Broadcaster Wendy Austin teams up with Inspire’s Director of Professional Services John Conaghan, and former GAA star Oisin McConville to launch Inspire’s Workplace Wellbeing Awards. The awards celebrate employers who champion resilience and wellbeing at work and will take place on Thursday 20 June at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
Former GAA star and mental health champion Oisin McConville will team up with broadcaster Wendy Austin for the second annual Inspire Workplace Wellbeing Awards.
The event champions innovation and commitment to wellbeing at work, by employers who believe in protecting and nurturing the mental health and wellbeing of employees.
The awards ceremony will take place on Thursday 20 June in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Belfast.
Hosted by broadcaster Wendy Austin, it will celebrate excellence in teamwork, wellbeing and support in workplaces across Northern Ireland, and will feature a special live interview with former GAA star Oisin McConville, about his footballing career and his own personal battle with a gambling addiction.
Speaking today, Oisin McConville said:
“Looking after the emotional wellbeing of employees is something that all employers need to be aware of, especially at a time where we are trying to encourage more openness about mental health and wellbeing.
“My own mental health battle left me feeling very isolated because I felt like I could not discuss it openly and kept it very much hidden from my team mates and colleagues. Today thankfully, things are changing.
“For employers to place an emphasis on the wellbeing of their team is something to celebrate and champion so that it might inspire similar action in other organisations. Building and supporting resilience in teams should be a combined effort.
“It’s an honour for me to be able to participate in Inspire’s Workplace Wellbeing Awards this year.”
Broadcaster Wendy Austin said:
“As a business broadcaster, I talk to so many people about their businesses and organisations and what makes them successful.
“One emerging theme we see now is increasing talk about resilience and mental wellbeing in the workplace.
“In today’s very competitive business world, employers understand that the wellbeing of their workforce will have an impact on the wellbeing of their business and that means supporting employees and their mental health.
“It’s so encouraging to see Inspire recognise those employers who are already doing this, and I hope it encourages similar action by others.”
John Conaghan, Director of Professional Services at Inspire, added:
“These awards, now in their second year, are an important public celebration of employers’ commitment to employee resilience and wellbeing.
“We launched our first ever awards in 2018 and the response this year when we opened nominations was phenomenal. So many organisations are putting the wellbeing of their employees at the heart of what they do, and it is encouraging to see the transformative effect that this is having in various workplaces.
“At Inspire Workplaces we have over 20 years’ experience in working with companies from across Ireland who have shown the value they place on their staff by investing in wellbeing, and we see the change that makes every day.
“The awards give us the opportunity to recognise employers that are going above and beyond the call of duty or doing something really innovative to improve and support a positive and resilient workforce. The more we celebrate approaches like this, the more they will become the norm.”
Eight awards categories will pay tribute to those organisations who have gone above and beyond in supporting positive mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. Those nominated in each category are listed below:
Excellence in Public Sector Workplace Wellbeing:
Belfast Met
Northern Health and Social Care Trust
North West Regional College
PSNI
SERC
NI Social Care Council
Education Authority
Excellence in Private Sector Workplace Wellbeing – large organisation:
Allstate
Hughes Insurance
Lagan Specialist Contracting Group
Excellence in Voluntary, Community or Social Enterprise Workplace Wellbeing:
Clanrye
Job Assist Centre West Belfast
Ulster Supported Employment Ltd.
Excellence in Local Government Workplace Wellbeing:
Antrim and Newtownabbey
PSNI
Promoting a Positive Wellbeing Culture:
Ashton Community Trust
HMRC
HNH
NI Water
NIMDTA
NI Blood Transfusion Service
PFNI
Queen’s University
Seaview Primary School
SERC
Hughes Insurance
My Pizza Slice Ltd
JMG Systems
Outstanding Employee Led Initiative:
HMRC
Queen’s University Belfast
SERC
Workplace Wellbeing Innovation Award:
Leckey
Musgrave
Northern Health and Social Care Trust
NI Water
PSNI
Queen’s University
SERC
Vital Nutrition
Education Authority
Inspire will also award a Lifetime Achievement Award which will be chosen by the Inspire Workplaces Board.