We recently met up with Karen Meadows, one of our Wellbeing Champions and our first micro business to achieve bronze, at the local Health, Wellbeing and HR event, which we sponsored and hosted by The Devon and Plymouth Chamber of Commerce!
Since achieving bronze in 2021, Karen has been going above and beyond to ensure her employees are thriving in the workplace. Due to having such a small and remote team, Pushed see that it is really important to ensure that their employees are well, both physically and mentally to ensure positive productivity within their job roles and general wellbeing in and outside of work.
With all these actions and successes, Karen submitted her application to the Devon Women in Business Awards, for the category ‘Employer of the Year!’ Karen became a finalist at the awards, and came 2nd last week in the dinner at Buckfast Abbey!
Karen discussed with us the process of her application to win ‘Employer of the Year’. She explained her commitment to Wellbeing at Work within a remote team, being a Wellbeing Champion for her employees, attaining the bronze award for her micro business and how this has all implemented positive wellbeing in her workplace.
In no particular order, Karen suggested to us the things that she has implemented within the last year, since winning the bronze award.
“I have put in place annual appraisals, to support my employees, ensure that they know they are valued and their successes are recognised within the company. We also do annual health needs assessments, to make sure that employees are getting the support that they need whilst they work remotely; with this, we used the feedback from it and this year we purchased and sent out house plants to all of our employees to have in their office to improve morale and mental wellbeing.”
“Both of the directors within Pushed also attend 6 monthly wellbeing meetings within the team, which on a rota system a team member attends for a different perspective. As well as this, we have Ad hoc pizza lunches via zoom with all of the team, to boost morale and ensure that everyone is getting a proper break from their projects.”
“We also have 2 weekly meetings via zoom, one on Monday to discuss the week ahead and then one on Friday afternoon as a ‘wash up to the week’. For bank holidays, particularly this year, we have added the Queens funeral and Kings Coronation as additional bank holidays on top of their normal entitlement – when a bank holiday comes around we have an early Friday finish!”
“As well as all of the above, we do what we can as a small business for our employees to boost morale and let them know that they are a valued individual of the team by having sandwich lunches, team quizzes via zoom, we give out Christmas gifts such as hampers, birthday cards, sweet treats on Easter and also check in with our employees regularly for their wellbeing, particularly if we know a family member of theirs is unwell, in hospital etc”
Pushed as a business, also sponsored the category ‘Employee of the Year’, which put Karen as one of the judges!
“Not only were we nominated for such a great category, we also sponsored the ‘Employee of the Year’ category! I helped the judging panel decide on the winner, as well as present the award at Buckfast Abbey!
It was great to be involved in it all, but wow was the category hard to judge! There are so many amazing employees doing not only their day job – but going above and beyond in many other areas highlighting why they should be Employee of the Year.
I was particularly impressed to read that so many of the applicants demonstrate community and wellbeing as a priority! All in all, it was a great event and so proud to be a part of it.”
Whilst Karen has her Marketing Director role within Pushed and Wellbeing Champion role to support for her employees, Karen is also a mentee for the YMCA programme “Y’s Women” to support young girls between the ages 16-18 years old to be the best that they can be!
Amazing work Karen, not only ensuring wellbeing in your workplace but also to the next generation of ladies in business!
