National Stress Awareness Day 2025: Q&A on Wellbeing with HR & Operations Director, Sarah Whittle

Today (5 November) is National Stress Awareness Day. Set up by the International Stress Management Association, its mission is to raise awareness of the effects of psychological distress in the workplace and strategies to address it.

It’s also the day that the Keep Britain Working review is published, which was commissioned by the government to tackle the rise in ill health that is pushing millions out of work and costing employers billions every year.

It couldn’t be a better time to catch up with our HR and Operations Director, Sarah Whittle, to talk all things health and wellbeing at work and to find out some top tips on how to handle stress in the workplace.

According to the CIPD recent Health and Wellbeing at Work Report 2025, nearly two-thirds (64%) of organisations are taking steps to identify and/or reduce stress in the workplace. What does Freshwater do to help employees to manage stress at work and why is this important?

“Supporting our colleagues’ wellbeing is a top priority for us at Freshwater. We have formal policies in place, including our Wellbeing Policy and Stress at Work Policy, which set out our commitment to creating a supportive working environment.

Alongside these, we have a range of initiatives to help staff manage stress on a day-to-day basis. Our buddy system ensures new starters have someone to turn to for support, while our Freshwater Flex hybrid working policy helps colleagues balance professional life with personal commitments. Our ‘dress for your day’ approach allows people to feel comfortable and confident at work.

We also encourage a holistic approach to wellbeing. Wellbeing walks, social activities and spaces to relax in our offices all help colleagues connect, take breaks and look out for each other. These initiatives, combined with guidance from HR, our mental health first aiders and our People, Standards and Inclusion group, support staff in managing stress and maintaining a healthy work-life balance.”

 

The same CIPD report shows that the proportion of organisations with a stand-alone wellbeing strategy has increased from 44% in 2020 to 57% in 2025. How important is it to Freshwater to have a stand-alone well-being policy?

“We’ve always recognised the importance of supporting employee wellbeing and have had both a Wellbeing Policy and a Stress at Work Policy in place since before the pandemic. However, Covid-19 was a real turning point. During that period, we saw how stress and anxiety affected people in different ways and we learned a great deal about what meaningful wellbeing support looks like.

As a result, we enhanced and rebranded our approach across the Freshwater Group, introducing a revised policy alongside several new initiatives based on employee feedback. These included regular wellbeing newsletters with practical tips and guidance, food and nutrition sessions with trained experts and ‘lunch and learn’ sessions focused on physical and mental health. We also trialled yoga and pilates classes, breathwork workshops and cookery sessions exploring themes such as healthy eating and eating on a budget.

We partnered with Action for Happiness to deliver a series of wellbeing and resilience sessions, run as informal ‘afternoon tea and CPD’ and ‘lunch and learn’ events. We also introduced ‘Bring Your Whole Self to Work’ sessions.

Having a stand-alone wellbeing policy is important to us because it shows that wellbeing isn’t an add-on, it’s part of how we operate. We continue to listen to feedback and refine our approach, ensuring our policies and initiatives meet the needs of our team.”

 

Can you give some examples of the support offered to colleagues as part of the wellbeing policy?

“A wide range of initiatives underpin our wellbeing policy across both our Cardiff and London offices. These include our People, Standards and Inclusion Group (PSI Group), which meet regularly to discuss feedback and develop new ideas to enhance wellbeing across the business. Our trained mental health first aiders can also provide confidential support to colleagues.

We promote physical wellbeing through initiatives such as our Cycle to Work scheme, wellbeing walks and fitness challenges and by providing appropriate equipment such as adjustable or standing desks to ensure a comfortable working environment. Our new offices were designed with wellbeing in mind, with bright, open spaces and dedicated breakout areas to help colleagues take time out and recharge.”

 

According to the CIPD report, employers believe investment in employee wellbeing delivers measurable returns, including improved health and wellbeing (54%), increased employee engagement and reduced sickness absence (both at 39%) and enhanced performance (38%). What have been the benefits for Freshwater of investing in staff wellbeing?

“We’ve seen tangible benefits from our ongoing investment in staff wellbeing. Since introducing our enhanced Health and Wellbeing Policy and hybrid working approach, sickness absence has fallen significantly.

Over the last 12 months, our labour turnover has also decreased noticeably, down by two-thirds, showing that people are not only healthier but also more engaged and motivated to stay.

We’ve seen a clear uplift in productivity too, which reinforces the value of making wellbeing a core part of our business strategy. When our people feel supported and valued, they perform at their best and that benefits everyone.”

 

The CIPD report talks about the importance of supporting colleagues through different stages of life. What support is available to colleagues at different points in their personal and professional lives at Freshwater?

“We understand colleagues experience different pressures and challenges throughout their personal and professional lives and our aim is to provide support that recognises and respects that. Through our PSI Group, representatives from across the business raise issues and ideas on behalf of their teams to ensure everyone’s voice is heard.

We have a range of policies to support people through life stages including our period and menopause policies, flexible working arrangements and our commitment to the Mindful Business Charter, which helps promote a culture of balance and mutual respect.”

 

What do mental health champions do at Freshwater and how do they help colleagues feel supported?

“Our mental health champions are trained mental health first aiders who are available to listen, offer guidance and signpost colleagues to further support if needed. They play an important role in creating a culture where people feel comfortable talking about mental health. They work alongside our buddy system, PSI Group and HR team to ensure everyone knows there are safe and confidential routes to access support. Combined with our hybrid working and wellbeing initiatives, these champions help to foster an open, caring environment where people feel heard and supported.”

 

What does wellbeing at work mean to you personally?

“As an individual, personally, wellbeing means feeling well and feeling valued, which in turn makes me feel energised and positive about my daily outlook.

From a people management perspective, wellbeing means supporting our colleagues with physical, emotional and mental health and continually striving to ensure colleagues experience a culture that supports them in their own daily challenges and opportunities, so that, ultimately, they can hopefully feel positive about themselves and what they are achieving in their individual roles.”

 

And turning back to National Stress Awareness Day, what advice would you give to someone who is struggling to cope at work with stress?

“If someone is struggling with stress or finding things difficult, I would encourage them to reach out and talk to someone, whether that’s a mental health first aider, buddy, line manager or HR.

Sometimes just starting that conversation and sharing how you feel can make a huge difference and help you find a way forward.”