It’s ‘Good Employment Week’

Whilst the Growth Company plays an active role in running and promoting the 'Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter', we’re also proud to have been a member for the past two years - demonstrating our continued employment excellence and how deeply embedded good employment is within our entire organisation.

The Charter is a voluntary membership and assessment scheme which aims to raise employment standards and organisations of any size, sector, or geography can sign up. With 513 supporters and 91 members, it champions work that’s underpinned by a commitment to equality, fair pay, and giving employees a say in how their workplaces are run.

Alongside the other members of the Charter, we want to see Greater Manchester as a place where people are paid fairly for their work, treated appropriately, and provided with inclusive opportunities. At the same time, we want to see the city-region’s economy thrive, with organisations that are productive and effective at the heart of it.

Organised by the Charter, ‘Good Employment Week’ - 19th to 24th June, is dedicated to celebrating good employment and is backed by the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham.

Vicky McDonald, Director of HR and Organisation Development at the Growth Company, said:

“Being a member of the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter is really important to the Growth Company. We are passionate about providing good employment for our entire workforce and are proud of our activities that support the city-region and wider across the country. Our commitment to all seven characteristics of good employment spans the breadth of our organisation wherever our colleagues are based.

“When it comes to the Charter, our commitment to our colleagues doesn’t end at the membership stage. We continue to improve our ways of working and meet new standards as the world of work evolves. Good Employment Week is such a great way of keeping up the momentum and keeping us on our toes, and it also allows us to role model our own credentials in this space.”

Activities and events across ‘Good Employment Week’

Good Employment Week will engage and inform workers across the region and beyond, about what good employment is - sharing insights on how to create a great workplace. It aims to inspire businesses to prioritise good employment practices and to empower workers with the knowledge of what they deserve from their employers.

It’ll see professionals, thought leaders, and industry experts come together to address critical issues in the realm of work, with activities and 25 events organised by the Charter and its partners.

Today, Monday 19th June, the Mayor of Greater Manchester will officially launch the week and present plaques to 17 new Charter members - including The Big Life Group; Diamond Bus North West; Seddon Construction; Carrs Pasties and Trafford and Wigan councils.

The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said:

“I am delighted to launch Greater Manchester's Good Employment Week. Once again, our city region is leading the way with the country's first week dedicated to celebrating the benefits of employment.

“The Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter has established a credible network of employers who understand that creating good jobs creates happier and healthier employees. They also know it brings real business benefits in terms of recruitment, retention and productivity.

“With major economic challenges and changes to the way we all work, good employment is more important than ever. Our vision is to create a place where every job is a good job. Together we can build an economy where businesses thrive, and every worker is valued and respected.”

Other key events this week include:

• An online ‘How good is your job quiz’ on Monday 19th June - by completing the quiz you can learn how well your job scores across seven different criteria of good employment.
  
  
• The ‘Greater Manchester Good Employment Best Practice Conference’ on Tuesday 20th June at the Mechanics Institute is dedicated to exploring the latest trends and strategies in creating a thriving workplace - with expert speakers leading workshops on leadership, health and wellbeing, and flexible working.
  
  
• We’ll launch a pack for schools and colleges on Wednesday 21 June at Wigan and Leigh College - developed to help young people understand what good work should look like.
  
  
• General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Paul Nowak, will speak at the second annual ‘Good Employment Lecture’ on Thursday 22nd June at the People’s History Museum - exploring how the Trade Union movement contributes to the Good Work agenda.
  
  
• Also on Thursday 22nd June, our GC Employment team are running an online ‘lunch and learn’ session: How Good Employers support the mental health of their employees - they’ll a look at the impact mental health, first aid and chair yoga have in the workplace.

More information

For more information, visit the Good Employment Week website where you can complete the ‘How good is your job quiz’ from Monday 19 June.

To attend any events, you must register online – click here to sign up and for more details about the full programme of events.

Click here to reserve a spot on the GC Employment team’s ‘How Good Employers support the mental health of their employees’ lunch and learn session.

Join the conversation on social media: Twitter and Facebook @GoodEmpCharter, LinkedIn, and follow #GoodEmploymentWeek for updates.

You can also visit the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter website and watch this video if to learn more about the Charter and how your organisation can sign up to become a Supporter.