Businesses across the South West will soon have access to a free ground breaking digital platform to provide them with advice and information on managing health and disability in the workplace.
Called Beacon, and led by the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), the innovative online resource uses digital tools such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to deliver tailored business advice.
It is specifically aimed at small and medium-sized businesses who may be unsure or even fearful of how to handle workplace health and disability, and how they can create a good place to work by taking positive steps to support their staff.
Beacon will be launched in the next few weeks and businesses can for instant access when it goes live.
A year in the making, Beacon’s digital platform has been developed, designed and built in Cornwall with the support of local businesses, and is a 海角视频-first.
It has been described as “brilliant” and “like nothing else available” when tested by employers.
Beacon helps businesses navigate and manage health and disability issues, and provides them with the right national and local information and advice to support them to make decisions and connect with the right resources quickly, while complying with the very latest employment regulations.
In the 海角视频 400,000 people leave work every year because of a disability or health condition, at an annual cost to the economy of around £100 billion. And research shows that just over half of people with disabilities have a job, compared to over 80% of people without disabilities.
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LEP Chair Mark Duddridge said: “We need to close the disability employment gap by helping businesses attract and retain staff from a wider pool of talent, and we need to tackle the issue of workplace health as the workforce gets older.
"But businesses tell us they don’t know where to start and need help to build their confidence so they can take positive steps.
“Beacon does that by delivering tailored advice about managing health and disability issues in an accessible, informative and engaging way. We know that many businesses are just plain scared when it comes to these issues and that can hold them back, inhibit recruitment and lead to a loss of skills.
“Beacon acts as a guide and gives them the right advice and information when they need it. It’s about creating good places to work that are inclusive, supportive and look after their own.”
Beacon has been co-designed with local businesses in partnership with the University of Exeter, University of Plymouth, Department of Health and Department for Work & Pensions.
The £545,000 project is funded by the Government’s Employers, Health and Inclusive Employment Unit, with a view to it being rolled out nationally following the pilot project in Cornwall.
Frances Brennan, diversity champion on the LEP Board, added: “Businesses are struggling to recruit so we need to make it easier for them to find the right people from a wider range of candidates, and to hold on to the people they have. That’s why inclusive growth is such an important part of our Local Industrial Strategy and is a major focus for the LEP. Beacon will help empower business to respond positively to this important agenda.”
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Leanne McIntyre, Ocean Housing, St Austell
Leanne (Lee) McIntyre joined St Austell-based social housing provider Ocean Housing Group as a project officer a couple of years ago.
When Leanne applied for the job she noted on her application that she was living with hearing loss and Ocean Housing took steps to make her feel comfortable at interview and after she was hired.
She said: “When I came in everybody was facing me, they took me to a quiet, small meeting room and I felt fully supported - from the moment I walked in the door, to now.”
Nikki Forward, Head of Human Resources at Ocean Housing, added: “There’s a scarcity of certain skills and resources so it’s important for us to look at as wide a talent pool as possible. We’ve had a lot of experience managing and supporting people with physical, mental and medical issues. It might be providing emotional support, adjusting working hours, providing stand-up desks or screen adjustments, and they’ve often been quite simple things to do.
“A couple of years ago we recruited into one of our project officer roles and the candidate with the best match of skills and experience, Lee, had been living with hearing loss.
“We talked to Lee and asked what she needed and then we got the support of Access to Work who came and did an assessment. With the help of a small electronic device that Lee could use in meetings, there were very few other adjustments we had to make. As part of her induction we also ran some deaf awareness training because she felt it would help her settle into her team if they understood the condition more.”
Leanne added: “That was really useful for simple things like remembering to close windows when the traffic is noisy outside, keeping the meeting room doors closed, speaking facing me and not covering up their mouth.
“Anybody else who’s got an additional need, don’t be defined by that need, go for your goals and fulfil your potential. You just need that right support and you will get that.”
Ocean Housing Group has been working with Beacon for the last 12 months. Nikki added: “It’s been really great helping to design and develop the product and the thought of having a digital tool that we can access where there is central information is really great for us as a business and we can’t wait to see it come to fruition.”