Alliance Psychological Services Achieves the Better Health at Work Bronze Award
At Alliance Psychological Services, supporting the health and wellbeing of our colleagues is central to who we are and how we work. Over the past year, we have been building on the positive practices already in place, and we are delighted to share that our efforts have been formally recognised with the Better Health at Work Bronze Award.
We began our Better Health at Work journey in February 2025, with the aim of achieving the Bronze Award as part of the programme delivered by Stockton Borough Council in partnership with the TUC. The scheme provides a clear and supportive framework to help organisations improve workplace health, wellbeing and engagement.
Our starting point was listening to our colleagues. We launched a health and wellbeing survey across the organisation to better understand what was already working well and where additional support or focus would be most valuable. The feedback we received played a crucial role in shaping our plans and priorities for the year.
Using the survey results, we identified three key areas of focus: healthy eating, getting moving and mental wellbeing. A staff health and wellbeing group was formed, and together we generated a wide range of creative ideas to involve, educate and encourage colleagues to take steps big or small towards improving their health and wellbeing.
Throughout the year, we delivered a varied programme of activities and initiatives. These included healthy feasts, fresh juice tasting sessions, a hydration challenge, planting seeds, recipe sharing, step-count challenges, free physiotherapy taster sessions, a Stoptober webinar, free gym passes, “shooing the chickens”, and sharing information on making healthier choices and the importance of cancer screening. Our aim was to ensure there was something for everyone, recognising that wellbeing looks different for each individual.
Reflecting on the achievement, Ruth, our Human Resources Advisor, said:
“Achieving the Better Health at Work Bronze Award is a fantastic reflection of the commitment and enthusiasm shown by colleagues across Alliance Psychological Services. What has been particularly encouraging is how staff engagement and feedback have shaped our approach, ensuring our wellbeing activities are meaningful, inclusive and supportive. This award recognises not just what we’ve delivered, but the positive culture we continue to build together.”
Our activities and staff wellbeing newsletters were well received by the Better Health at Work assessors, who praised the breadth of our programme and the level of staff involvement. They also shared valuable feedback and suggestions to help us continue developing our approach in the year ahead.
Looking to the future, we have already acting upon our health and wellbeing survey results from this year and are planning even more campaigns as we work towards achieving the Better Health at Work Silver Award.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to this achievement, including our Health and Wellbeing Group members, Hirsch Tailor Physio, Queen’s Campus Gym, North Tees Hospital Stop Smoking Service, and the Better Health at Work Team at Stockton Borough Council. Their support, alongside the enthusiasm and participation of our colleagues, has been key to our success.
