Lendlease Europe, part of the international property and infrastructure group, is launching its Wellbeing Leave initiative, designed to create a more positive and proactive health culture across its workforce.

Wellbeing Leave is being officially implemented as part of Lendlease’s focus on physical and mental wellbeing and its commitment to being ‘A Place that Cares’.  This new initiative will give employees the opportunity to take time off work to focus on their own physical and mental health. Lendlease will encourage employees to take at least one day of Wellbeing Leave every three to four months with no formal leave limit applied.

The aim of Wellbeing Leave is to reduce the level of sickness by allowing people a day of leave to alleviate stress or take part in a wellbeing activity, returning to work more engaged, healthy and productive.

Lisa White, Head of HR at Lendlease Europe, said: “Wellbeing Leave is a proactive investment in the health and wellbeing of our employees, and acknowledges the importance of a balanced work-family life. A healthier, happier workforce is naturally a more productive and engaged one – and less likely to take regular sick leave.

“There is a strong business case for us to take the health and wellbeing of our employees seriously. As we implement this leave initiative, we will be able to address employee needs or hold workplace initiatives on the health issues that matter most to our people.”

This new initiative follows the introduction of the Enhanced Shared Parental Leave (ESPL) scheme earlier this year and is set to create a step-change in the way Lendlease engages its employees in their physical and mental wellbeing. The ESPL scheme supports Lendlease’s diversity agenda and allows both men and women to be able to take up to six months paid leave.

Almost half of Lendlease’s Elephant & Castle scheme will be made up of publicly-accessible and bio-diverse landscaped habitats, including a tree-lined pedestrian street that will improve pedestrian and cycle connections in the area, along with 3,700 cycle spaces – enabling people to be less reliant on cars – 30,000 sq ft of children’s play areas, new green space and public realm improvements.

At The International Quarter, Lendlease’s £2.1 billion commercial development at the gateway to the Olympic Park, the company is developing modern workplaces with a strong focus on flexible and agile working. The first two buildings under construction for the Financial Conduct Authority and Transport for London will set a new benchmark in commercial accommodation, designed to inspire employees, improve productivity and encourage wellbeing.