Presentation given by Mark Duddridge, MD of Ginsters and Jane Abraham, Healthy Workplace Advisor at European Centre for the Environment and Human Health. Workplace Trends Conference 2012: Wellbeing and Performance, Thursday 25 October 2012, One Bishop's Square, London, E1 6AD

1. Ginsters – Considering our
people as well as the place
Mark Duddridge – Managing Director
Ginsters
Jane Abraham – Healthy Workplace Advisor
University of Exeter Medical School

2. What is the overall goal?
Healthy, engaged Well-managed
workforces organisations
• A high-performing,
resilient workforce
• Enhanced productivity
Contributing to:
• A well-functioning society
• Better economic performance

3. What prevents us from working
The two most common reasons :
• common mental health problems
• musculo-skeletal problems
• Obesity related disease
– High prevalence across population
– Little or no objective disease or impairment
– Most episodes settle rapidly, though symptoms often persistent or recurrent
– Essentially whole people, with what should be manageable health conditions
– Psychosocial factors important – especially in chronic disability
– Long-term incapacity is not inevitable
– Prime target for Vocational Rehabilitation.
Plus other factors:
• Unhealthy workplaces, managerial attitudes, organisational behaviour,
poor leadership
• chronic diseases – mental and physical.
• lack of education and/or skills
• deprivation, poverty, lack of jobs
Similar problems occur right across the developed world.

4. But what does the future look like?
It is likely that by 2050 1 in 9 adults of
working age will be obese or overweight, and
the number of people living and working with
chronic conditions will rise steadily, affecting
morale, competitiveness, profitability.
In an increasingly competitive global
economy, only the healthiest businesses will
prosper. Companies that invest to support
employees’ health will be fitter to survive.
Retire at 68? Three-quarters of us will be too ill to even work that long...
February 11, 2010

5. The needs of the worker
• to be healthy enough to work
• safe healthy workplaces - physically safe
- emotionally healthy
• good work:
- job security
- work varied and interesting
- workers have some autonomy, control and
task discretion
- fair rewards (not just financial) for effort
- supportive social relationships
- worker engagement.
The various countries of the world are at different stages in
providing the above.
The nature of work is changing in many countries.

6. Definition of a Healthy Workplace (from ‘WHO
healthy workplace framework and model:
background and supporting literature and practice’ Joan Burton, 2010)
Environment Physical
Wellbeing
Psychological Social
Economic
A responsible business model

7. WHO Healthy Workplace Model

8. A new vision for health
and work
A Review of the health of the working-age UK population,
commissioned in 2007 by the Secretaries of State for Health and for
Work and Pensions.
“At the heart of this Review is a recognition
of, and a concern to remedy, the human,
Working for
a Healthier social and economic costs of impaired health
Tomorrow and well-being in relation to working life in
Britain.
The aim is … to identify the factors that stand
in the way of good health and to elicit
interventions, including changes in attitudes,
behaviours and practices – as well as services
– that can help overcome them.”
Working for a healthier tomorrow, 2008
Prevent illness, promote health, intervene early,
improve the health of the workless.

9. The workplace.
Findings of the Black
Review (2008)
• Patchy Occupational Health services
• No national standards available to employers when they purchase
occupational health or well-being services
• Poor understanding of HWWB initiatives for employers
• Employers unaware of the business case for investing in health
and well-being
• Accessible and affordable sources of support and advice rarely
available for small and medium-sized companies (SMEs)
• Employers inflexible about necessary adjustments for those with
disabilities or chronic disease
• Line managers’ behaviour crucial, but often little training
• Often no policy on supporting mental health
• Often no sickness-absence policies to enable early and sustained
return to work
And yet, the workplace provides great
potential for prevention & promotion

10. Black Review 2008:
Initiatives
All intended to help maintain health, well-being and productivity and keep
people in work.
• The Workplace – health promotion, disease prevention, attitude and
behaviour of managers, public sector as exemplar, OH fit for 21 st
century, help for Small and Medium enterprises, OH Helpline, focus on
mental health
• Early Intervention - “fit notes”, Fit for Work services
• Education and Training – all healthcare professionals, line managers
• Collaboration, joint working – across government, across sectors,
with Trade Unions, Council for Health and Work, Regional Co-ordinators
• Concern for next generation – working with schools and institutions of
higher education

