The University of Bolton, which has recently changed its name to the University of Greater Manchester, celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2025. The university educates more than 11,000 students globally, with over 900 employees. It is top in the North West for Teaching Quality in 2023 according to The Times and Sunday Times and ranked in the top 30 in the Guardian’s ‘Best UK Universities 2024’. The health and wellbeing of employees is a key priority.
The Challenge
There was a feeling among senior staff that the university wasn’t receiving meaningful reports. The current provider didn’t offer a digital platform, and the university needed a service that was quick and easy to access, that employees would use, while supporting the institution’s Wellbeing Strategy. This led to the university tendering for a new EAP provider.
The Solution
As a result, the University of Greater Manchester decided to partner with Spectrum.Life. The initial call from the employee being answered directly by a qualified and accredited counsellor was crucial for the University, removing the ‘call centre’ feel or impression of being passed from person to person. Instead, employees got the support they needed immediately, enabling quick and easy access to the service. The university wanted more than a reactive mental health offering for employees. Spectrum.Life’s holistic approach to wellbeing gives staff access to healthy recipes, podcasts, BeCalm Mindfulness, and gym classes, all on one wellbeing platform. Reducing employee absenteeism was another area of focus. Content on the Spectrum.Life platform aims to reduce the rate of employees’ absences.
Impact
Since bringing on Spectrum.Life’s mental health and wellbeing solutions, the university has seen an increase in employee take-up and the feedback indicates their experience has improved significantly. Importantly, the number of males using the service has increased. The value of the digital gym is another successful initiative for staff. They can try out a variety of classes free of charge which has proven to be very helpful during the cost-of-living crisis.