Mewies & Co: Long Term Employee Wellbeing

In a recent YouGov survey (see details below) it has been reported that 51% of full time staff and 57% of part-time staff who have been placed on furlough claimed their mental health has deteriorated since last year’s first lockdown. 

Recognising the impact of the past year on employees, Mewies & Co in Charnwood, Leicestershire has launched a mental health and wellness programme to support their employees return to busy salon life and has restructured the overall business with a focus on long term employee wellbeing. 

The Mewies & Co mental health and wellness 12 week transition back to work programme includes:

Mental health and wellbeing employee workshops – Working with their own dedicated Mental Health First Aid external educator the Mewies & Co team will explore their own personal journey in returning to work, learn to recognise personal and work pressures and discuss helpful coping mechanisms 

Two accredited in salon Mewies & Co mental health first aiders (one management and one non-management) on hand proactively encouraging an open door policy

Ten minute care – Every week the management team will spend time with each individual to chat through anything from personal or salon issues to career progression. 

In addition, Mewies & Co has also formalised a number of initiatives in an employee focused restructure of the business to support the long term mental wellbeing of their team:  

Each team member will have lunch booked out every day

Appointments will be booked in one hour slots

Designers will benefit from further assistant support to help grow the business

In order to reward staff and celebrate the business post Covid-19, Mewies & Co have introduced  their own bank holiday (tipped to take place on 21st June), giving everyone the day off.  

Provision for multiple yoga class vouchers

Provision for dietician and nutrition coaching

Fresh fruit will be provided in the team room along with juicer and smoothie machine to enable staff to concoct healthy beverages. 

Better pay opportunities and more transparent wage structure

Dan Mewies, founder of Mewies & Co and Authentic Beauty Concept Ambassador said: “Mewies & Co has always reflected a mindful approach to hairdressing with wellness an underpinning principal. This ethos of holistic care informs everything we do, including how we take care of our valued team. In creating our return to work programme and restructuring the business to focus further on the mental wellbeing of our team, I believe we will have a happier, motivated and more productive workforce and as a result the business will grow stronger.

“As an employer I want to protect the mental health of my employees.  We’re not forcing anyone to participate but instead supporting our team to take control of their own wellbeing. I try to lead by example and I too have taken a number of steps to look after my own wellbeing this past year.  Employees may be suffering from a multitude of personal worries, social isolation and transitioning back to some sort of normality. There’s certainly a need for support measures to be implemented to protect our industry’s mental health, including communication, encouraging employees to access support and take holiday, and watching for and responding quickly to signs.”

YouGov Survey The YouGov survey of 1,039 employees, commissioned by job site Indeed, also found that 44% of all employees felt their mental health is now worse than it was when restrictions were in place in Spring 2020. Only 15% felt their mental health had improved since then.