Rail businesses partner up to share A.D.V.I.C.E.
06 May 2020
A group of companies, including CIRAS, have come together to collaborate on a new series of briefings to help transport workers stay safe and well.
There’s no shortage of briefings and articles out there giving key facts on common health and wellbeing topics like fatigue, sleep and anxiety. But what about the many other wellbeing issues which people can encounter, which have perhaps been less well covered?
It can take a fair bit of time and work to research and develop good quality guidance on wellbeing topics. But what if, rather than individual companies duplicating the effort to produce lots of different but near-identical briefings on the most common subjects, they share their resources and expertise to enable them to produce a series of briefings covering a much wider range of topics? Not only is this a more efficient use of resources, but it ensures that the messages going out are more consistent.
This was the thinking that brought 12 companies together to create A.D.V.I.C.E. Russ Bradshaw, from founding member RSS Infrastructure told us:
‘The inspiration for this project came from an idea I had about contractors and families working together. I wanted to talk about subjects that can affect us all and signpost people to resources that can really help.
‘It wasn’t just about our work colleagues – it was aimed at their families as well. Yes, winter driving campaigns and summer sun protection are important topics, and there is a place for these within health and wellbeing programmes, but we never seemed to talk about other subjects that can impact our daily lives.’
What’s involved?
A.D.V.I.C.E. comprised a series of briefings in 2021 and 2022 covering wellbeing issues that might get overlooked, or which don’t fall into the standard calendar of briefings a company might typically send out. The first two, in December and March, looked at how to cope with debt and gambling problems. Later topics included coping with caring responsibilities, bereavement, the menopause and loneliness. Each briefing summarised key facts and signposted the reader to where they can get accredited advice from recognised support organisations.
Who was involved?
The A.D.V.I.C.E. partners were originally brought together though their involvement with the Track Safety Alliance, an industry-wide group formed to enable its members to share practice on health, safety and wellbeing. The partners were CIRAS along with RSS Infrastructure (including Auctus), Van Elle, Colas (including Midland Metro Alliance), Amey, Barhale, Ganymede, Vital Human Resources, McGinleys, Network Rail, Transport for Wales (all CIRAS members) and Bovis Homes.
Each partner led on developing one of the subject areas, with the content approved by all partners. The lead partner then hosted that briefing on their website and shared via social media, for other members to then share with their own networks.