Perks of the Job
The first of our four Cornerstones of Success is ‘The Capacity, Recognition and Wellbeing of our People’.
The collective talents and potential of our people is key to achieving our purpose and mission.
Our colleges are populated by talented people who care deeply about improving the lives of others through education and training. Ensuring that we can attract and retain talent with the right values and guiding behaviours is essential to be able to achieve our purpose and mission.
We support our leaders and managers to ensure that they have the right tools to improve recruitment and retention.
We want to ensure that our people are well-led and motivated by ensuring that our leaders and managers are developed through effective ‘Determined to Lead’ programmes.
We want the Lincoln College Group to be an extraordinary place to work and for people to be happy because they are genuinely cared about and supported to perform to the best of their ability.
We want people to feel invested in with targeted and timely professional development opportunities.
We want our people to be healthy, well-rewarded, well-recognised and well-informed.
We want our people to be reflective of the local communities we serve.
We want to recognise and celebrate diversity ensuring that the needs and expectations of our people are met.
Our flexible benefits package has been designed around the things our people value most to give them choice around what they need to live well at work, rest and play – they have access to all these benefits from day one.
To support our people to have a healthy mind, body and workplace, our benefits package has six main elements:
Mental Health First Aiders
One of the key strategic aims of the college’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy - Staff and Students was to achieve a cohort of Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) that support both staff and students. The MHFA scheme was first launched during the summer of 2019 and we now have over 72 MHFA’s.
The role of a MHFA is to be a point of contact for an employee or student who is experiencing a mental health issue or emotional distress. This interaction could range from having an initial conversation through to supporting the person to get appropriate help. As well as in a crisis, MHFAs are valuable in providing early intervention help for someone who may be developing a mental health issue. Our MHFAs are not trained to be therapists or psychiatrists but they can offer initial support through non-judgemental listening and guidance.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Staff and Students
Our Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy is in place to support both staff and students. The vision of the strategy is to have an extraordinary whole-organisational approach to the Mental Health and Wellbeing of all Lincoln College staff and students. Our leadership, policies and procedures seek to minimise the triggers for poor mental health, promote wellbeing and equip our College community to build confidence, resilience and knowledge, enabling them to be mentally healthy and exceptionally well prepared for work. The mental health and wellbeing strategy is monitored by the Strategic Mental Health & Wellbeing Working Group - Staff & Students
Mental Health and Wellbeing Toolkit for Managers
Our Mental Health and Wellbeing Toolkit for managers brings together a variety of mental health related resources from organisation such as Mind, Remploy, Mindful Employer and CIPD). It is designed to support managers to promote wellbeing for all staff, tackle the cause of work-related mental health problems and support staff who are experiencing mental health problems.
Mindful Employer
Lincoln College are among the hundreds of employers who are signatories to the Charter for Employers who are Positive About Mental Health.
The Mindful Employer Charter is for employers who are positive about mental health.
The Charter is a voluntary commitment. It's not an accreditation, award or a set of quality standards but is about working towards the principles of it – signing up is a step along a journey not the end of it.
View our Mindful Employer Certificate to find out more about our commitment to mental health
AoC Mental Health Charter
Lincoln College has made a commitment of support to adopt the AoC Mental Health Charter framework, championing a whole-college approach to student and staff mental health and wellbeing.
Annual Employee Health and Wellbeing Survey.
An annual staff survey (based upon the HSE's Management Standards approach) that uses the responses to understand the college’s risk profile for work related stress.
The results are evaluated at whole college level, by department (where respondent numbers allow), and by staff group.
Obtaining and understanding this information helps us to identify areas to improve to prevent and manage work-related stress.
Reflective and meaningful results help to inform localised Health and Wellbeing Action plans and whole college initiatives.
Health and Wellbeing as a fixed agenda item on all team meetings.
Cross College Health and Wellbeing Champions to feedback staff ideas.
Comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) including free access to telephone counselling services.
People Services Calendar of Events
The 2023-24 People Services Calendar of Events includes promotion of awareness days such as Time to Talk Day, Race Equality Week, National Employee Appreciation Day, Neurodiversity Celebration Week and World Cancer Day. Throughout January the People Services team plan a month-long calendar of promotions and events to ‘Reboot’ staff for the new year. Each week of Reboot focuses on a different theme – Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Healthy Finances etc. During January 2024 staff have had a number of ‘freebies’ such as free fruit Wednesdays and free acupuncture treatments. For ‘Blue Monday’ staff were encouraged to participate in the Samaritans Brew Monday event. To encourage staff to take some time out over a ‘cuppa’, the People Services team delivered a ‘brew box’ consisting of tea, coffee, milk, biscuits and hot chocolate to each team across the College. In addition, staff have had access to free exercise classes through Deans, Menopause Cafés, Menucation, complementary medicine treatment and advice, free health and beauty treatments and promotional events via Live Like Loyalty, Salary Finance, Octopus and Payroll Giving.
