Our commitments

We are committed to improving working lives

Affinity's mission is to improve the working lives of all. To achieve this we work with key decision makers within organisations, institutions, policymakers, and workers. Informed by over 20 years of research and consultancy in wellbeing at work, Affinity has focused on issues relevant to in-work progression and social equity, including recent research on supporting employees through the cost of living crisis, which identified the need for greater equity and communication to and for marginalised groups (such as those with cancer, long COVID, mental ill-health, and women returning from maternity leave). Affinity's work with Acas on adjustments for mental ill-health further contributes to a body of knowledge and practice around how workers with disabilities can be provided with opportunities to progress and thrive at work.

Being a female led organisation, we are highly conscious of inclusion and proud that 90% of the team contracted to this work are from protected and marginalised groups. Affinity is committed to providing not only good jobs, but also good management and leadership. All team members are offered, and employ, completely flexible working contracts from day one with no requirements for office attendance. Affinity are dedicated to progression and continuous improvement of our staff, and support and sponsor them through professional qualifications in Occupational Psychology. Currently, excluding the managing partners, 63% are participating in higher education, with 38% fully funded to do so. All those funded in training schemes are members of underrepresented groups.

As a team we thought hard about our own values and what inspires us in others. We strive to deliver world class consultancy, development, research and insights. We do this by making the following commitments.


Sharing knowledge and developing practice

We share knowledge and practice through several ways: publishing academic research, contributing to national and global guidelines, working with professional bodies, leading our Research Consortium. Our Managing Partners established the sole UK Professional Doctorate in Occupational Psychology at the Birkbeck, University of London, building the next generation of evidence-based practitioners. Together with our consultancy partners and wellbeing community, we gain mutual benefit from the rich expertise and cutting-edge experience that our commitment to knowledge brings.


Preventing risks, and developing and supporting people at work

We hold a commitment to prevent mental ill-health wherever possible and bring deep experience of embedding interventions at all stages of the wellbeing continuum, from a focus on risk prevention; to developing skills and behaviours; to crisis support and sustainable return-to-work following absence. Evidence shows how fundamental factors such as good job design and line manager competence are essential and as such they provide a foundation to our work.


Developing a shared understanding

There are multiple key stakeholders at the heart of any health and wellbeing project. These include the senior leadership team, business unit leads, professionals working in HR and other people professionals, diversity and inclusion, occupational health and medicine, health and safety professionals, unions and all employees. Our team is committed to bringing together complex and divergent approaches and opinions to develop solutions that work for your organisation.


Integrating inclusion, diversity and equity

Inclusion, health and wellbeing go hand in hand. Research shows that health and wellbeing is enhanced when people feel that they belong, that they are listened to and when they are accepted for being themselves. Yet we also know that there are many disparities in health and in the experience of work. We believe that everyone has the right to productive and fulfilling work, and work to uncover and tackle head on unequal opportunities and practices.


Adopting a ‘whole system approach’

Our health and wellbeing, and the way we experience work, is impacted by numerous aspects of our work and personal lives. This is why we believe that everyone has a role to play in creating opportunities for healthy and productive work. We join up people, processes, and systems so that our solutions consider the full range of factors that influence the way we behave and the way we feel about our work and health. Thereby creating lasting change.


If there is anything we can help you with, do not hesitate to contact us at hello@affinityhealthatwork.com.