Cwmni Da

“Since linking up with RCS, the support and help I’ve had, and the information I’ve been able to share with my work colleagues has been fantastic. From having 4 new Wellbeing Champions on board, to sharing RCS’s number with members of staff who needed to talk to an independent professional, RCS have contributed so much, at such a tough time for so many” says David Parry Evans, General Manager of Cwmni Da, a Multi Winning Bafta Cymru, production company based in Caernarfon.

Cwmni Da has been working with RCS to strengthen their wellbeing support for their team of 56 full time staff and over 30 associates. The support has all been free, funded by the European Social Fund through Welsh Government, and is available to SMEs across North and South West Wales*. Before Covid, David attended a meeting run by RCS on Mental Health and was excited by the quality of information available, and the practical support that things like the Wellbeing Calendar provide. Cwmni Da recently completed a 360 staff survey and found the breakdown of results to be really insightful: there were so many things staff could benefit from. Senior Management attended a webinar session on handling stress, and whilst they’d been on courses before, this one really made them think. Prior to Covid, David posted information about the RCS support services on the staff notice board in the kitchen and is aware that 2 members of staff have benefited from physiotherapy, and since the start of the Pandemic at least 4 from talking therapy. One of his colleagues told him, “I’ve had my 6 sessions and they definitely set me in the right direction. I feel I had someone to turn to and it was good to talk. It’s worth phoning that number.” David is aware that in his industry of TV production, staff can be under tremendous stress; he says that crews tend to work really long hours and are under pressure, in particular on Dramas. He is very aware that the industry as a whole is now talking about the need to support crews and have Wellbeing Officers available on set. “I have a big smile on my face when I think of RCS. For me and our business, contact with RCS has been really positive. It’s given us a structure on how to approach issues of wellbeing and stress that have become apparent over the last 18 months.” To find out how RCS can work with your team, register for the next introduction to the In Work Support is part-funded by the European Social Fund through Welsh Government. Get in touch to start your wellbeing journey today. Wellbeing@rcs-wales.co.uk * RCS’s In Work Support service provides fully funded support to companies with up to 250 employees operating in Anglesey, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Denbighshire, Gwynedd and Pembrokeshire. 01745 336442 hello@rcs-wales.co.uk

TRB

TRB is wholly owned subsidiary of the Japanese multi-national Tokai Rika Group. Based on a site in St Asaph, North Wales, TRB supplies quality automotive switch products to Europe’s front line vehicle manufacturers. The company employs a total of 148 staff in its production, back office and support teams.

Our enterprise support team has been supporting the implementation of TRB’s corporate wellbeing strategy, delivering a range of workshops on-site including:

• Managing Sickness Absence
• Managing Stress in the Workplace
• Well-being Recovery Action Plans
• Well-being Interventions for the Workplace

HR General Manager at TRB, Rob Lloyd said:

“Mental Health Well-being issues are becoming an increasing concern across industry and the situation is no different at TRB. Staff from our supervisory and management teams have given fantastic feedback about the knowledge gained from attending the workshops with RCS.”

Rob has also taken a proactive approach to informing his staff team about the support available through RCS’s In-Work Support Service, issuing IWS business cards to all 148 employees.

“My staff have been so impressed by the way they have been dealt with that they have come forward to thank me personally for pointing them in the right direction.”

“One of our employees was in a particularly dark place when referring himself to the In-Work Support Service and the positive difference in him following several counselling sessions is staggering.”

Antur Waunfawr

“We’ve been able to open up the conversation around mental health much more with RCS’s help. It’s a lifeline for small businesses. It’s allowed staff to not be afraid to talk about their feelings. The most important thing is to be able to signpost staff to mental and physical health support who would have gone off sick and not have stayed in work. They refer themselves and they like the fact it is confidential” says Margaret Jones, Quality and Training Officer at  Antur Waunfawr.

Antur Waunfawr is a leading social enterprise in Gwynedd, providing employment and training opportunities for over 65 adults with learning disabilities and employing over 100 staff. They are committed to sustainable development, protecting the natural environment and developing green businesses.

Antur Waunfawr’s work centres around adults with learning disabilities, and one of their remits is to make sure mental health is maintained. They place great emphasis on the wellbeing of the adults with learning disabilities and organise activities such as going for walks, group bike rides, swimming, and rebound therapy. The support from RCS ensures staff have options to take care of their own wellbeing.

Margaret continues, “It is empowering for us to know how to support our staff. We don’t know how we would have managed without RCS’s support to keep employees in work and to know how to help them.”

Antur Waunfawr have participated in online webinars with RCS, as part of training and upskilling staff, and completed the Wellbeing Champion training. “We are part of RCS’s Wellbeing Champions Network; it is really beneficial to be part of a group to share ideas and the speakers they get are really good. We are considering introducing a ‘wellbeing hour’ into our employment contracts.”

We would like to congratulate Antur Waunfawr on winning a gold star at the Welsh Great Taste Awards 2021 for their cider production.