Menopause Support
Menopause in the workplace – let’s talk about it
Coping with menopausal symptoms at work can be tough and some women are, understandably, reluctant or even afraid to talk to their employer about it.
With around 3.5 million women aged between 15 and 65 years currently in employment in the UK, women now represent nearly a half of the UK labour force. That surely makes menopause mainstream and as important as any other occupational health issue.
We're therefore aiming to raise awareness of the menopause and ensure that all staff feel supported at work.
As part of World Menopause Day 2021, Kerri Robson (People Services Manager) was pleased to announce the introduction of:
The Lincoln College Group Menopause Support Hub
Regular Menopause Cafes
Workplace Menopause Champions
Wellbeing of Women Workplace Menopause Pledge
Our staff have access to a range of support and advice via The Lincoln College Group Menopause Support Hub. Staff experiencing menopause are able to get together with other employees through monthly Menopause Cafes, which are supported by Workplace Menopause Champions.
To further demonstrate our commitment to supporting employees and raising awareness, we've signed the Wellbeing of Women Workplace Menopause Pledge.
In signing the pledge, which was launched in October 2021 by Wellbeing of Women, we have committed to:
Recognising that the menopause can be an issue in the workplace and women need support
Talking openly, positively and respectfully about the menopause
Actively supporting and informing our employees affected by the menopause
Heavily discounted membership to our onsite Deans Sports and Leisure facilities.
Cancer Buddy Scheme
Check4Cancer
Occupational Health
Free Eye Test
CycleScheme
Bike2Work
Flexible Working
Relaxed Dress Code on Friday’s and during Non-Term Time
Promotion of college policies and factsheets available to staff, providing useful support, contacts and information.
Health and Wellbeing as a fixed agenda item on all team meetings.
Special Leave of Absence Policy, which supports staff with additional time off to deal with personal or urgent issues.
Flexible Ways of Working Policy which promotes flexible working options for all staff from day one of employment.
We're happy to talk Flexible Working and have flexible working practices in place that go beyond statutory requirements.
Relaxed Dress Code on Friday’s and during Non-Term Time
Wellbeing day added to all annual leave balances
Payroll Giving
Buying & Selling of Annual Leave
Staff Social Events - End of year staff BBQ and Christmas events
Free Costa Coffee for all new staff
Car parking space on day one for new staff
Download the Flexible Working Guidance posters here.
Live Like Loyalty Benefits Platform
Discounted Membership at Deans Sport & Leisure
Tusker Cars Scheme
Octopus Electric Car Scheme
Cigna Dental Plan
Salary Finance
Westfield Health
Big Bus Deal
Cushon
Free Eye Test
TechScheme
CycleScheme
Bike2Work
Buying & Selling of Annual Leave
Flexible Working
Free Costa Coffee for all new staff
Car parking space on day one for new staff
Arthur J Gallagher
Discounted local parking for staff
20% discount at The Old Bakery
The College recognises the need for effective policies which play a key part in supporting an appropriate work-life balance and during important family moments in life, such as pregnancy, caring responsibilities and adoption. We therefore have a number of generous policies (Special Leave, Flexible Working, Family Schemes) in place which aim to effectively support our people with their family commitments.
The People Services Calendar of Events also comprises of monthly reward and recognition competitions and prize giveaways to staff which have included National Trust Memberships, Lincoln City Hospitality Tickets, FitBits, Sleep Hampers, Cadbury Christmas Hamper, £50 voucher for the Old Bakery, Driving Experience for 2, Cooking Books and Mindfulness Colouring books. Random Acts of Kindness Day, the People Services team will be giving away small prizes to staff at random throughout the month. Prizes include £5 vouchers for lunch at Cornerhouse, free hair and beauty treatments, free complementary medicine treatment and numerous prizes to recognise staff and support their wellbeing.
Spotlight Awards
Shining a light on extraordinary performance, the Spotlight Awards are designed to encourage recognition for employees when they go the extra mile. Each Spotlight Award winner will receive a £50 voucher and an invitation to the next Achievement Event whereby they will be presented with their certificate. The Team Award winners will be presented with the usual Team Trophy by a member of GLT.