We’re pleased to announce the arrival of Kate Platts as our new Head of Research and Innovation here at Westfield Health. The brand new role will focus on delivering both internal and external services which support the understanding and advancement of wellbeing in the workplace.
A Research Associate at the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University, Kate has previously worked with us as part of our Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), carrying out ground-breaking research into the impact of workplace interventions on employee wellbeing.
In this new role, Kate will deliver a new research and consultancy service for our corporate clients, asking questions and gathering and evaluating data to develop a better understanding of wellbeing issues. By working with clients to interpret and contextualise this data, Kate will be best placed to help businesses provide solutions that address their employees’ needs.
Internally, Kate will support the development of wellbeing initiatives within Westfield Health to further improve our employee experience. She’ll be working with our colleagues and leadership team to bring research and knowledge into the business, helping to shape our ways of working.
Additionally, Kate will manage our ongoing partnership with the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre (AWRC) at Sheffield Hallam University, supporting our mission to conduct high quality, innovative research into a whole range of health and wellbeing topics. Kate will help keep projects on track and make sure the partnership is reaching its objectives, creating impactful research that makes a real difference in workplaces and the community alike.
Our CEO, Dave Capper, said, “For us to be able to offer innovative, problem-solving solutions for businesses that are looking to enhance their wellbeing programmes, we wanted to utilise the latest research and expertise. We felt Kate was the perfect match – her vast knowledge in the wellbeing space will allow us to offer the best, most refined advice for our clients”.
Speaking about her role, Kate says she is motivated by answering difficult questions, being part of the creation of new knowledge and applying that knowledge to people’s lives. She’s inspired by seeing the real-world impact of research and the positive changes it helps bring about.
Commenting on her appointment, Kate Platts says, “In the UK, around 1 in 5 adults reported feelings of depression in early 2021 – over double pre-pandemic levels. Poor organisational leadership at work and having to work after hours are often associated with occupational stress, anxiety, and depression. Both of these factors are more common in the workplace than we think.
“Add to this all of the changes we have experienced across the past two years, workplaces need to be innovative in their approaches when handling wellbeing in the workplace.
“By joining Westfield Health, a pioneer in workplace wellbeing solutions, I will be able to apply the research I have conducted over the past three years to business solutions.
“I am looking forward to continuing my research into wellbeing alongside Westfield Health to ensure businesses across the UK get the best solutions and insights into wellbeing in the workplace”, concludes Kate.