Supporting employee wellbeing on Mental Health Week 2019

Published: May 14 2019

Mental Health Awareness Week 2019 is hosted by the Mental Health Foundation and this year takes place in the UK between 13 May to 19 May. Kent HR is taking this opportunity to raise the importance of employee wellbeing within the workplace and provide advice on training and support that is out there for businesses.

Employees are still three times more likely to discuss common physical ailments than mental health issues at work, a survey has found, with experts warning reticence over the topic will only exacerbate a lack of provision for mental health conditions.

Research by Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England – launched to coincide with the start of Mental Health Awareness Week – found that just 14 per cent of employees felt they could talk about common mental health issues in the workplace, compared to 42 per cent who felt comfortable discussing physical problems.

The poll of 2,000 adult employees also found that just one in 10 workers felt comfortable speaking about issues including self-harm, psychosis, eating disorders and postnatal depression.

Become a Mental Health First Aider

Health and Safety policies and practices including having workplace ‘First Aiders’ has become second nature to businesses. The more insightful employers are now looking at new ways to assist their employees and ensure that people are able to return to work or ‘stay’ in the workplace.

MHFA is a training provider of courses which teach people how to identify, understand and help someone who may be experiencing a mental health issue. It won’t teach you to be a therapist, but it will teach you to listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis – and even potentially stop a crisis from happening.

You’ll learn to recognise warning signs of mental ill health and develop the skills and confidence to approach and support someone while keeping yourself safe.

The training also provides guidance on how to empower someone to access the support they might need for recovery or successful management of symptoms. This could include self-help books or websites, accessing therapy services through their GP, their school or place of work, online self-referral, support groups, and more.

Kent HR – advocates of employee wellbeing

Kent HR Consultants have an in-depth understanding of how to support positive wellbeing within businesses. Our HR Consultants in Kent are experienced in working with businesses to develop and implement wellbeing strategies and support employees with a range of training and development opportunities.

Take a look at how Kent HR can help support your business with employee wellbeing or contact us to discuss your requirements.

Information taken from CIPD; MHFA and the Mental Health Foundation.