Boosting staff wellbeing

Assess baseline issue

• Staff surveys (paper, online or face to face) can establish current wellbeing, and examples of actions that staff would like to take forward.
• The size and cost of the project is less important than the sense it can engender of an idea being listened to and valued, and the sense of being enabled to take positive green action at work.

Discuss staff wellbeing

• Consider using away days or team meetings to discuss staff wellbeing, and green projects as a positive response.
• Ask staff to prioritise. 

Gather ideas and assess interest in specific projects

• Ideas might include projects around development of green spaces, access to bikes and bike equipment such as storage or charging, bike repair sessions, staff and patient information sessions on local green ideas and options, or habitat protection.
• All can enable staff to feel more positive about their work, their employers, and the climate and nature crisis as it allows them to feel less powerless and more constructive.

Check for funding

• Check with partners and if local community organisations have any funding opportunities or resources for support. For example, Sustrans offers free bike maintenance and repair sessions (Dr Bike) to primary care or see other examples in links in the ‘Why’ section above.

Decide on a metric of success

Decide what your metric of success might be, for example:

• Assess impact on staff wellbeing
• Staff sickness rates
• Environmental impacts such as increased biodiversity of green spaces
• Fewer car miles if bikes are provided
• Improved patient outcomes

Study

Review the results, summarise learning, share with practice team and decide if any changes are needed to improve the process.

Decide when to re-audit again to ensure the change has lasted e.g. 2-3 months and use the Project Monitoring form to keep track.

Many practices run automatic searches at regular intervals – speak to your practice team about including this project in those searches.