Leeds College of Building Wins National Health and Wellbeing Award

Local college recognised for commitment to staff welfare

Leeds College of Building (LCB) has been named the UK leader in staff health and wellbeing after winning the Health & Wellbeing category at The Personnel Awards 2025. The awards ceremony, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, celebrated achievements in human resources and learning and development across the country.

Recognition at a national level

The Personnel Awards, now in their 27th year, attracted nearly 900 guests from the HR and recruitment sectors. The Health & Wellbeing category, sponsored by Bank of Ireland, honours organisations that have made significant efforts to support the physical and mental health of their employees. LCB was selected from a competitive field including Central Co-Op, Hitachi Rail, PureGym, and South Western Railway.

Wellbeing strategy and initiatives

Judges highlighted LCB’s inclusive and proactive wellbeing strategy. Since 2022, the college has implemented a range of activities coordinated by a cross-college wellbeing committee, such as:

• Wellbeing and fitness weeks
• Creative and financial wellbeing sessions
• Dedicated wellbeing days allowing staff time off for personal or college-organised activities

The college’s approach emphasises voluntary participation and personal choice, recognising that wellbeing is individual to each employee.

Support and management changes

LCB has also revised its absence management procedures by assigning line managers responsibility for contact and return-to-work interviews, enabling more personalised conversations. Access to occupational health referrals has increased, and a professional coaching programme offers cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)-based support focusing on areas such as time management and resilience.

Additional measures include reduced teaching hours to ease workloads and an ‘aspiring managers’ programme aimed at developing leadership skills. Peer recognition is encouraged through the monthly “LCB Shout Out” scheme, and staff-led activities promote community engagement at low cost.

Impact on staff wellbeing and college culture

These initiatives have contributed to a significant reduction in staff absences, with long-term absences halved. Staff survey results have shown improvement, and Ofsted’s most recent inspection praised LCB for its “supportive and developmental culture.”

Industry perspective

Rob Moss, editorial director of Personnel Today, acknowledged the importance of HR in navigating current challenges such as economic pressures, upcoming legislation, and technological changes. He emphasised the role of HR in creating meaningful workplaces that benefit both employees and customers.

Further information

Details about employment opportunities, staff benefits, and the wellbeing programme at Leeds College of Building can be found on their official website.