Meet Barclays: Finalists for Employer of the Year in our Annual Business Awards
What's made them Finalists
Employee wellbeing is integrated throughout the firm’s initiatives in building a conducive, safe, and positive workplace culture where employees feel heard, included and taken care of. This spans across work flexibility, accommodating health conditions, career progression, employee engagement, as well as looking out for employee healthcare, growth opportunities and career progression.
Inclusivity, Wellbeing and Career Growth
Barclays well-rounded, innovative wellbeing initiatives to encourage career growth include The Progression Tool, a digital career development tool for employees to assess their current skills against their current role or match them against roles they are keen on so they can look into skills gaps. Promotion clinics provide guidance to employees around the requirements of the promotion process and actions they can take to personally grow their careers.
This is supplemented by yearly performance management reviews that opens space for conversation with their line managers, giving colleagues the opportunity to discuss performance and personal career development goals. In efforts to encourage continuous learning, permanent employees are provided with support for global study where the professional qualification or external course is directly related to the role, personal development and provides clear benefits to the business.
Additionally, the organisations Be Well Programme provides wellbeing resources for employees with curated learning content including mental health and fitness modules, creating supportive culture at work modules. Managers are also provided with briefing packs to refer employees to the support available both internally and externally with Be Well related sessions organised on a regular basis.
Empahsis on Employee Health and Welfare
Barclays flexible work initiatives allow for changes in the number of hours or days worked as well as the time spent working from home or at the office, including support through equipment or revised work hours those with disabilities, health concerns or mental health conditions based on professional medical advisory. The introduction of MindFi, a community cantered wellbeing mobile app, provides 24/7 mental health support and their assistance programme (EAP) a service delivered by a third party, provides free, confidential, and impartial advice for employees and their immediate family members.
The organisations commitment to taking care of employee health goes beyond pensions and medical insurance - covering maternity, IVF treatment, adoption, and newborn expenses on top of health screenings. Going the extra mile, childcare support programme allows employees to enjoy discounts and privileges on regular childcare services, while a new digital platform lets employees purchase insurance plans for aging parents and pets. Barclays also ensures that employees voices are heard through employee engagement surveys conducted internally which includes a category on Wellbeing, where employees can feel safe about express their views through providing anonymous feedback.