Stonegate Pub Company has launched a new community initiative via its internal platform, Academy Online. The segment of the platform is designed to ensure its furloughed staff still enjoy the same sense of community that Stonegate prides itself on instilling across the business.
Academy Online is available to all employees and is accessible via desktop computer and the mobile app. Within the umbrella site, the new ‘Stonegate Community’ pages include a wealth of information, including articles on health and wellbeing, independent advice on budgeting and finances, personal development materials, and regular updates from CEO, Simon Longbottom.
The Learning and Development team are planning a range of content for the coming weeks – focussing on different topics relevant to navigating life during COVID-19 – and the interactive platform allows users like, comment, ask questions and make suggestions on the subject matter.
Lee Woolley, Head of Learning and Organisation Development, said: “It was incredibly important to us to keep the Stonegate community spirit alive during this difficult time, and with all of our employees already having access to Academy Online it was the logical step to launch our new initiative on the platform.
“We managed to develop the platform in just a week, collating as much information as we could to support and uplift our teams across the country. It now includes everything from activities to help keep kids entertained, to weekly podcasts from our own Success Coach, Jon Perkins, to resources to help combat stress and increase resilience – and we are adding more content daily.
“It is the nature of the industry that all of our people are hyper-social, thriving on contact with others, as a company our philosophy is deeply ingrained in their wellbeing, so maintaining a sense of collaboration and community with each and everyone one of them is integral. We know we’re going to come back stronger after this crisis is over, and it will be our people that make that revival not only possible but positive.”
