Your Job Can Be Good For You: Santander
Establishing an environmental dimension of integrated wellbeing
What Santander UK did
Santander UK is in the process of finalising the build of its new head office, Unity Place in Milton Keynes, with environmental wellbeing a core objective for the project.
The building is on target to achieve both BREEAM ( the world’s leading science-based suite of validation and certification systems for a sustainable built environment “Excellent” and the International Well Building Institute’s (WELL) ‘Gold’ ratings for its environmental and wellbeing performance, with a large focus on biophilia to support the health and wellbeing of its 6,000 occupants. This includes re-landscaping of the site to introduce additional trees to increase the connection to nature. While a fitness centre, cycle storage facilities, and an employee rooftop walking and running track are included to encourage active travel and lifestyles.
The benefit for business
When the office opens in early 2023, Santander UK is expecting a world-class working environment that will encourage collaboration and increase productivity. Through the facilities provided this should also offer a range of benefits to support the health and wellbeing of Santander employees while helping to attract the next generation of talent.
The campus will become a hub for Santander UK and the local community, including local businesses and the planned Milton Keynes University. Its public facilities will include: coworking, auditorium, retail, dining, community hall, health, and fitness spaces, providing wider wellbeing benefits beyond Santander UK and its own employees.
How Santander UK used the Workwell Model
Business in the Community’s (BITC) Workwell Model brings together five enablers that support ways of working which drive long term wellbeing, and four organisational values to operationalise ‘better’ work, underpinned by sustainability.
The Five Enablers
- Open Dialogue and Feedback with employees on the design
- Collaborative Individual Focused Approach, including the use of hybrid working at Unity Place
- Focus on Relationships – an ‘urban market’ was created to prioritise social connections and informal communications
- Positive Physical Environment – nature has been built into the design
- Measuring & Monitoring – there is an annual employee survey for feedback
The Four Values
- Empathy and Compassion – The new office represents our compassion for creating a thriving workplace for our staff
- Inclusivity and Equity – encouraged through state-of-the-art facilities design
- Trust and Appreciation – encouraged through state-of-the-art facilities design
- Authenticity – We will seek feedback on the new office and make changes as required
Next steps
- Download the Your Job Can Be Good For You report
- Register your interest in being part of the wellbeing at work revolution
- Read more Your Job Can Be Good For You case studies.
- If you are a BITC member, contact your Relationship Manager to discuss the support we can give you to create a workplace that is good for your employees.
- If you are not a BITC member, contact our Advisory Team to learn how BITC’s Wellbeing Advisers can support your organisation to develop and implement effective health and wellbeing strategies.
rEVOLUTIONISE POSTIVE MENTAL HEALTH
AND WELLBEING AT WORK
