Bupa Care Services’ personal development programme has won the Diversity Award at this year’s EEO Trust Work and Life Awards.

The ‘Personal Best’ programme is designed to help employees develop their skills in considering customers and think about how they can treat and care for them as individuals.

Sylvia Casella, director of organisation development, said it focuses on recognising and rewarding all employees who put the resident/customer at the centre of everything they do.

“The diverse cultural mix of Bupa workforce meant material needed to be easy to understand and experiential components needed to be put in language with meaning,” syas Casella. “Equal opportunity for all 3000 plus employees meant selecting facilitators by skill rather than role, education, race, religion or gender – selecting people that wanted to engage. Flexibility of programme delivery was important given the 24/7 nature of the business and the diversity of roles meant offering options like two full days or four one hour modules. The programmes success is a credit to all of our employees.”

An example of Personal Best achievements can be seen with senior caregiver Mary Jackson, who created an Activities Basket for evening residents at Waterlea Home and Hospital in Blenheim. Often the evenings can be difficult to get through and residents can experience loneliness, therefore Jackson came up with the idea of a basket that contains various ideas for activities which the residents and caregivers can draw from for ideas. The benefits have been instant with many residents enjoying card games, music and puzzles, all of which encourage companionship and social interaction between residents.

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