This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, which was first launched in 2001 in the UK. And although having a week dedicated to mental health is great, looking after yourself and your team is a vital part of everyday life and something that many businesses are now becoming more active in supporting their employees with, not just for a week but year round.
According to Mind UK, approximately only 1 in 3 adults with a common mental health problem are currently getting treatment in the form of talking therapies, medication, or both. Therefore, it is highly important to maintain a workplace culture where your team feel as if they can be open about their mental health and access the support and treatment they need.
Improving your internal comms is a great way to do this. Below are some ideas of how you can offer your support as an employer.
Keep the conversation going
According to Priority Group, 40% of men have never spoken to anyone about their mental health. You may want to offer an open-door policy or even arrange group conversations or an anonymous Q&A, where you a professional can offer advice or referrals to charities and organisations.
But sometimes the best way to keep the conversation going is just as simple as having a brew with someone. A casual cuppa (and maybe a cheeky biscuit) is a simple and laid-back setting to talk about absolutely anything. Conversations can include the stress and anxiety an employee faces, or it can be a fun light-hearted conversation to raise serotonin levels and take their mind away from things.
Have a good wellbeing policy in place
A decent wellbeing policy can create trust between a business and its team by showing them that you will be there for them whenever they need it. Good things to consider are:
- Nominated mental health first aiders
- An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) with access to a helpline
- Flexibility to attend appointments
- Exercise clubs for your team to get involved in
- Supporting work life balance by not expecting employees to respond to messages out of hours
Ensure your team know about the support available
Continually communicate and promote your wellbeing resources amongst the team but also make other resources such as phone numbers for mental health charities easily available as a gentle reminder of support.
You could do this by including updates and reminders in your company newsletter or regularly posting resources on the workplace intranet. Your team are far more likely to access these resources if they are regularly seen and well communicated.
After more internal comms advice, follow Endorphin on LinkedIn or contact us to learn more.
Mental Health Awareness Week takes place between Monday 13th and Sunday 19th of May 2024. Find out more.