In this article we highlight how we design our policies (spoiler: all employees are involved) and some examples of initiatives and policies we’ve put in place, outlining how we support mental and physical health, parents, volunteering, and more.

How we design our benefits

We’re big fans of working groups, where employees get together to understand a problem and propose a solution. We currently have active working groups on environmental stewardship, leading our carbon footprint reduction activities, a DEI squad fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace culture, and an employee benefits group to design and implement perks to enhance the team’s well-being and happiness.

The employee benefits and DEI groups have been working hard over the past 12 months to define and refine both the package of things we offer to employees beyond salary and equity and to push for greater diversity and inclusion in our processes and approach to hiring.

Here are some of the recent projects that have been designed by employees, for employees:

1. Mental health support

At Granular Energy, we understand that emotional well-being is the cornerstone of success, and place an even higher importance to it given we are a remote company.

Whether it's seeking professional guidance or simply having a listening ear, we're committed to creating a nurturing environment where mental health is cherished and supported. To this end, we’ve introduced dedicated mental health leave and access to live or chat-based therapy and counselling via Spill.

2. Health insurance and fitness stipend

On the health side, in regions where public health insurance is either non-existent or insufficient, we have company-paid private health insurance schemes in place.

And to give each other one less excuse for getting out to exercise, we also provide a financial stipend of up to €350 per year for gym memberships, fitness classes, personal trainers, sports clubs and more. It’s up to each employee to decide how best to spend it.

3. Paid volunteer day

All Granular Energy employees have the option to take a day per year to take part in meaningful community service. Whether it's lending a hand at local charities, joining environmental crusades, or supporting social justice movements, we want our employees to feel able to give their time to good causes without having to use a holiday day.

4. Parental & caregiver leave

We aim to go above and beyond to honour the vital roles of parenthood and caregiving by offering a minimum of 16 weeks of full pay for a birthing parent and 8 weeks for a non-birthing parent. This policy also applies to people who are adopting, and we have related policies for time off for fertility treatment.

Granular Energy also offers flexible work arrangements and paid leave for caregivers attending to loved ones with critical health needs.

What’s next?

The journey continues! We're constantly evolving our culture and ways of working. Stay tuned for new initiatives, including bereavement leave, enhanced sick leave pay in the UK, and a ground-breaking menopause policy.