February 2022

Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Employee Survey - share your views

In our Equality Outcomes the council has given a commitment to:

• 'create and celebrate a diverse and inclusive workforce' and
• to make sure that  'black and ethnic minority people have increased representation within the council's workforce'

Thom Hughes, Senior Corporate HR Officer said: "Over the past year our BME Employee Network have been working closely with the Chief Executive Annemarie O'Donnell and Corporate HR to identify what actions we need to take to achieve these outcomes. 

"As part of  this commitment, the BME Network designed a survey to provide an opportunity for BME employees to have a voice and highlight their experiences of working across the council family services.

"The findings of the survey will help us to better understand the experience of working for the council and will help us to work towards meeting our objectives."

The Chief Executive has made a commitment that every BME employee will be provided with an opportunity to complete the survey to make sure  we hear from everyone. Managers and team leaders will be asked to provide around 30 minutes to staff to complete the survey.

Harjinder Gharyal,Divisional Director NRS andBME Leadership Sponsor said: "This is an important opportunity for BME employees to be a positive force in the development of a more inclusive and equal workplace - please take the time to do the survey."

Have your say - how to access the survey - by 23 March 2022

If you are BME please take time to complete the survey here.

Get involved

We will also be looking for BME employees to be part of a short term working group to analyse the data and help to develop the final report for the CMT, starting the week after the survey ends. If you are interested and have analytical skills, please let us know by emailing: BMENetwork@glasgow.gov.uk

More information

Find out more about the work of the BME Employee Network on Connect.

The Scottish Workplace Journey Challenge 2022, 1 to 31 March

Are you looking for a great way to get active, interact with colleagues, do your bit for the environment, and overall, have some fun?  Then join in this year's Scottish Workplace Journey Challenge.

We're looking for as many staff as possible to get involved in this Sustrans event.

• You can join our Glasgow City Council Workplace - which will pull together all our staff's goals - and compete against other organisations on the leader board.
• You can take part under our workplace as an individual to challenge your colleagues or join as a team and work together to reach your goals and gain rewards.

The #journeychallenge runs from 1 to 31 March, is free to join, and simple to take part in.  You can compete to clock up the most walking, scooting, cycling, public transport, car-sharing journeys - and if you are working from home, you can now compete with your daily exercise, leisure activities, school runs and trips to the shops!

This is a great opportunity to get active this Spring and try some new ways of incorporating exercise into your daily routine.

You can easily track all your progress on your own dashboard and access some great rewards such as Scotland Loves Local Gift Cards. All this will help you to get fitter, feel good, and do your bit for our environment.

Remember, share your pictures with us on Twitter by tagging @InclusiveGCC and #inclusivegcc #journeychallenge

How to Register

• Sign up now at: Scottish Workplace Journey Challenge Website.
• Register to Workplace: Glasgow City Council  (use the second one on the drop down list if given two options).
• Use your personal email to sign up so you can always access.
• You can create a service or smaller team under our Glasgow City Council Workplace, join a team already set up, or compete as an individual.

Logging a Journey

You can easily log a journey online:

• Click on the 'Log a Journey Button' at the top right of Scottish Workplace Journey Challenge Website. 
• Click on the boxes to select how you travelled and the purpose of your journey.
• You can adjust the date to enter journeys you made on previous days.
• Enter the journey distance, and whether your trip included any other significant sections. A return journey box is also included to save you time logging.
• Find out more about logging your journey, and how journeys are ranked, here.

More information

Find out more about the challenge at Scottish Workplace Journey Challenge Website.

Navigating Through Grief and Loss online webinar; available from 17 February 2022

Our Employees Assistant Provider, Workplace Options, offers a range of information and resources on health and wellbeing topics.

This webinar will help you discover ways to say goodbye and go through the five stages of grief in a healthy way. 

The webinar is available 'on demand' from 17 February 2022, there's no need to register in advance. Workplace Options webinars are pre-recorded; you can view the audio-visual presentation and download all accompanying materials at that time.

How to access

• Visit Connect to find the Workplace Option username and password
• Visit Work Place Options and click on MEMBER LOGIN at the top of the home page.
• Log-in and click on 'Online Seminars' to view available on demand webinars

More information and support

• Mygov.scot has a range of bereavement support and links to further help and advice
• Your Support, Your Way, Glasgow has information and links to support services and practical information about what to do and who to contact when someone has died
• Your Support, Your Way, Glasgow has a bereavement support leaflet available in multiple languages. 
• Cruise Bereavement Care Scotland offer compassionate bereavement and grief support in Scotland
• Childbereavementuk.org helps children, young people, and families, to rebuild their lives
•  Our Health and Wellbeing Handbook brings together bereavement, grief and loss, information and resources and recommended pathways to support
• You can access free, confidential, independent advice and counselling support 24/7 from our Employee Assistance Provider - phone WorkplaceOptionson: 0800 247 1100. Please note: to access Workplace Options online, please follow the process found on Connect.

