and Rao,
2015).
Scope of Employee wellness programme: The reason to widen the scope of employee
wellness programme are illustrated below:
Employee recognition: Employee recognition is a form of positive reinforcement
exercise where the workforce get desirable benefits in form of reward, salary hike, bonus,
appreciation as well as recognition. This immensely motivate the workforce to function their
roles and responsibility as per the predetermined standard. Thus, it is considered as a
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significantly well-being programme which needs to be promoted in terms to maintain the interest
of internal stakeholders.
Physical work environment: To promote employee well-being the organisation basically
offer desirable spaces as well as appropriate surrounding where the employee can effectively
work innovatively. Moreover, there needs to be adequate amount of resources that can used in
terms to participate within competitive environment. Desirable efforts are made to maintain
internal décor that can attract as well as retain employees successfully (Perez Arrau, Eades and
Wilson, 2012).
Mental health investment: The manager of an organisation needs to be sensitive by
meeting psychological demand for the well-being of staff working within workplace. Promoting
healthy mindset encourages the employees to remains active throughout the day and channelising
their energy and efforts in right direction. Hence, both the physical as well as mental initiatives
taken by an organisation maintains employment relationship that helps to maximise overall
productivity and profitability.
Physical health investment: Although most of the MNC's offer flexible working
environment for their staff but their workforce spend majority of the hours in terms to fulfil the
objective of an organisation. This makes it essential for an organisation to educate their
workforce to understand the essence of engaging in certain fitness activities and leads healthy
life by having nutritious food. It assist personnel in terms to remain active and utilise whole day
effectively.
Limitations
Even if certain organisation carry out session to maintain the mental well-being of an
individual then also it is not necessary that the employees follows and maintain the healthy diet.
This affect the objective in terms to maintain the purpose of physical and mental well-being as
avoidance of such activity leads to stressful life and creates conflict. So the task of manager is to
significantly manage the employees and motivate them to take preferable actions (ŠIKÝŘ,
Sekerin and Gorokhova, 2018).
It is not possible for employer to regularly control employees action because once the
working hours gets over employees are liable to run their day routine lives on which no one can
interfere. It signifies that if employees are not leading balance style then it can affect their
physical and medal health which is not acceptable to follow because it can hamper their health
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and affect their potential to carry out organisational responsibilities. Like, addition of any wrong
habits such as over consumption of caffeine, smoking as well as alcohol consumption needs to be
prohibited as they are injurious fro ones health. But until and unless the person is self reliant then
these habits cannot be replaced and directly hamper individual both physically and mentally
(Kessler and et. al., 2012).
Duty of care encompasses the roles as well as responsibilities of business entity to
participate in terms to enhance the contribution of both employer and employee in terms to
enrich their physical health which helps in maintaining safety of employees. This offers the
workplace which leads to synergy as efforts are made to protect the team members by helping
them to indulge into favourable practices. For instance, application of certain legislation like fair
remuneration, health and safety law mitigate risk factor as staff remain encouraged to effectively
work by improving physical wellness. Along with that there are certain parameters that need to
be maintained by an organisation like they needs to offer healthy environment where the
personnel can function by deriving out job security. Each organisation irrespective of their sizes
needs to follow their responsibilities viably and ensure that required information needs to be
transmitted within stipulated time duration. Chances of negative outcome like anxiety and
fatigue needs to be avoided by giving sufficient breaks while carrying out the performance
because it revitalise the efforts of employees.
Investment in training and development session helps the employee to gain desirable skill
based on which they can performance their responsibilities within confined duration and
maximise the potential of staff. Efforts needs to be made in order to strengthen the relationship
between employer and employee where both of them can collective take certain decision as it
innovation thinking ability (Bourgeault and Merritt, 2015). Hence, the primary task of the
manager is to promote adequate work life balance where the employees get favourable
conditions to work as well as time to spend for their well being. It is highly preferred to deliver
conferences or meetings in association with well-being programme as it empower the physical
and mental being by gaining desirable result which leads to long term sustainable functioning.
First example of an organisation's attempt at Employee Well-being initiative
One of the example of an organisationthat takes initiatives related to employee well being
includes Tesco. The company invest highly in ensuring the well being of employeesso as to leads
the organisation towards high growth and success. For ensuring employees wellbeing, the
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initiative that has been taken by Tesco include collaboration with gympass. The company have
collaborated with gym pass which is a corporate wellbeing provider. this collaboration was done
in order to ensure that all its workforce have an access over around 1400 facilities of gym. This
initiative is taken to ensure that employees stay fit and healthy and for this initiative of company,
its workforce appreciate it (Blandford, 2012).
As per the annual colleague health survey of company, it has been found that large number
of workforce struggle to determine ways to enhance their health and wellbeing. So, by doing
partnership with compass, the companies able to assist combat this and delivering easily
accessible and convenient solutions to involve its employees in high level of physical activity.
There are various benefits of introducing this service to company. Gympass have wide network
of operators which makes it a significant benefit to company to provide it to employees. This
service provides employees with the flexibility to select from leisure facilities across multiple
price brackets. This helps in ensuring that each individual can find a perfect fitness activity for
solution for them. Now Gympass is working proximally with Tesco in order to host live wellness
events, Engage directly with workforce and sharing the advantages of physical activity. This
helps in encouraging the employees at all levels to be more active physically.
For Tesco, the benefits of active and healthy workforce includes increasing employee
engagement, high workforce productivity as well as improved wellbeing. active and healthy
workforce within organisation helps in reducing the turnover of employees and encouraging
them to work more effectively towards attainment of goals and objectives of company
(Tschirhart and Bielefeld, 2012). Apart from this, this wellness package is extending by Tesco to
its entire manpower from head office workforce to in store employees as well as from delivery
drivers to home workers. Moreover, for further developing its help programme, the company has
successfully partnered with three United kingdom based charities (Tesco expands wellness
program to offer physical activity benefits, 2019). This partnership have been developed to assist
organisation to understand what it requires to do more in order to support employees with their
health as well as the way to eliminate the barriers to healthy habits.