11. Ginsters Today…
2300 Employees in Cornwall (Samworth)
Brand leader in the pastry market
Over 3 million Ginsters pastries per week
2 million delivery calls a year

12. Mission Statement
Our success depends upon our constant respect for people, quality and
profit.
We believe that our most important asset is our people. Every individual
will be treated with dignity and respect at all times, and be given every
opportunity to develop to their maximum potential.
We will continuously improve the quality of the facilities for our people,
the products and service for our customers, and the partnerships with
our suppliers.
We earn our profits to reinvest in the future of the business for the benefit
of our customers, our people, and the communities in which we work.

13. Our Approach
Motivation
• Family business with desire to be a responsible member of local community
• Attract investment and the best talent
• Develop our own staff
An Integrated Local Programme covering
• Local Sourcing
• Education
•Charity Links & programmes
• Health & Well Being
• Local Sport
• Social Support
• Environment

14. Healthy Workplace Project
“ I’ve always been a great fan of partnerships and this project at Ginsters is a great
example of how they can really deliver – even better than we could have imagined.”
John Turner. Council Leader. Caradon District Council

15. Ginsters Healthy Workplace Project…
when a project becomes a way of life
• Building trust with safe and pleasant activities
• Nurturing healthy behaviours both physical and emotional
• Permission to grow personally and professionally
• Better way of life for our staff and their families
• Increased employee engagement
• Helping the community to thrive
• Pride in the Brand and their peers

16. Ethos
‘To treat people as adults’
Educate and encourage
Offer opportunities
Provide choice
Non competitive and fun
Be truly inclusive
A board issue
An organic process rather than a
prescriptive one

17. Where did it all begin?
• Natural extension of the learning culture
• Workplace health assessments
• Audit current practices and procedures
• Linked into local authorities
• Understand barriers and enablers
• Staff unaware of key health issues
• Listening to our staff and identifying their needs
• Morally the right thing to do
• Make it sustainable

18. Some baseline data
To work with partners to provide the evidence to support the investment in
health promotion within a workplace
Initial data collected suggested
Perceptions of fitness vastly differed from the reality
Higher than average levels of raised blood pressure
Poor diet choices and nutritional awareness
Very poor fitness levels High % of smokers
Main reasons given for not being physically active
Not enough time No facilities available
I can’t be bothered I am already fit enough
I am too old at 40! I need someone to exercise with
The walk/cycle routes are unsafe
Of those that live within a 1/2 mile radius of Ginsters - 45% drive to work!

19. How to Act
• Map existing initiatives
– Absence management procedures
– Health promotion and occupational health
– Canteen – food available
– Flexible working
– Management practices
– Communication
– Stress management
– Audit of skills
– CSR activities

20. The process year 1
 Holistic and alternative therapies
 Baseline data – understand barriers to healthier lifestyles
 Active listening and engagement
 Audit policies and procedures
 Identify quick wins and introduce opportunities for free activity
 Involve families
 Free fruit available across business
 Communicate - noticeboards, team meetings, intranet, newsletters
to home address, plasma
 24 hour gym
 Rehabilitation and GP Referral
 Publish policies
 Highlight key health issues
 Work with local groups for additional funding to improve pathways

21. The process yr 2
 Encourage ‘natural’ peer influencers to take responsibility for
programme
 Facilitate activities and pass on 50% cost
 Health promotion campaigns linked to world health calender
 Occupational Health prevention programme
 Engage the ‘unengaged’ – re-evaluate
 Positive psychology and mental health training for all
 Incorporate CSR objectives into programme
 Volunteer programmes – elderly, natural environment, sports
coaches, homeless
 Support training for interested staff – smoking, climbing, weight
management, spinning
 Launch informal learning programme
 Improve canteen menu

