Background 

Pernod Ricard UK (PRUK) has long championed employee wellbeing, in alignment with its corporate mission to Create Conviviality and the principle of being Committed to Care. Starting in 2011 with a focus on physical wellbeing, PRUK’s initiatives evolved significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic as mental wellbeing emerged as a critical concern. Employees faced new challenges, from balancing work and family demands like home-schooling to dealing with COVID-related illness.

These struggles were highlighted through HR conversations and anonymous feedback during company town halls, revealing a gap in mental health support. By 2021, despite existing efforts, employee engagement surveys showed mental wellbeing remained a challenge. Recognising the need for more targeted support PRUK embarked on a mission to enhance its wellbeing programme to better address the evolving needs of its employees.

Approach 

In response to the 2021 survey results PRUK partnered with Unmind, a workplace wellbeing platform focused on mental health. The Unmind platform offers employees free, confidential access to 1:1 counselling and therapy sessions without the need for GP referrals. It also provides resources such as guided meditations, stress-reduction exercises and educational materials.

“Pernod Ricard UK’s partnership with Unmind transformed mental wellbeing support, delivering lasting impacts on employee engagement and wellbeing”

Implementing Unmind required a multi-phased approach. The HR team secured executive backing and engaged stakeholders, including Mental Health First Aiders and the technology team. To overcome the challenge of remote working during COVID PRUK used webinars, intranet articles and direct communication from the CEO to ensure a smooth rollout. Access to the platform was made effortless with the integration of the Unmind app onto employees’ corporate phones with a single sign-on. PRUK continuously analysed platform data to adjust the level of support, increasing the number of available sessions and offering services like couples therapy to further support employees’ wellbeing.

Outcome

The results were overwhelmingly positive. In the first 90 days 36% of employees engaged with Unmind, with over 250 therapy sessions and nearly 500 mood check-ins. Employee feedback was stellar, with 100% saying they would recommend the platform. In the following engagement survey scores related to employee wellbeing rose by six points and outpaced the industry average by 12 points. Wellbeing was cited as one of the organisation’s top three strengths.

The sustained success of the initiative is reflected in the growth of Unmind’s usage, now facilitating over 130 therapy sessions each month. The success in the UK has prompted expansion to other Pernod Ricard regions, including the Nordics, Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern LATAM, ensuring the long-term sustainability of this wellbeing commitment.