An Ipswich-based cleaning firm has become the latest recipient of an award which seeks to recognise excellence in staff wellbeing.

Balancing employment with home life, being considerate to individuals’ needs and going the extra mile to make staff feel valued have earned Shirley Shelley Contract Cleaning a Workwise Award from the Suffolk-based mental health charity Workwise.

The charity’s employment project co-ordinator Debs Gibson said: “You’d have to go a long way to find an employer which does as much to accommodate its workforce as Shirley Shelley. I’ve heard nothing but good things about the company, and other employers could learn a thing or two from the way she works.”

According to the Health and Safety Executive, up to five million people in the UK suffer from work-related stress, which costs society around £3.7 billion every year.

Shirley Shelley, who runs her company with her daughter Petra and son Mark, has had some of her staff members working for her for the 25 years she has been in business, and now even employs some of their children.

She takes care to conduct a needs assessment of each employee, to make sure that she finds places for them to work which are close to their homes and in shifts which fit in with their family lives. She builds in incentives, often takes staff to theatre shows or days out and always has individually-chosen Christmas and birthday presents for them. If they’re having a difficult issue to deal with away from work, they are given time away to sort it out.

“It’s wonderful to receive this award,” she said. “My cleaners are my most important asset. They are what my customers see; my ‘end product’, so to speak. I want to encourage them to enjoy their work, look smart and feel good about themselves.”

Four of Shirley’s original cleaners – Debbie Barter, Rosalind Hilling, Val Hodge and Margaret Powel – ago will be present to accept the award, along with some other long-serving members of staff.

Shirley added: “I just want them to feel proud of this award as they helped me to win it. My people are so important to me and we look after each other – nothing fancy, just plain old respect and loyalty.”

For more information about Workwise visit www.workwise.org.uk