22. The process yr 3
 Allotments
 Staff ownership
 Tackle difficult social health issues – domestic violence
 Live link to CAB and financial awareness courses
 Full cost of activities met by participants
 Work with disaffected young people
 Opportunities for migrant workers to explain culture to colleagues
and families
 Mentoring to chain of supply
 Link into education programme with schools
 Embed into everything Ginsters do
 Host events for business on healthy workplaces
 Continue to react and evolve to need

23. What are we doing?
• On site fitness suite
• Active workplace co-ordinator
• Around 15 regular physically based activities
• Taster Sessions (canoeing, horse riding, archery, orienteering, snowboarding,
scuba diving)
• New menus in Restaurant + Free Fruit for all staff
• Free water stations across the site
• Chiropody/Podiatry/Reflexology
• Smoking Cessation
• Slimming club and nutritional sessions
• Team games
• Dog walking, gardening, path clearing
• Fund raising for charities linked to activities
• Health Surgeries (Drugs, alcohol, BP, BMI, diabetes, audio and weight
management)
• Passion @ Academy - After Work Hobby Sessions (camera club, allotment talks,
holiday web search)

24. Successful employee engagement has led to
innovative activities
• Allotments on site
• Linked to employee development meetings
• Added to monthly board report
• Free Fruit for all staff
• Passion at the Academy
• Free use of bikes (adults and children)
• Slow running / walking clubs
• Own staff used as champions and trainers for beginners
• CAB Live Link
• Activities linked to raising funds for charity
• Promoted /celebrated via internal magazine, notice boards and weekly
briefing sessions
• Staff write their own accounts for company magazine

25. Business Case
Ginsters is able to demonstrate to other businesses the economic
viability of investment in health promotion within the workplace
2004/5 Insurance Premium Reductions (cost per eligible employee)
Health 2005/6 2006/7 2007/8
338.44 336.88 306.45 288.81
This is a direct result of the reduction in the number of claims by employees
Reduction in cost of Employer of choice
advertising and agency
fees indicate the trend of Year 2006 2007 2008
candidates approaching
Number of 2481 3641 3764
Ginsters direct and the Applicants
impact of excellent staff
Advertising Costs £507.43 £338.05 £181.26
stability

26. Business Benefit
• Engaged Employees – increased positivity scores by
10% in three years
• Reduced Costs of recruitment and selection(£9500pa)
just based on Labour turnover reduction
• Reduced Health Insurance costs (£10,000pa)
• Employer of Choice = less agency and advertising
(£10,000pa)

27. Ginsters Health & Wellbeing -
Summary
Learning and
Exercise Consultation/Advice Community
Development
Training Rooms School/Student Visits
Blue/Green Gym Referrals/Rehab/
Return to Work Open Learning On-line/virtual
Occupational Health/ Resource Bakery Visits
On Site Activities Medical Facilities
Private Consultation Engineering/Technical Student Projects
Rooms Resource Room
Allotments/Kitchens Mental Wellbeing Business to business
Massage Kitchen/Process
Rooms
Nutrition Passion at the Environmental
Cares Challenges Lifestyle Academy Management
Financial (CAB) Music/Laughter/Dram
a
Safety in the
Workplace

28. Learning captured and utilised
Assess and react to demands
Ensure people feel encouraged and not pushed
Safe environment with real people
Celebrate successes appropriately
Free at first, then introduce charges with buy in
Make it part of the learning and development programme
Involve families wherever possible
Promote, celebrate and update and communicate as
part of your normal communication strategy

29. Building trust and morale
• Commitment
• Local Investment
• Brand
• Visible investment in staff
• Fully inclusive
• Barrier/myth breaking
• Involves families
• Develops new skills/attitudes
• Confidence

30. In Summary
• Fun
• Better local partnerships
• Improved our health and well being and
also our wider communities too
• Sustainable
• One business!
• Confident and tough
A very good investment indeed!

31. What is the overall goal?
Healthy, engaged Well-managed
workforces organisations
• A high-performing,
resilient workforce
• Enhanced productivity
Contributing to:
• A well-functioning society
• Better economic performance

32. mark.duddridge@ginsters.co.uk
jane.abraham@pcmd.ac.uk
Mobile: 0044 (0)7703 886652