9 February - Your Health and Wellbeing - Free interactive online training sessions

Places still available for February and March - sign up now

We have updated our Health and Wellbeing Training Programme to share with you the last few remaining places for a range of online sessions including: Good Money Management, Keeping Active at Work, Mental Health in the Workplace - Guide for Managers, Building Confidence and Hybrid Working.

There's also the exciting addition of new Mental Health Support sessions delivered by Breathing Space.

More information

Check out our  programme [751kb] for further details and information on how to book. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis.

9 February - Don't Wait: Stop Smoking - let's do this!

Smoking remains a leading cause of preventable diseases in Scotland.  The joint 'Don't wait' stop smoking campaign has been re-launched between Scotland's three largest health boards  - NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Lanarkshire, and NHS Lothian. 

The campaign focuses on the harms smoking can cause and highlights the free NHS stop smoking services available to support those who are ready to 'stub the addiction.'

If you are a smoker, stopping smoking is one of the most important things you can do to keep yourself healthy - and the health benefits start almost as soon as you stop.

It's never too late to quit. Don't Wait; Let's do this!

NHS help and support

Find out more information and advice about how to quit smoking at nhsinfom.scot

Find out how to get help from NHS Stop smoking advisors who can help you to stop smoking for good. Visit nhsinform.scot

You can contact the NHS Quit You Way  service free, Monday to Friday,  9am to 5pm, or phone  0800 84 84 84

Download the NHS Quit Smoking App

You can also visit your local Community Pharmacy for free stop smoking support

Support for staff

View our Smoke Fee Policy on Connect.

Find useful help and guidance in our Health and Wellbeing Handbook on Connect.

Our Employee Assistance Provider, Workplace Options,  can provide a free Smoking Cessation Pack as well as access to free, confidential, independent advice and counselling support 24/7.  Phone Workplace Options on 0800 247 1100 or visit Work Place Options.

2 February - Help us celebrate payroll giving with us this February!

Support your chosen charity with payroll giving - you can spend less but give more to your favourite causes because this scheme lets you do so tax free.

Get the feel-good factor now and join over one million UK employeessupporting over 200,000 UK registered charities. Click on the link below.

Join one million UK employees supporting over 200 000 UK registered charities today!

2 February - Take Time to Talk with a colleague this week

This week all staff across the council are invited to have a 'cuppa and a chat' about mental health with a colleague to continue to help break down the stigma associated with mental health.

Robert Anderson, Head of HR said: "Although Time to Talk day is 3 February, we want to build on the success of last year's campaign by bringing back our popular week-long 'cuppa and a chat' event to enable and encourage all staff to participate.

"It is a relatively simple but extremely worthwhile thing to do. You can arrange to catch up and have a conversation with your colleague or team in person where circumstances allow, virtually, or by phone.

"The most important thing is to take time to have a supportive conversation, to engage and connect with one another - it doesn't take much to show someone you are there for them to talk to and are willing to listen as well.

"I intend on meeting up with a colleague I haven't seen in a while to find out how they're doing and to talk about the changes in recent times to the way we work and live. The more we talk about mental health, the more we reduce the stigma and make it easier for those who need help to ask for it."

More information

Visit our Support Page for additional campaign resources and for tips on how to steer a conversation on mental health.

See our dedicated Workforce Wellbeing Support section on our website. You can access our Staff Website from any device with an internet connection. It has a lot of useful information to help improve your health and wellbeing including our Staff Health and Wellbeing Handbook.

2 February - Introduction to Project Management Workshops - sign up now

• Tuesday 8 February 2022, 9.30am to 12 noon
• Thursday 10 March, 9.30am to 12 noon

Projects are how we deliver change, improve our service and increase operational effectiveness. 

This virtual workshop, delivered through MS Teams, will introduce new and aspiring project managers to the theoretical principles of project management, develop your understanding of the project lifecycle and planning process and explore what it means to be an effective project and people manager.

More information - sign up now

Find out more, and how to sign up, on Connect

2 February - National Heart Month

Every Year, The British Heart Foundation (BHF) declares February as National Heart Month in the UK. The campaign aims to raise awareness about heart diseases and encourage people to look after their heart. 

The BHF's comprehensive statistics highlights that there are around 7.6 million people living with a heart or circulatory disease in the UK: 4 million men and 3.6 million women. 

