Wellbeing at Work Awards Criteria

If you are a medium or large organisation (a workplace with more than 50 employees), the following awards are available to you: Commitment (optional), Bronze, Silver and Gold.

For Bronze Award, 20 criteria must be achieved, all of which are mandatory and defined. At this level, you would have built the foundations for a healthy workplace with minimal financial investment.

For Silver Award, Bronze Award must have already been completed. 20 criteria must be achieved, and these criteria can be chosen by the organisation from a pool of optional criteria. At this level, you would have developed health and wellbeing in your workplace.

For Gold Award, Silver Award must have already been completed. 20 criteria must be achieved, and these criteria can be chosen by the organisation from a pool of optional criteria. At this level, health and wellbeing is embedded in your organisation.

List of Criteria

Each of the programme criteria are listed in the table below within their topic areas, and they can be identified by their unique ‘criteria number’. You can also access the full criteria for the Wellbeing at Work Awards in the Criteria Handbook, which includes ideas and useful resources to help you implement each criteria, and examples of evidence you may want to provide.

PA.B1

(Mandatory)

Raise awareness of the benefits of physical activity and active travel among employees, encourage staff to be physically active and signpost employees to support available.

PA.B2

(Mandatory)

Offer and promote initiatives that support alternative work travel arrangements, such as tax efficient cycle purchase schemes, public transport discount initiatives and/or season ticket loan schemes.

PA.SG1

Survey staff to understand how they travel to work, from work and during work.

PA.SG2

Provide adequate cycle parking or storage, for staff and visitors. 

PA.SG3

Partner up with local physical activity providers to enable discounted physical activity for staff, or provide physical activity opportunities for staff in house.

PA.SG4

(Double Weighted)

Produce an active travel action plan based on a workplace site audit.

PA.SG5

Encourage staff to wear footwear and clothing to work that is comfortable and enables activity, where is operationally appropriate.

PA.SG6

Support employees to access the outdoor environment by mapping and promoting any local assets that could be utilised for breaks and journeys to/from work.

PA.SG7

Offer led walks to employees.

PA.SG8

Provide cycle workshops.

PA.SG9

Introduce a mileage allowance for business journeys undertaken by foot and by cycle, as well as favourable mileage payments where there are passengers in a vehicle to encourage sharing/pooling.

PA.SG10

Provide adequate changing facilities and storage that are accessible to all staff.

PA.SG11

Share instructions of how to travel to events and meetings via public transport and/or active travel with attendees.

PA.SG12

Encourage staff to take part in team activity sessions, or physically active team challenges, that are inclusive to the whole workforce.

HE.B1

(Mandatory)

Provide adequate space for safe food storage, as well as clean, appropriate food preparation areas and facilities to heat food in the workplace.

HE.B2

(Mandatory)

Raise awareness of the benefits of healthy eating and hydration among employees, and signpost employees to support available.

HE.SG1

Make changes to vending machines in the workplace to encourage and facilitate healthier choices.

HE.SG2

Ensure healthy options are included in on site cafes or canteens, as well as in catering for events and meetings.

HE.SG3

Ensure kitchens and beverage areas are kept clean and are situated away from work areas.

HE.SG4

Encourage employees adopt healthy eating practices.

MH.B1

(Mandatory)

Produce a mental health action plan and share with employees, considering the following topics: breaking down stigma, stress management, sleep and suicide prevention.

MH.B2

(Mandatory)

Provide mental health awareness training to key members of staff.

MH.B3

(Mandatory)

Promote mental health services to employees that can support them with their mental wellbeing, including financial wellbeing initiatives, support or services.

MH.SG1

Train members of staff as dementia champions.

MH.SG2

Become a dementia friendly setting.

MH.SG3

Offer mental health awareness training to all members of staff.

MH.SG4

Signpost employees with mental health challenges or conditions to support services.

MH.SG5

Ensure that health and wellbeing are embedded into policies or statements that have the potential to impact staff wellbeing. Health and wellbeing are considered as a priority when developing new policies or statements.

MH.SG6

Have a flexible working statement or policy that allows employees a degree of autonomy and control over how work is completed and work schedules, where operationally viable.

MH.SG7

Allow and support employees to contribute a minimum of one day per year to volunteering activities, within working hours.

MH.SG8

Provide suicide prevention training to key members of staff.

MH.SG9

Encourage and support social activities and/or volunteering.

MH.SG10

Encourage honest and open conversations about mental health and wellbeing, including disabilities and health conditions. Foster a culture where employees feel comfortable to raise concerns about workplace issues.

AS.B1

(Mandatory)

Raise awareness of the benefits of stopping smoking and/or reducing alcohol consumption. As well as the impacts of alcohol, smoking and/or substance misuse on health and wellbeing. Signpost to support available.

AS.B2

(Mandatory)

Produce and promote a smoking statement or policy, after consulting employees, with a clear rules on smoking in the workplace, signposting to support services and the health risks of smoking.

AS.SG1

Signpost employees to confidential services for support with alcohol or substance misuse.

AS.SG2

Produce an alcohol and substance misuse policy or statement, regarding the use of alcohol and other substances at work that is clear, consistent for all roles and well publicised.

AS.SG3

Include a toolkit or resources on recognising and managing alcohol and drugs problems in the line managers inductions.

