Accenture’s health initiative for a thriving workplace

HR in a consultancy

Emma Hellström is HR Director at Accenture Sweden, with around 1,500 employees. Consultants have an identity both in the company and at their clients, so HR’s job is to create a home base people want to stay with.

Employee-driven networks

Accenture offers networks run by employees themselves: for parents, for international colleagues (including a handbook on how Swedish laundry rooms work), a sports club and a popular art club.

Health Academy and Mental Health Allies

In Health Academy, which Miriam helped develop, employees spend 100 days strengthening habits in sleep, nutrition, physical or mental health – digitally, in buddy groups or on their own. Emma chose sleep and found that exercise, a calm evening routine and classical music helped. The global Mental Health Allies network trains colleagues to guide others to available support, lowering the threshold to talk.

From work-life balance to life balance

Needs differ by life stage, and flexibility remains a strong trend. Accenture tracks sickness absence and attrition, but Emma stresses the whole picture and continuous dialogue through surveys, pulses, focus groups and networks.

Emma’s advice

Be curious, say yes and support employee ideas (ideally with a budget), dare to test and stop what doesn’t work, and show both vulnerability and strength.

Key takeaways

• Employee-driven networks build belonging with modest resources.
• Health programmes should offer several tracks so everyone can join.
• Colleague ambassadors lower the threshold for talking about mental health.
• Track KPIs, but combine them with continuous dialogue.
• Wellbeing belongs in the business strategy.