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breaking the silence on mental health

The index highlighted the key role of the issues through events and instructional videos on topics such as
senior leaders play in progressing the national awareness days. spotting the signs and symptoms of
mental health agenda. One area where All these activities are being mental ill-health, how to start a
they can make a real difference is by underpinned by a structured employee conversation with a colleague,
encouraging openness about mental communications programme. We are signposting to sources of help, and
health and normalising it as a topic of taking the opportunity to raise the how to conduct an individual stress
discussion. To reduce the stigma profile of mental health at every level. risk assessment.
around mental health, our senior It has featured at senior leadership We are planning to develop an
leaders will be sharing their own events, where our senior leadership e-learning module on the lifestyle
experiences and personal stories. team attended mental health first aid factors that contribute to good mental
It’s vital, too, that employees feel awareness, and at our recent safety health and we have an employee
empowered to shape mental health representatives conference, attended assistance website providing health and
initiatives and communications. by 100 safety and trade union well-being resources.
We already have an employee-based representatives. We know that employees can only be
working group on mental health, their best selves in an environment
representing staff from across the Employees are trained to where they feel valued, respected and
company. But in addition to that, we are supported. We recognise that we are at
encouraging all our employees to spot the signs and symptoms the start of a journey to develop a
undertake mental health awareness, of mental ill-health among workplace culture that enables mental
either through a webinar or through a colleagues, to start a health and well-being to be talked about
half-day mental health ‘first aid’ conversation with someone freely without fear of prejudice.
awareness session. We want to move to a position where
We are planning to expand our who may be struggling, to coming to work every day has a positive
network of mental health first aiders. In encourage them to speak to impact on our employees, that they feel
previous years, more than 500 their manager and signpost empowered to raise a mental health
employees have undertaken mental them to sources of help concern and that they receive the
health first aid training at work. We support, advice and guidance to help
intend to grow that network, ensuring them back on the path to well-being.
that one in every 10 staff members is a We believe that is worth achieving.
mental health first aider. Companies have a moral – and a legal
These employees are trained to spot – obligation to improve the mental
the signs and symptoms of mental health of their employees, but if you’re
ill-health among colleagues, to start a still not convinced, bear this in mind:
conversation with someone who may be FTSE 100 companies that prioritise
struggling, to encourage them to speak employee engagement and mental
to their manager and signpost them to well-being have been found to
sources of help. outperform the rest of the FTSE 100 by
We are also establishing a network of an average of 10 per cent.
Time to Change champions – employees
who will help us to deliver our mental The Time to Change Employer Pledge is
health pledges. They will encourage a commitment to changing the way we all
colleagues and managers to take up We have also developed a suite of think and act about mental health in the
training, ensure colleagues know where materials that staff and managers can workplace. For more information, visit
to turn to for help, and raise awareness access. These include a set of short www.time-to-change.org.uk

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