Wellbeing in the workplace: perks and benefits at Glean

Take a peek behind the curtain to see what it's like to work at Glean and what benefits we can offer.

Clock 3 min read Calendar Published: 8 Jan 2025
Author Sophie Elms
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At Glean, we recognize that rewarding our people extends beyond monetary compensation. Our rewards and benefits package is designed to support the holistic development of our team; it’s something we’re really proud of!

We consider a wide range of factors, including work-life balance, personal growth, and wellbeing in order to create a positive and fulfilling work environment.

To ensure our offerings remain competitive, we regularly assess our benefits package through engagement surveys and feedback mechanisms, allowing us to stay informed about what the market is offering whilst ensuring we remain an employer of choice.

Here we take a peek behind the curtain to learn more about our hidden benefits, how wellbeing is fostered across the business and how it genuinely improves our Gleansters’ working lives and mental health! 

Welcome to Glean and onboarding

Whether you are hybrid or fully remote, Jack, our Employee Experience Advisor, will have you set up for day one like a pro! Starting a new role can be daunting, it’s the unknown and you are starting fresh.

Jack, alongside your Line Manager, is here to make this transition smooth and seamless, telling you everything you need to know about your first day and week, along with what to expect and what to prepare.

Before your first day, you'll receive a ‘Welcome to Glean’ starter pack including a jumper, water bottle and more items of your choice (to help reduce waste) as well as a number of options for your working from home set up to make you as comfortable as possible.

To learn more about our onboarding process, you can read all about the journey one of our Gleanster's took here.

Office and wellbeing

Jess has worked with Glean for over 6 years, starting in Customer Support and moving over to Operational Effectiveness, before transitioning to her current role, Office Manager. This role came naturally as she genuinely cares about workplace wellbeing, fostering a safe environment and making life a little easier for everyone in the office! 

Alongside private focus booths, standing desks, inclusive snacks and drinks (gluten free, vegan, non-alcoholic etc), Jess has introduced the wellness room. That's right - an entire room dedicated to wellness. This includes dim lighting, comfy chairs, a yoga mat, mindfulness colouring and puzzles, as well as period products and a breast milk and medicine fridge. Additional wellness areas are also provided for larger events such as our company Town Hall, which may be overwhelming for some.

Championing mental wellbeing are our Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs). We currently have eight (with more to come!) qualified Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) who promote a culture of care. Find out more here.

Here's a snapshot of our wonderful office plants that are proven to increase productivity, reduce stress, improve oxygen levels and much more!

Health and wellbeing

After passing probation, a few additional benefits kick in such as the Cycle to Work scheme, allowing you to enjoy the great outdoors on your commute to and from work and easily add extra exercise into your day! 

At Glean, we prioritize your health and happiness. Our Health Shield Cash Plan provides financial support for everyday healthcare expenses such as dental appointments, chiropractors, massages, and health screenings. Plus, our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers 24/7 mental health support and counselling sessions, as well as private GP appointments amongst a host of other benefits.

Mala Benn, Head of Engineering, shares how she has utilized some of these services:

As soon as I became eligible, I explored the benefits and was excited to discover that glasses were included. Just before a holiday, I purchased a pair of transition glasses and was delighted to claim back £120 on them - a fantastic bonus!

I was equally impressed to learn that Health Shield covers £120 for wellbeing appointments. Recently, I enjoyed a wonderfully relaxing aromatherapy massage and have also booked an Indian head massage and reflexology sessions over the coming months. These will be a perfect way to help me unwind and stay refreshed.

Flexible bank holidays

Glean also offers the opportunity for employees to choose when to take their annual leave, rather than having a set number of days assigned to bank holidays. This allows employees to take time off on holidays that are most meaningful to them.

With half of UK public holidays aligning with Christian events, such as Christmas and Easter, our flexible bank holiday policy accommodates those who wish to celebrate other religious and cultural observances throughout the year.

Glean also gifts three days annual leave over the Christmas period for a true shut down period for all employees to rest and recharge. 

Enhanced leave

The primary purpose of our leave policies is for Glean to take progressive steps towards creating a supportive and inclusive environment. This includes enhanced Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, Surrogacy, sick leave, miscarriage and bereavement leave. 

We recognise that there is a life outside of work and have a human approach to these life events, aiming to provide the support required to alleviate any stress during this time. Whether expected or unexpected, navigating a change in your personal life can have a real impact. Glean’s policies are designed to help create improved work-life balance allowing employees to focus on what’s important.

Sarah Ford, Recruitment Business Partner shares her experience of returning to Glean following maternity leave:

"I was nervous about returning to work after maternity leave, however, Glean's support was invaluable. Regular check-ins, flexible hours, and a welcoming environment made the transition feel much easier than I'd anticipated.

While the opportunity to balance career success and being a Mum should be the norm, I'm aware it's often not so I'm very grateful to be working at Glean."

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