Crisis in the Workplace
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Author: Simon Brannan, Training Consultant for PACT HR Date: 4th February 2021 Time to Talk Day 2021 is Thursday 4th February. The focus this year is ‘the power of small’, a fantastic opportunity to connect with friends, family, colleagues, someone who you maybe haven’t talked to before and even your pets! Which I’m sure you have been talking to a lot of the past few months. It is times like this when everyone should feel comfortable about having open conversations about Mental health. You can be as creative as you like, and you will find loads of free resources online to help kick start the conversation. It could be a virtual coffee morning with a colleague or socially distanced walk and talk with family which is something that I definitely have been doing a lot more of since the start of the Pandemic. You choose, you decide. Mental Health is not something new, but how it was explained, understood and communicated is very different today than it was a few years ago, and those individuals that have suffered mental ill health are supporting the process by having conversation about their experience so that we can focus on the facts, bust some of the myths, and break down barriers; and the conversations we have about it will enable us to do just that. Talking about Mental Health is a different experience for us all, some of us feel more comfortable than others so start the conversation with something as straight forward as how was your weekend, a quiz, or more directly as a question about ‘What does Mental Health mean to you?’ Mental Health impacts on more people than you might think. Most organisation have Health and Wellbeing as a key priority in supporting both the physical and mental wellbeing of its people. Events like Time to Talk are crucial to breaking down barriers, reducing stigma, raising awareness and more importantly getting people talking about it in a comfortable, non-threatening and non-judgemental environment. So put the kettle on, open the biscuits and have a small conversation that has the power to make a BIG difference. ‘Mental ill health costs UK employers £34.9 billion each year – the equivalent of £1,300 for every employee in the UK workforce. This figure consists of £10.6 billion in sickness absence, £21.2 billion in reduced productivity, and £3.1 billion in replacing staff who leave their jobs for mental health-related reason.’ (Centre for Mental Health, 2017) Let’s talk Mental Health in the Workplace... We all have Mental Health and sometimes Mental Ill Health, and thankfully talking about it is becoming more common, but there is still a real stigma when it comes to the workplace. This has resulted in many employees feeling that they are not able to speak up about it until they are really struggling to cope, so the question is ‘What measures do you have in place to be able to recognise the signs and symptoms to be able to respond and support a colleague in crisis?’ Embedding Mental Health First Aid Training into your organisation encourages your people to talk more freely about mental health and the statistics show that early intervention enables quicker recovery as well as reducing stigma and creating a more positive working environment and culture. Having Mental Health First Aiders in your organisation provides that point of contact for an employee who is experiencing a mental health issue or emotion. Early intervention is key and enables the individual to be signposted to the right information and support and has a positive impact on their recovery.
Online Delivery: Through a blend of Instructor-led live sessions and self-directed activities, you will:
For further information, please contact Simon on 07879 418846 or email simon.brannan@bradford.gov.uk for an informal chat to discuss your requirements further. |
Simon Brannan PACT HR’s Training Consultant trained with Mental Health First Aid England and is now able to deliver the Face-to-Face Training (when restrictions allow), as well the popular 2-day online version.