When Dan Bradley first started his company Bradley Project Management he knew that looking after those who would eventually work for him was a key driver in setting up his new business.
Now, just two years later, Bradley Project Management employs ten staff across two offices in Auckland and Wellington and has been nominated for several health and safety awards for its unique Wellbeing Programme.
Dan says the programme was started when the first staff member was employed, as he wanted this to be a focus of the business from the outset. The programme fits with one of the core business values: the greatest wealth is health.
Dan says the programme is a direct reflection of one of the things that helped him and fellow directors, Frank van Hattum and Alex Bulley, to start their successful company. The programme is built into employees’ contracts and covers many facets of physical and mental wellbeing.
Dan says the programme not only results in happier, healthier staff but by completing health challenges, such as a meditation challenge, as a team along with six monthly events, this draws people together and builds relationships. Last year the team completed a half marathon and Tough Mudder, an 18 kilometre mud obstacle course.
Originally from the UK and an engineer by training Dan has over 17 years’ experience working on commercial projects within the New Zealand construction sector.
He says he is a big mental health advocate and he and other team members have also completed a mental health first aid course, which enables them to identify risk around this area in the workplace and have tools to manage it.
Although obviously a significant investment in terms of both time and money for a small business, Dan says the results have been worth it – not only personally but for the bottom line.
“It’s an investment in our people and I truly believe it’s paying off. The business is successful – we’ve surpassed business growth and profitability targets – and we have a happy team and we’re delivering on projects for clients.”
Tangible results include the fact that Dan personally has lost 9 kilograms of weight along with other staff members who have also lost weight.
Personal goals such as hitting new personal record times for half marathons and a staff member getting back into boxing, a sport she previously loved.
Another staff member has started his own suicide awareness social media channel to increase suicide awareness amongst New Zealanders.
Bradley Project Management is now looking to expand the message out to others including contractors, clients and consultants they work with, especially in regard to mental health awareness.
“We are looking at requiring contractors to have an obligation to be active around mental health in their workplace for us to work with them. It’s about creating awareness and starting the conversation.”
Bradley Project Management offers niche expertise to the petroleum industry but has a wide customer base with clients including Restaurant Brands, Cushman Wakefield, NPD, BP, Allied Petroleum and Z Energy.
With offices in Auckland and Wellington, Bradley Project Management now has more responsive reach in these regions, says Dan.
Last year Bradley Project Management was a finalist in the Wellington Gold Awards, and New Zealand Workplace Health & Safety Awards. Dan was a finalist in the Site Safe Safety Leadership Award category and placed runner up.
“It’s great recognition of our efforts, especially being a small business, but it’s not why we do it. We do it because we want to and we believe that people matter.
“There’s a Richard Branson quote I love that says, ‘if you take care of your employees, they will take care of your business’. That really resonates with me and it’s what we’ve built the business on.”
The Bradley Project Management Wellbeing Programme provides employees:
• A higher than standard contribution to their KiwiSaver.
• Koru membership so team members who have to travel for business can do so in comfort and without stress.
• Southern Cross healthcare.
• Flexible working – it doesn’t matter how, when or where people complete their hours of work.
• A gym membership.
• Mental and physical KPIs as well as personal goals outside work.
• A personal Wellness Coach to provide personal coaching.
• Support to attend training courses that provide employees with knowledge to apply mental health and other wellbeing knowledge in the workplace.
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Workplace wellness a driving force
Dan Bradley is a big mental health advocate and his company culture reflects this.
