“The real magic behind Magenta is its culture of openness, inclusivity and fun it has built over the years.” ~ Simon Iatrou, communications director North America ~
It’s been a tough year, which is all the more reason to celebrate our victories. At Magenta, we are celebrating having been shortlisted at the UK Employee Experience Awards 2021 with our entry in the ‘Health and Wellbeing of Employees’ category.
Wellbeing is a massive topic for anyone interested in the workplace and employee happiness. The pandemic has put many workplace wellbeing schemes to the test and left some feeling isolated and stressed.
At Magenta, we certainly faced some challenges. For us, the team’s health and happiness has always been at the heart of our work, so it felt natural to come together to support one another during this trying time. With the move to homeworking, we introduced daily team check-ins, online fitness and meditation classes, an active WhatsApp group to share highs and lows, monthly Deliveroo team lunches, one-to-one wellbeing walks when allowed, and a monthly team gift as extra perks to make sure everyone feels appreciated.
Seeing the whole picture
As a creative agency, wellbeing is vital to our work. Real creativity demands that we engage and bring our whole selves to work every day. Stress, both from work and home life, can make that challenging. We take a holistic approach to wellbeing, supporting physical, mental, and emotional health. We also look out for social and financial wellbeing and creating a real sense of purpose in the team.
In addition to a free weekly exercise class, we are setting up a group walking and running challenges. Our wellbeing champions set up games and activities for both our monthly team lunches and ad hoc 2pm social calls. Our ‘Bank of Magenta’ cheque books, with perks such as ‘have a lie in’ or ‘breakfast on the boss’, enable line managers to issue tangible “thank yous” to those that deserve encouragement and recognition.
Every year, Magenta runs a workshop on how to manage personal finances, including one-to-one sessions with a financial adviser. We have a ‘Winter Warmer’ package that makes a financial contribution towards bills while homeworking. We also pay temployees in full if they need to take sick leave associated with the Covid-19 virus.
“Unlike other organisations I’ve worked in, mental health isn’t a taboo subject at Magenta. We operate within a culture of respect and understanding and we lead by example.” ~ Shahlia Nelson Rogers, client director ~
At Magenta, it has always been the little things that make a big difference, and it’s been wonderful to see that recognised. We have the privilege of having worked with many incredible clients through the years and have seen some amazing wellbeing schemes in action, so we know there’s a lot of competition out there for such an award. We are delighted to be shortlisted, but better still has been seeing the inspirational way so many workplaces and teams have come together over the past year.
The Employee Experience Award winners will be announced in May – fingers crossed!