Heart and circulatory disease cause more than 160,000 deaths each year in the UK.

The heart is one of the most important organs in our body, so it is important we stay aware and make healthy choices to keep our 'tickers' happy and healthy.

Small, everyday changes

The advice is to start small by taking at least 10 minutes every day to make small changes towards a healthier lifestyle. Aiming to be active daily for manageable 10 minutes per day will add up to the recommended 150 minutes of exercise per week for adults between 19 and 64, as recommended by the Scottish Government.

Simple everyday habits can make a big difference - from parking further away from the shop entrance or getting off the bus a stop earlier to eating more fruit and vegetables, and getting small chunks of physical activity into your everyday life.

More information

• Find out more about how to form good habits at Heart Research UK
• Find out more about heart disease from The British Heart Foundation
• Host a Wear Red event and raise money for research to keep hearts beating.

Support for staff

• Find more help in our Health and Wellbeing Handbook available on Connect.

2 February - World Cancer Day, Friday 4 February

The aim of World Cancer Day, an annual event, is to unite people, communities, and countries to raise awareness and take action against the global cancer epidemic. This year, the aim of campaign is to 'close the care gap.'

World Cancer day is led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) - with Cancer Research UK one of its thousands of members.

Around 10 million people die from cancer each year. More than one third of cancer cases can be prevented and another third can be cured if detected early and treated properly.  More than 65% of cancer deaths are happening in the least developed parts of the worked - even if you live in a more developed country, inequities still exist.  Therefore, we need to unit to close the care gap.

The more we know, the more progress we can make in reducing risk factors, increasing prevention, and improving cancer diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and care. 

Show your support

This year marks the 20^th anniversary of the foundation of Cancer Research UK. The charity is asking you to show support by wearing your Unity Band or make a donation.

Useful information and support

Find more information and support from the following organisations:

• Worldcancerday.org
• Cancer Research UK
• Macmillan Cancer Support
• Maggie's Centre

Support for staff

• Sign up here to our free Cancer Research UK Workplace Webinar on 21 February 2022, 2pm to 3pmand 22 March 2022, 2pm to 3pm -both taking place onMS Teams
• You can access free, confidential, independent advice and counselling support 24/7 from our Employee Assistance Provide, Workplace Options. Phone
• 0800 247 1100 or visit Workplace Options at  https://www.workplaceoptions.com/
• Our Health and Wellbeing Page on Connect  highlights services offered to help people through their cancer journey. Visit Connect at http://connect.glasgow.gov.uk/article/27208/Workplace-Health--Wellbeing
• Our Health and Wellbeing Handbook brings together a wealth of health and wellbeing information and resources and recommended pathways to support. Access the handbook here.

31 January to 4 February : take 'Time to Talk' this week

Time to Talk day is about starting conversations about mental health. Talking and listening are at the heart of the day and we can all support and empower one another by having these conversations.

As we continue to live through unusual times it is vital that we continue to actively connect and engage with each other.

Following the success of last year's 'cuppa and a chat' event, we are again asking you to take some time out of your week from 31 January to 4 February to connect with a colleague - either virtually, physically or over the phone.

Staff Support

'Time to Talk' conversation starters

• Do you think the pandemic has made it easier or more difficult to speak about your mental health?
• What changes have you faced over the past 24 months in both your work and personal life?
• Can you think of any times where a small gesture has really helped your mental health? If so what was the impact and why did it make a difference?

Campaign Resources

•  Time to Talk poster 2022 [856kb]
•  Conversation Tips poster [1Mb]
•  Conversation Starter Game [828kb]
•  Interactive Bingo [479kb]
•  Tip Card [801kb]
•  True or False Questions [2Mb]
•  See Me Managers Guide [208kb]

Further Information and Support

• For further information on 'Time to Talk' visit www.seemescotland.org
• Visit our health and wellbeing staff support section at glasgow.gov.uk/staffupdates
• Employee Assistance Service - Workplace Options, free professional confidential support available for staff 24/7 to discuss any issue you are experiencing 0800 247 1100 (LGBT helpline 0800 138 8725, BME helpline 0800 288 4950 and Bullying and Harassment helpline 0800 042 0135)
• NHS 24, for urgent health advice out of hours when your GP Practice is closed, phone 111 (24/7)
• Breathing Space, free confidential phone line for anyone in Scotland feeling low, anxious or depressed, freephone 0800 83 85 87 (open 24 hrs at weekend, 6pm-2am weekdays) website: www.breathingspace.scot
• Samaritans, free confidential support and a safe place to talk about whatever you're going through, freephone 116 123 (24/7) email: jo@samaritans.org, website: www.samaritans.org