Code of Practice

The World Health Organisation has set out five keys to healthy workplaces which it considers are essential to developing healthy workplaces.

  1. Leadership commitment and engagement
  2. Involve workers and their representatives
  3. Business ethics and legality
  4. Use a systematic, comprehensive process to ensure effectiveness and continual improvement
  5. Sustainability and integration

Based on these keys, and our thinking on wellbeing, we've developed this code of practice which wellbeing practitioners should look to follow to create positive outcomes from their work...

 

VOLUNTARY CODE OF PRACTICE: WORKPLACE WELLBEING PRACTITIONERS 

Professional Standards

As a professional workplace wellbeing practitioner, you should demonstrate commitment to the following outcomes in your professional practice.

Professional values and attributes

Develop your own judgement of what works and does not work in workplace wellbeing:

  • Reflect on what works best in workplace wellbeing to meet the diverse needs of all stakeholders;
  • Evaluate and challenge your practice, values and beliefs;
  • Inspire, motivate and raise aspirations of stakeholders through your enthusiasm, knowledge and advocacy of workplace wellbeing;
  • Be creative and innovative in selecting and adapting wellbeing strategies to help raise awareness of all stakeholders;
  • Value and promote social and cultural diversity, equality of opportunity and inclusion in workplace wellbeing policies and practices;
  • Build positive and collaborative relationships with all colleagues and other parties engaged in workplace wellbeing.

Professional knowledge and understanding

Develop deep and critically informed knowledge and understanding in workplace wellbeing theory and practice:

  • Maintain and update knowledge of your vocational area of workplace wellbeing;
  • Maintain and update your knowledge of empirical and anecdotal research to develop evidence-based practice;
  • Maintain your currency of local laws and regulations and assess their impact on the wellbeing and treatment of employees.
  • Evaluate your practice with others and assess its impact on workplace wellbeing;
  • Manage and promote a positive workplace wellbeing mindset and behaviours;
  • Understand and be committed to your professional workplace wellbeing role and responsibilities.

Professional Skills and Application

Develop your expertise and practical skills to ensure the best health and wellbeing outcomes for your organisation:

  • Plan and deliver effective wellbeing programmes in line with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) framework / model and other national derivations, where available;
  • Champion the following WHO’s Keys to Healthy Workplaces’ through key stakeholders, as further amplified here;
    • Key 1: Leadership commitment and engagement
    • Key 2: Involve workers and their representatives
    • Key 3: Business ethics and legality
    • Key 4: Use a systematic, comprehensive process to ensure effectiveness and continual improvement
    • Key 5: Sustainability and integration 
  • Promote the benefits of wellbeing healthcare technology and support employees in its use;
  • Evaluate the health and wellbeing needs of employees and work creatively to improve awareness and engagement;
  • Maintain and update your health and wellbeing skills / knowledge through networking and learning opportunities;
  • Contribute to broader organisational health and wellbeing development and improvement through sharing best practice and collaborating with others.

We want to know what you think about our code of practice. Is a wellbeing code of practice long overdue, or is it unnecessary? Is there something missing? Have you signed up to it?

Let us know in the comments below, or you can drop us a line.