Creating a reliable baseline measure for wellbeing that would support the basis of Network Rail’s ten year strategy to improve employee health and creating space to focus on the ‘health’ part of ‘health and safety’ inside a very safety-focused culture.

Engaging and gaining trust from employees in order to participate in a personal health and wellbeing survey. A focus on physical and psychological health, rather than behavioural safety was ‘new’, therefore positioning and communication was critical.

Rather than taking the traditional survey approach to collecting employee data, an online ‘Wellbeing Snapshot’ tool was made available to all employees to complete on an open, on-going basis. Upon completion employees immediately received a personalised report revealing their current levels of wellbeing and resilience, enabling them to track progress over time. The reports provided critical health information whilst also signposting existing support available to employees.

Simultaneously the wellbeing team aggregated and analysed the data, collating important management information that informed Network Rail’s attention and focus, both in terms of employee populations and areas of support. This included highlighting managers as a critical population to both increase engagement and create confidence for change. Robertson Cooper therefore supported Network Rail with building line manager capability by developing a training programme.