Flipping the calendar to October means it’s almost time to celebrate World Mental Health Day on Tuesday 10th. And this year, the theme is crystal clear: “Mental Health is a Universal Human Right.” So then, this might be the case in theory. But how are we doing in practice?
There’s room for significant improvement, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In their “Our minds, our rights” piece, they revealed: “Everyone, whoever and wherever they are, has a right to the highest attainable standard of mental health… Yet one in eight people globally are living with mental health conditions, which can impact their physical health, their wellbeing, how they connect with others, and their livelihoods.”
One in eight! It’s a persuasive case for jumping on board with this theme and making it a big deal in the workplace. But, how?
Here are a few ways you can endorse the message that it’s ok not to be ok. Plus, we’ll wrap up with a snapshot of what the Stress Matters team are doing to proactively celebrate thee and do it justice.
How to Promote Mental Health in the Workplace
Not sure about the best ways to tackle mental health in the workplace? Fear not! There are plenty of options to suit the specific needs of your business and people:
Stress Matters’ Wellbeing Manager programme is the platinum standard in strategic, results-driven wellbeing initiatives and support programmes on an individual, team and business level. There are three levels of our Wellbeing Manager programme: Essentials, Proactive & Premium.
This superior programme is so powerful because it leverages continued education and support, investing in your people at a deeper level than ‘one and done’ tick box activities. It goes far beyond most commonly available workplace wellbeing initiatives. So, you and your people can benefit from –
- A well-run wellbeing inbox
- Engaging newsletter send out on your behalf
- Co-ordination of your workplace wellbeing initiatives
- Reporting in a way that suits your needs, with a quantified minimum ROI per year from £28,800 per 50 employees on our Pro-Active Wellbeing Manager
- Mental Health Courses
Who doesn’t love learning something new, especially when it can help us feel better mentally? So, why not organise a mental health course for your team? The range of courses available not only promote mental wellness, but also create a safe space for conversations about mental health. For these reasons, Stress Matters’ Managing Our Mental Health wellbeing workshop is enormously popular, offering the following compelling elements –
- Introduction to the world of mental health
- Overview of the most common risks to mental health in the workplace
- Methods to protect your own mental health
Additionally, many organisations follow up this course with a deeper dive into other related wellbeing workshops covering hot topics such as menopause, unconscious bias, confidence, resilience and writing a wellbeing plan.
Mental health first aid training is proven to increase confidence in managing and supporting workplace mental health. After all, in a world where poor wellbeing is costing businesses on average £1,700 per employee per year, the importance of getting this figure under control can’t be overstated.
So, imagine having a superhero at work, whose superpower is to listen and support when you’re feeling down. This is why employers are recruiting team specific or business-wide Mental Health First Aiders, who are trained to lend a compassionate ear, a helping hand, and signposts to professional resources. It’s like having a friendly lifeguard at the pool – safety first!
Some industries are notorious for their demanding nature. The events sector is a case in point. To this end, it’s invaluable to equip your team a toolkit to navigate the unique challenges they face.
With events baked into our DNA, Stress Matters has both sides of the coin covered, with –
- Designing and Delivering a Mentally Safe Event – For designing events that takes mental safety seriously
- Mental Health, Stress and EventProfs – The basic skills needed to keep mentally well whilst working in the high-pressure events industry where burnout is just round every corner
3 Ways Stress Matters Are Supporting Mental Health as a Human Right
What of our own endeavours? Here’s a rundown of what the Stress Matters team is doing to specifically meet the objectives of this year’s World Mental Health Day –
- International Service Delivery
In addition to our domestic work here in the UK, we’re taking better mental health to organisations and individuals in the following countries and many more:
- Ireland
- France
- USA
- Spain
- Bulgaria
- High Risk Groups
We’ve also delivered services where the need is greatest, to the following groups who are at higher risk of experiencing poor mental health –
- LGBTQIA+
- Unemployed, at risk of redundancy, recently made redundant
- NEETs (not in education, employment or training)
- Carers
- Advocacy for Youth Mental Health
While we don’t work in youth mental health, we’re all too aware that mental health problems predominantly start in youth. So, we’ve chosen to offer our support to charities who work in this area and, in particular, in intersections of youth and other vulnerable groups, such as:
Mark 10th October on your calendar and make it a day to celebrate mental health in the workplace. Add #WorldMentalHealthDay with pride to your social media posts. After all, mental health is a right, not a privilege. So, let’s talk, listen, and support each other, because mental health matters, today and every day!
Keen to embrace these initiatives? Get in touch with us, at Stress Matters. We’ll help you not only demonstrate your commitment to mental health, but also create an inclusive atmosphere where mental health isn’t a luxury, it’s a right.
