Breathe, the HR software provider for SMEs, announced it has hit 500 sign ups on its Breathe Culture Pledge. The pledge encourages businesses to take their company culture seriously and regardless of their size, invest in their culture and grow the business.
Launched in 2018, the pledge followed Breathe’s Culture Economy report which revealed the cost of toxic cultures to the UK economy – a staggering £23.6 billion per year.
This announcement follows an influx of issues coming to the fore recently. One revealing that mental health cost UK bosses over £43 billion in 2018 and younger members of staff are the most vulnerable in the workplace. Another study revealed 15% of employees have experienced bullying at work in the past three years and more than half of them did not report it to the firm. This highlights the role of positive cultures that are supportive to employees in ensuring people are able to talk openly about issues such as mental health or bullying.
Jonathan Richards, CEO at Breathe comments:
“We’re on a mission to spread the word about great company culture and encourage SMEs across the UK to invest in theirs. We are extremely proud to be leading this initiative as we hope it will improve business practices and employee experience.”
Richards adds:
“As a business leader, investing in culture is crucial. With 80% of young people researching a company’s culture before considering a job, it can be the maker of breaker of an organisation. We delighted that 500 SMEs have signed our pledge and the 2020 Culture Economy Report we are publishing in April will include some of their inspirational stories.”
The Breathe Culture Pledge is a commitment that businesses can make to their growth and their people and has been signed by numerous fast-growing and forward-thinking firms. Once signed up to the pledge, businesses will receive a practical framework which business leaders can use as a toolkit to improve, sustain or build a positive workplace culture.
To read the full pledge and register your interest please click here.