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By Martin Rimmer, Chief People Officer, Cadent that 48 per cent of people would not
talk to their employers about their
oo many people are made to feel problems while at work. Yet the stigma mental health.
isolated, ashamed and is such that 95 per cent of employees We turned to mental health charity
worthless because of mental calling in sick with stress gave a Mind for help. Using their Workplace
health problems, so at Cadent different reason for their absence. Wellbeing Index, we were able to gauge
T we are changing that. We in the gas industry are not the views of staff and gather essential
Earlier this year, our Chief Executive immune to nationwide trends. In Cadent information so we could track our
Steve Fraser signed the Time to Change alone, mental health issues were cited as progress. The index, which includes a
pledge. Promoted by the Time to the cause of 5,000 sickness absence days staff survey, gave us a clear set of
Change campaign, led by mental health last year and it’s the most common recommendations, which have formed
charities Mind and Rethink Mental reason for our staff to be referred for the basis of our action plan.
Illness, the pledge commits employers occupational health support. Over the next one to three years, we
to a 12-month action plan aimed at In an industry which, without strict will be focusing on three areas:
tackling the stigma and discrimination controls and protections, can be fraught recognise, manage and thrive. Our
around mental ill-health. with hazards, we’ve focused rigorously initial goal is for all employees to
We are encouraging our staff to speak on the physical health and safety of our recognise the signs and symptoms of
out if they face mental health issues employees. But mental ill-health can poor mental health in themselves and
and providing them with information have an equally devastating impact, others, to seek help and to develop
about the lifestyle and habits that and as Britain’s biggest gas distribution self-awareness and self-care strategies.
promote good mental health. Our network, we want to change that.
action plan is part of a three-year For change to happen, everyone in an
mental health strategy that we expect to organisation needs to be involved, Mental ill-health is the leading
become a core part of our business into including the most senior leaders. At cause of sickness absence in
the future. Cadent, we have sign-on both at the the UK and almost one third of
Mental ill-health is very highest level and from our staff people have experienced mental
the leading cause of on the ground.
sickness absence To begin our journey, we set health problems while at work.
in the UK and up an executive-chaired Yet the stigma is such that 95
almost one third senior leader steering per cent of employees calling in
of people have group and an employee- sick with stress gave a different
experienced based working group to
mental conduct a review into reason for their absence
health our current approach to
mental health, including
establishing baseline The index highlighted the critical role
data on sickness absence. line managers play in mental health.
Understanding how our These are often the first people in an
employees genuinely felt was organisation to whom staff will disclose
critical, but despite the increased – any mental health issues.
and welcome – media focus on Acknowledging the important role of
the issue, it’s hard to line managers, we felt it was particularly
talk about mental important that this group of people felt
health. In fact, equipped and confident to address
figures mental health issues in their teams. We
show are rolling out training for all our
managers and developing a ‘toolbox’ of
support to give them the same level of
confidence to manage mental health as
they have for physical health.
And for the five out of six
employees who do not experience
mental ill-health each year, we
want to focus on ensuring they
continue to thrive by developing the
life skills and habits that support
mental well-being.

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