Local businesses told us how important staff mental wellbeing is to them. Mental wellbeing deserves as much attention as our physical health. Anyone, including employers and managers can experience poor mental health at any stage of life and 1 in 6 workers experience mental health problems such as anxiety, low mood and stress at work. Stressful working conditions can damage mental wellbeing.
By choosing to focus on mental wellbeing you can take simple steps to make your workplace healthier. Providing good jobs, fair pay and a supportive working environment also supports mental wellbeing, helps people feel valued and can help to reduce turnover. Supporting staff who wish to join in community events, action and volunteering can also lead to mental health benefits.
1. We will develop a workplace mental wellbeing plan and support our staff to think about their mental wellbeing and make a personal mental health wellness plan if they wish.
This could include: introducing changes that will promote good mental wellbeing, providing extra support for individuals at difficult times for example having a communication and support plan for times of job insecurity, allowing staff time during work hours to access mental health related training.
2. We will ensure all of our staff receive mental health awareness training.
This could include: setting a timescale for all staff to access online training supporting them to become aware of their own and others’ mental health needs and how to support mental wellbeing, committing to having one or more people become a Mental Health First Aider and one or more people to have suicide awareness training, eg within a year, being sensitive to how this is communicated and offered to staff.
3. We will create a workplace culture where breaks during the working day are honoured, protected and promoted.
This might include allocating meeting-free time in the working day or bringing in a flexible working policy, encouraging staff to get outside, to eat a healthy lunch and to go for a walk.
4. We will develop a workplace plan that supports anyone who is in a domestic abuse situation.
This could include: ensuring staff are trained in how to respond safely to someone who tells you there is an issue, how to speak to someone you are concerned about, providing information and support to access help.
5. We will develop a plan to support staff with money worries.
This could include: paying the real living wage to attract and retain staff; having information easily available, directing people to advice and support such as welfare or debt advice, pension advice, food pantries and foodbanks, addressing period poverty (in which women cannot afford sanitary products), subsidising healthy food in the workplace.
Now that you know more, we hope you are ready to sign up to the Living Well Workplace Promise for employers in the Bradford District We will use our Workplace Wellbeing newsletter to provide you with news, tips and resources to help keep you and your workplace as healthy as can be.