Mel Purnell is a WSP Changemaker and occupational health and safety advisor. She spends her working hours striving to improve the health, safety and wellbeing of all company employees.
"From supporting new wellbeing initiatives and improving processes, to making existing processes easier to use, being a WSP change maker is the essence of my job - an occupational health and safety advisor in the health and safety team," says Mel.
Seeing improvements in her colleagues
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, a big challenge for Mel's team has been to deal with the volume of individuals asking for assistance due to working more from home. Mel considers it a very positive thing that people are not suffering in silence and feel they can actively seek assistance.
"It always gives me a lot of satisfaction when I see that the recommendations the team has made for a colleague results in improvements. For example, perhaps someone who has been suffering with musculoskeletal conditions has, with our help, gone on to feel significantly reduced, or even ceased, pain," she adds.
Making change to help the environment
Mel believes we can each be a change maker in our personal lives too. She stopped driving because she wanted to reduce her impact on the environment. She does not own a car and only travels by public transport. She lives in a small town in Derbyshire so "sometimes this is a challenge," she says, "but it is doable".
One of Mel's role models is Dame Katherine Grainger, who she describes as "just amazing", and not just because of her Olympian status.
"She has used her position to enhance the lives of children through her involvement with International Inspiration - a charity that promotes access to sport, play, and physical exercise for underprivileged children around the world," Mel adds.
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Disclosure: Where Women Work researches and publishes insightful evidence about how its paid member organizations support women's equality.