This is a five year partnership that involves policy development and research projects that
will support in development of new workplace health program. The main aim of this partnership
support and encourage measurable, sustainable behavioral changes using various activities and
campaigns which are targeted at minimising the heart risk, cancer, circulatory disease and type 2
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diabetes. Apart from all these, Tesco has offered its employees in United kingdom with around
10.5 million pieces of fruit, snack boxes, water bottles, pat day deals and discounts based on
health, diabetes check, pressure check and free health checks. In addition to this, around 950
mental health awareness workshops also ran by organisationin order to train workforce on stress
management, the way to develop innovation, maintain concentration and enhance motivation
(Tesco partners with UK health charities to highlight workplace health program, 2018). Both
these initiatives of organisation depicts that it invests highly on wellbeing of employees at
workplace.
Second example of an organisation attempt at Employee Well-being initiatives
An another example of organisation that invest highly on employee wellbeing includes Marks
and Spencer. The organisation undertakes various initiatives that helps in improving health and
wellbeing of employees in an effective way. this highly contributes organisationin in improve the
motivation level of employees and enhancing their productivity. Employee wellbeing is taken
seriously by the company and establish a program associated with it addressing local and
business needs, emphasizing on social, mental and physical health. the employee wellbeing
program of Marks and Spencer emphasize specifically on increasing the awareness of employees
regarding their mental health and support them. one of the barrier in ensuring well being of
employees includes lack of awareness regarding the issues related to mental health as well as the
ways to support workforce around mental health (Carpitella and et. al., 2018).
Numerous steps are taken by Marks and Spencer in order to develop the area. This includes
updating the resources of learning for people policy service over serious conditions of mental
health and developing a online hub dedicated to mental wellbeing of the employees. apart from
this, a campaign was also conducted by Marks and Spencer named as mental wellbeing
awareness week which targeted all the employees for the purpose of improving their awareness
and supports mental well being. In addition to this, the another initiative taken by Mark and
Spencer includes development of ideal working environmentwhich helps in promoting health
and wellbeing of employees. This provides an advantage to company in terms of safe access to
store, high amount of daylight, batter cycle storage, feel of intrinsic storage and improve look. it
has been identified previously by the company that there is a greater link between wellbeing and
health of employees and improving satisfaction level of customers at store (Marks and Spencer
develops ideal day in the life of retail employees, 2018).
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As a part of well being lab, the company have worked with BuroHappold and The Crown
Estate in order to review the environment of internal store along with the external spaces around
stores (Warner and Afifi, 2014). the working environment and overall satisfaction level of
employees are directly linked with each other. If employees are provided with good working
environment, this helps in improving their productivity and performance along with their moral
and motivation level. Safety and security of employees is one of the very essential physical
workplace requirement. Providing employees with them will highly contributes in improving the
performance at workplace and also helps in developing a sense of satisfaction among them which
ultimately benefits Marks and Spencer in terms of increasing customer satisfaction as well as
enhancing sales and revenues of the stores.
So, both the above-mentioned initiatives of Marks and Spencers depicts that it invest high
amount of money in implementing various practices that contributes in ensuring health and
wellbeing of employees. From these initiatives, the firm gets various benefits in terms of
improving productivity and performance of not only employees but of organisation as well. This
also reduces employee turnover cost of company as satisfied employees never think about
leaving the organisation. This in turn improves profits and revenues of company (Carpitella and
et. al., 2018).
CONCLUSION
As per the above mentioned report has been concluded that human resource management is a
crucial aspect of any organisation that helps in managing workforce and various other functions
and activities of organisation. Health and wellbeing of employees is the most crucial aspect that
needs to taken into consideration by each and every organisation in order to satisfy employees
and keep them retain for longer term within organisation. Now a days, organisations invest high
amount of money in ensuring safety and wellbeing of employees. Organisations run various
campaigns related to health and wellbeing of people in order to aware them. Apart from this, the
company also partnered with another company so as to ensure that each individual is healthy and
fit at workplace.
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REFERENCES
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Pareek, U. and Rao, T. V., 2015. Designing And Managing Human Resource Systems, 3/E.
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Perez Arrau, G., Eades, E. and Wilson, J., 2012. Managing human resources in the Latin
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ŠIKÝŘ, M., Sekerin, V. and Gorokhova, A., 2018. Managing Human Resources Using the Best
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Kessler, R. and et. al., 2012. A hybrid approach to managing job offers and candidates.
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Palgrave international handbook of healthcare policy and governance (pp. 308-324).
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Carpitella, S. and et. al., 2018. Managing human factors to reduce organisational risk in industry.
Mathematical and Computational Application. 23(4). p.67.
Warner, K. and Afifi, T., 2014. Enhancing adaptation options and managing human mobility: the
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Online
Tesco expands wellness program to offer physical activity benefits, 2019. [Online]. Available
through: <https://www.hrdconnect.com/2019/07/18/the-effects-that-a-default-flexible-
working-policy-could-bring/>
Tesco partners with UK health charities to highlight workplace health program, 2018. [Online].
Available through: <https://employeebenefits.co.uk/issues/january-2018/tesco-partners-
uk-health-charities-inform-workplace-health-programme/>
Marks and Spencer develops ideal day in the life of retail employees, 2018. [Online]. Available
through: <https://corporate.marksandspencer.com/stories/blog/m-and-s-develops-ideal-
day-in-the-life-of-retail-employees>
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