Five Star Wellbeing Audit

The audit process forms an integral part of our overall wellbeing programme of audit, training and digital learning services within the Being Well Together programme.

The audit structure and model are aligned with the structure of our suite of best practice audit products, which include health and safety management, environmental management and sustainability, process safety management and fire safety management.

Utilising relevant expertise, experience and acknowledging aspects of internationally recognised wellbeing performance standards (including ISO 45003, CIPD model, etc.) we have developed a unique Five Star Wellbeing Audit model that objectively evaluates wellbeing policies, protocols and arrangements against current best practice techniques. The audit model is reflective of the recognised PLAN – DO – CHECK – ACT management cycle.

The audit focuses on the key aspects of an organisation’s wellbeing performance and offers a structured path for continual improvement towards best practice status. The audit examines key aspects of health, safety and wellbeing and provides evidence-based outcomes for organisations to develop their overall approach to wellbeing across the business.

The audit is designed primarily for low safety risk organisations and focuses on wellbeing performance.

Health and safety risks in every organisation and can impact wellbeing performance. The audit will therefore examine the key aspects of an organisation’s integration of health, safety and wellbeing and offer a structured path for continual improvement towards best practice status.

For medium to higher risk safety organisations who also want to look at their wellbeing performance, we offer a Five Star Wellbeing Supplementary Audit to complement our Five Star Occupational Health and Safety Audit, which will ensure the organisation’s health, safety and wellbeing structure and arrangements are comprehensively reviewed.

The Five Star Wellbeing Audit is undertaken using the following process of objective verification.

The auditor will review all aspects of the organisation’s wellbeing management processes and supportive arrangements against the requirements of the Five Star Wellbeing Audit specification. The auditor will also assess the effectiveness of implementation of these arrangements through observation of relevant agreed site(s) and sampling of operational activities.

During the audit process, management, staff, and relevant stakeholders will be interviewed (as agreed) informally and formally, to discuss aspects of wellbeing management performance relevant to their roles and responsibilities.

After the interviews, a consolidation and verification exercise will be undertaken to enable organisations to respond the auditor’s questions, queries and provide additional documentation if required.

A subsequent report is produced identifying the strengths and areas for improvement within the organisation’s wellbeing management arrangements, focusing on key outcomes, observations and recommendations for continual improvement.

The audit model is based upon the recognised Plan – Do – Check – Act (PDCA) management cycle and is aligned with our Five Star suite of best practice audit products.

The four sections of the audit (leadership, commitment and planning / implementation / performance monitoring / evaluation and continual improvement) are based upon the PDCA component elements and are also inclusive of the recognised five domains of wellbeing, namely:

• Health
• Good Work
• Values and Beliefs
• Relationships and Voice
• Personal Growth

Each section is made up of a number of individual component elements relative to the overall theme of the section.

The recommendations arising from the audit against the criteria requirements of the Five Star Wellbeing Audit, are presented within the audit report. The report identifies the strengths and areas for improvement within the organisation’s health, safety and wellbeing management systems. The report also includes observations and recommendations, together with action planning, for consideration, together with a quantified (graded) outcome.

It is becoming increasingly recognised that poor employee wellbeing not only results directly in increased costs to an organisation, through increased working days lost, having a less engaged and therefore a less productive workforce, and having increased levels of presenteeism, but also increases the risk of accident or injury. The business benefits of implementing wellbeing programmes are also becoming clearer. Deloitte’s research suggests an average Return on Investment (ROI) of 4:1 from such programmes and Anglian Water recently reported an ROI of 8:1 from their wellbeing programme.

The issue of employee wellbeing has quickly moved from being an internal HR function to a priority issue for top management within organisations.

The Five Star Wellbeing Audit offers organisations an independent benchmark analysis of their current status relating to wellbeing management and associated arrangements. The audit will provide a structured route toward best practice in this aspect of management and will enable an organisation to prioritise resources accordingly.

The audit outcome will also provide stakeholders (both internal and external) with confirmation of the organisation’s commitment toward employee wellbeing and business improvement overall. Achieving a five star rating gives you the opportunity to apply for the prestigious Shield of Honour award and be recognised as the ‘best of the best’.