New initiative supports SMEs in building healthier workplaces
County Carlow Chamber of Commerce were delighted to collaborate with Chambers Ireland and Kilkenny Chamber to launch the new SME WellBusiness Charter – a free, self-guided programme to support SME’s in developing healthier workplaces.
The charter has been funded by the Department of Health, via the Healthy Ireland initiative – and was launched by Minister Jennifer Murnane O’Connor, TD with responsibility for Public Health, Well Being and the National Drugs Strategy.
Based on the principles of the Healthy Workplace Framework, the Charter is designed for SMEs and provides a dedicated online platform with practical guidance, tools, and training to help businesses embed effective wellbeing practices across their workplace.
The Charter aims to grow engagement with health and wellbeing in businesses, making it a strategic business advantage rather than a “nice to have.” By embedding wellbeing into everyday practice, businesses can realise tangible benefits, including improved retention, engagement, and enhanced performance.
In launching the programme in Carlow, Minister Murnane O’Connor stated:
“It is a real pleasure to be here today to launch the Chambers Ireland SME Wellbeing Charter, a free, self-guided programme designed to support Chamber members in creating healthier more productive workplaces.
Developed in partnership with Healthy Ireland, the Charter provides practical tools, training and guidance to help make a healthy workplace a strategic advantage for both people and business performance. Our vision is one where everyone can enjoy good physical and mental health, and where wellbeing is valued and supported at every level of society.”
Also speaking at the launch of the programme, Ian Talbot, Chief Executive of Chambers Ireland said:
“We are delighted to partner with Healthy Ireland to develop the SME WellBusiness Charter. Our research shows that many SMEs face barriers such as limited time, knowledge, and budget when it comes to implementing wellbeing initiatives. The Charter addresses these challenges by offering a practical, flexible framework to help businesses embed health and wellbeing into their culture and strategy—turning it into a real strategic business advantage. By creating a healthy workplace, SMEs can strengthen their teams, improve retention, and contribute to a more resilient and sustainable economy.”
The benefits of a healthier more resilient workplace such as improved morale and employee engagement are clear. In addition, research has shown that the return on investment is also a key factor for businesses to consider – for every €1 a business spends on employee wellbeing initiatives, there is a return of over €4.20 (and this rises as high as €6.70 for some activities).
‘At a time when the cost of doing business is a challenge we are all looking at ways in which to make our businesses more productive, profitable and sustainable. ‘ explains Norah Ryan, President of County Carlow Chamber of Commerce. ‘Taking a proactive approach to employee wellbeing is not only the ethical and responsible thing to do, it also boosts productivity and reduces the costs involved in staff turnover. It is a win/win for employers and employees.’
The launch event included a panel discussion on the value and impacts that having a healthy workplace strategy can have on businesses – hosted by County Carlow Chamber President, Norah Ryan of Barrow Consultancy & Training and featuring Nadia Martin of Netwatch, Eva Gallagher of MSD Carlow and Eoin Kelly of Mindaclient in Kilkenny. Each of these businesses have instigated proactive strategies on workplace wellbeing and gave insights into the positive impacts that these strategies have made not just on employee morale, but also on employee retention and productivity.
The charter provides businesses that have not addressed this issue formally, with a pathway forward – helping them to identify what they are doing well and where they can improve. It can also act as touch stone for businesses that already have a wellness strategy in place – assisting with metrics and providing ideas and inspiration.
‘ There are so many positives to the launch of this Charter – not only for the employees and businesses that sign up, but also for the providers of wellness support services.’ Says Nicola Doran, CEO of County Carlow Chamber. ‘ This charter brings the issue of wellness to the fore, and encourages more businesses to think strategically about how they can improve health and wellbeing in the workplace. Some of this they can do themselves internally – and some activities will need the support of expert providers. As we have seen from the research, the return on investment of spend on these expert services, makes a compelling business case for companies to invest. With this in mind we will be creating a listing of all Chamber members who provide relevant support services – making it as simple as possible for members to connect with the appropriate services locally.’
The Chambers Ireland SME WellBusiness Charter is a free, self-guided programme open to all Chamber members – visit www.chambers.ie to find out more.
Pic: © Michael O’Rourke Photography
Pic: © Michael O’Rourke Photography
Pic: © Michael O’Rourke Photography
Pic: © Michael O’Rourke Photography