AS.SG4

Provide Alcohol Identification and Brief Advice (IBA) training to key members of staff.

AS.SG5

Prohibit staff from smoking in uniform, work badges, lanyards, branded materials or any item that may identify individuals as an employee of the organisation.

AS.SG6

(Double Weighted)

Create a smoke free site, including all open and outdoor spaces/grounds, that are clearly signposted as smoke free and steps are taken to ensure smoking does not happen on the organisation’s premises.

SA.B1

(Mandatory)

Produce a statement or policy on sickness absence, which includes clear and accessible procedures for reporting and managing sickness absence, and return to work. Share the statement or policy with staff.

SA.B2

(Mandatory)

Have processes in place for team leaders to agree regular contact with employees who are on sickness absence or maternity leave; and for team leaders to discuss return to work requirements with employees who are returning to work after a period of sickness absence or maternity leave.

SA.B3

(Mandatory)

Encourage eligible employees to access screening and other health services by sharing information and signposting.

SA.SG1

Review regularly the sickness absence data to identify trends and patterns, to identify areas in which intervention may be needed to support employees’ health and wellbeing.

SA.SG2

Make reasonable adjustments for employees that have a disability, long term conditions or MSK problem, or are experiencing difficulties with alcohol or substance misuse, to enable them to stay in work.

SA.SG3

Encourage employees whose sickness absence is expected to continue beyond 4 weeks to discuss with their GP or secondary care specialist any options for referral to support services such as physiotherapy, counselling or occupational therapy. If you have an Employee Assistance Programme and/or Occupational Health Service, you may encourage employees to access these instead.

SA.SG4

Offer referral to health rehabilitation and support services, (e.g. physiotherapy, counselling or occupational therapy) to employees that are likely to be absent from work for more than 4 weeks. Signpost them to other possible sources of expert advice and support relevant to their condition.

SA.SG5

Provide support for employees going through cancer treatment, or treatment for other long-term health conditions such as diabetes or depression.

SA.SG6

Offer NHS Health Checks on site to staff, or make an interactive health kiosk available for use.

SA.SG7

Allow all staff the flexibility to attend screening and other healthcare appointments during the working day.

SA.SG8

Offer or encourage vaccinations to staff, relevant to job role.

LM.B1

(Mandatory)

Agree a communication channel with staff where organisational updates, messages and changes are shared. Ensure there is a function to include employees in senior decision making.

LM.B2

(Mandatory)

Ensure all leaders in the organisation, including line managers, directors and board members, are committed to the health and wellbeing of their workforce, and champion positive health behaviours.

LM.B3

(Mandatory)

Conduct an annual staff health and wellbeing assessment, and promote two health campaigns or activities based on the assessment results.  Share the results with employees, with actions to be taken to improve any highlighted issues.

LM.B4

(Mandatory)

Encourage employees to take regular breaks away from their work, and foster a culture where this is deemed acceptable.

LM.SG1

Ensure health and wellbeing statements or policies are included in any induction, training and development programmes for new employees.

LM.SG2

Offer all employees the same opportunities with support, training, CPD, progression, secondment or personal development.

LM.SG3

Become a disability committed employer.

LM.SG4

(Previous Criteria Required)

Become a disability confident employer.

LM.SG5

Promote engagement with trade unions, professional bodies and employee organisations amongst staff.

LM.SG6

Ensure key members of staff are equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to support employees in their roles, and understand that facilitating employee health and wellbeing is also a central part of their role.

LM.SG7

Undertake activity to influence community health in a positive way and commit to social value initiatives.

LM.SG8

(Mandatory for Silver)

Conduct an annual staff health and wellbeing assessment, and promote two health campaign or activity per year based on the assessment results; plus one extra health campaign or event of choice.  Share the results with employees, with actions to be taken to improve any highlighted issues.

LM.SG9

(Mandatory for Gold)

Conduct an annual staff health and wellbeing assessment, and promote two health campaign or activity per year based on the assessment results; plus one extra health campaign or event of choice.  Share the results with employees, with actions to be taken to improve any highlighted issues.

LM.SG10

Provide cancer awareness training to key members of staff.

LM.SG11

Provide support for employees who have caring responsibilities for family members.

LM.SG12

Recognise, promote and support employees with aspects of healthy ageing.

LM.SG13

Raise awareness in the workplace of the environmental agenda.

LM.SG14

Produce statements or policies on bullying, harassment, whistleblowing and equality and diversity. Include procedures to ensure unfair treatment of employees is addressed impartially and as a matter of priority.

MSK.B1

(Mandatory)

Raise awareness of MSK pain and disorders, providing information on prevention and pain management to all staff (including signposting to support services and resources available).

MSK.B2

(Mandatory)

Ensure the organisation has procedures in place for reporting and recording MSK symptoms, as well as for making reasonable adjustments for individuals where an issue is raised. Share with staff.

MSK.B3

(Mandatory)

Produce a risk assessment for MSK conditions for your workplace.

MSK.B4

(Mandatory)

Nominate a designated party or employee responsible for health and safety, that ensures the organisation is up to date with current legislation.

MSK.SG1

Provide staff with access to referral for early assessment and treatment for MSK conditions.

MSK.SG2

Offer training, workshops or prevention programmes on the topic of MSK or aches and pains to employees.