“As a charity, we don’t have the budget to get a traditional PMI plan for every employee. With Equipsme we’ve been able to get the elements we think matter most.”
Changing Lives is a nationwide charity supporting those facing the challenges of homelessness. Supporting people is part of the charity’s DNA - and it is just as relevant for employees as the people they support.
They were looking to support employee health and were introduced to Equipsme through brokers Lockton.
The People, Culture & Wellbeing Business Partner at Changing Lives, explains: “We have around 600 staff up and down the country, working in more than 120 projects. That consists of frontline teams supporting the people using our services, as well as those working in our enabling service departments, such as finance, people and IT.
“All of our people are extremely important to us, because without them, we couldn’t do what we do.
“As an organisation that’s all about supporting people, extending that to our employees just makes sense. We are passionate about what we do, but it can be incredibly hard work that’s both physically and mentally demanding.”
Alternative support
“We came across Equipsme as an alternative to traditional PMI or cash plans. We wanted something that would provide practical health support to people, and help reduce the stress of getting health appointments and waiting for answers.
“Many of our colleagues work directly with people using our services and many work on shift patterns, so working nights or weekends. So the flexibility of being able to access Equipsme’s GP 24/7, private consultations and hospital diagnosis services is invaluable.
“Going for a Level 3 Diagnosis plan means that colleagues at Changing Lives can escalate a health issue and get seen to quickly.
“As a charity, we don’t have the budget to get a traditional PMI plan for every employee. With Equipsme we’ve been able to get the elements we think matter most.
“We think Equipsme will make a difference to things like our sickness absence rates, but for us it was all about making sure our teams feel fully supported at work, and can be at their best both personally and professionally.
Extra layer
“We have a whole host of wellbeing initiatives, including an internal counsellor available to support mental health, but I think Equipsme will provide an extra layer, strengthening our offering to support physical health issues too.
“At the end of the day, our people make us who we are, and we believe supporting them helps our colleagues to support the people using our services. Our aim is for colleagues to come to work each day knowing they are making a positive impact through work that is both rewarding and enjoyable.
“Equipsme has been really well received by the team. It’s not a benefit you often see in our sector, so it’s a perk that’s been really appreciated. That sets us apart from competitors, helps us attract talent and retain our brilliant people in their posts.”
About Equipsme plans
Our client testimonials and employee case studies are from people who’ve had a really good experience with Equipsme. We think they help others understand what we do and how we do it. But it’s also really important to understand what we don’t do. We’re committed to being completely up-front and transparent about our plans. For example, terms and conditions will apply (depending on the benefits described in this case study), such as the exclusion of pre-existing conditions in the three years before cover starts, long-term/chronic conditions, and private cancer treatment (once a cancer diagnosis has been made).
More details can be found on our website at Employee health insurance plans | Equipsme
