HTM | HTM Announced as Finalists for Health and Wellbeing at the Highways Awards

Highway Traffic Management have been revealed as one of the companies to make the shortlist for the Highways Awards, which will be celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

HTM have made the shortlist within the Health and Wellbeing category this year, which “recognises organisations that have demonstrated their commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of their staff and/or the wider community.”

“We’re really pleased to have been recognised within the shortlist this year,” commented HSE Manager, Matt Higgs.

“Submitting our entry this year was an interesting process as it gave us the opportunity to sit back and reflect on the ways we’ve ensured that health and wellbeing, particularly mental health, are intrinsic to our culture. It’s something we strongly believe in and see the value it brings to our business and our workforce.”

Greg Baldwin, MD added: “We have been gradually building different elements of health and wellbeing into the business over recent years and the original Talk More campaign was a fantastic platform to build upon. We’re thrilled to be one of the finalists again as it shows that our story hasnt changed all these years later – health and wellbeing still is, and will continue to be, a priority for our business.”

HTM currently have 10.9% of the workforce who have gained the Mental Health First Aid qualification, something achieved through partnership with Birmingham Mind who have provided all of the MHFA training. Since 2020, 30 employees have completed the course, all of which have been facilitated by Birmingham Mind’s Training Manager, Mike Jeffries, who commented, “It’s great to see the dedication and commitment from HTM to empower their workforce with the skills to promote a healthy working culture around mental health and wellbeing.”

The company have also consistently achieved the Silver ‘Achieving Impact’ award in Mind’s Workplace Wellbeing Index for the past 3 years, another commitment which ensures the business is always reviewing their mental health practices.

“We’re pleased to have been able to retain the Silver award and the key recommendations we receive from the index help guide the business forward,” said Matt Higgs.

The company also launched the first Talk More roadshow this year for mental health awareness wweek, which saw qualified Mental Health First Aiders in each depot location speaking to employees about mental health, providing goodybags which inlcuded a HTM stress cone, healthy snacks and information on a range of health and wellbeign services available to them via the business, again promoting a positive approach to mental health.

Feedback following the Talk More roadshow included: “As someone who suffers with mental health massively, it’s great knowing a company actually cares about their workforce instead of looking at them as numbers.”

“Incorporating targets such as the percentage of mental health first aiders within the business as part of our business objectives this year demonstrates that this is something we’re serious about,” continued Greg.

“Introducing new events such as the roadshow are another way for us to spread the message around mental health and wellbeing and ensure our workforce know exactly who they can go to for support, whether it is within HTM or services that are available to them through the business.”

“Seeing all the finalists within each category and reading through the summaries for various entries, we’re really looking forward to attending the event in London in October and celebrating the fantastic achievements that have been made within the industry. Good luck to all those attending!”

See the full list of awards categories and finalists here

Submission Summary: Since the conception of the first Talk More campaign in 2018, Highway Traffic Management have been on a journey to ensure that mental health and wellbeing is prioritised and embedded within their culture as an essential part of health and wellbeing for their workforce.

Following the initial campaign, HTM updated their company values and manifesto in 2021 to include mental health, the first step in ensuring that mental health and wellbeing is an important pillar within their business model and that it is a priority for all employees. It is further supported in the company’s wider Health and Safety principles, with HTM’s HSE Manager, Matt Higgs commenting: “The first of our Safety Never Stops principles is ‘Be fit and ready for work’ and this means that our operatives start their shift in the right frame of mind, just as much as it is important to have the right kit.”

The Talk More campaign has grown from an initial campaign, to an initiative that is now a part of the DNA of the business with an updated campaign for 2023, a growing number of Talk More members, Talk More ‘Talk Cards’ to Talk More Roadshows to engage with employees for mental health awareness week.

Over the last four years, HTM have completed Mind’s Workplace Wellbeing Index, initially scoring Bronze ‘Achieving Change’, and retaining the Silver ‘Achieving Impact’ award for the past 3 years. For 2023, the report found that 57% of employees at HTM have experienced poor mental health in their lives, with the award underpinning the progress the company has made in instilling a positive mental health and wellbeing culture.

The business has incorporated mental health and wellbeing within it’s objectives for the 22-23 business year, currently exceeding the aim of 10% of the workforce to hold the mental health first aid qualification, to be continued for each business year.

“We know that the more we encourage openness around the topic of mental health, the more likely we are to make an impact. And if we help even just one person, then that is a success” commented HTM’s MD, Greg Baldwin.

This years event will take place at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge in early October.

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