Pro-Development has secured £200,000 (€232,000) to continue its work under the Thriving Workplaces and People programme, giving HR teams in York and North Yorkshire access to fully funded support on wellbeing, engagement, retention and inclusion.

Pro-Development is a York-based employee engagement and people development firm, working with SMEs across Yorkshire and the Humber, and delivers the programme with McMillan and Associates HR, Hälsa Wellbeing and Spectrum First.

York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority leads the Thriving Workplaces and People programme locally, as part of the Department for Work and Pensions-funded Get Britain Working Economic Inactivity Trailblazer.

The strategic logic treats workplace challenges as connected rather than separate. Michelle Mook, managing director at Pro-Development, said wellbeing, retention, management and inclusion issues are often closely connected, so employers rarely face just one challenge.

Mook also said: "The first round of funding demonstrated just how much demand there is from businesses for practical support around their people."

The structural driver is public funding. The programme sits within the £10 million (€11.6 million) Get Britain Working Economic Inactivity Trailblazer, which aims to help organisations create environments where people can enter work, stay in work and thrive.

According to the Combined Authority's programme listing, Thriving Workplaces and People helps individuals with health-related barriers access and sustain good work, while enabling employers to create healthier, more engaged and more inclusive workplaces.

Pro-Development delivers the programme with its partners through fully funded workshops, masterclasses, coaching, consultancy and tailored advice, covering employee engagement, leadership and management, HR, workplace wellbeing and neurodiversity.

The first round supported more than 70 businesses and delivered £283,650 (€329,000) of support across York and North Yorkshire in 2025.

Mayor of York and North Yorkshire David Skaith said: "By supporting Pro-Development's initiative, we are creating inclusive workplaces where staff are supported to stay and thrive."

For the sector, the second funding round shows publicly funded programmes becoming a route for HR and wellbeing providers to reach SME employers, with demand from the first round supporting continued delivery.

Source: York Press / Yahoo News UK