This week marks Mental Health Awareness week, something we get involved with every year here at On Site Wellbeing Co. If you have been following our blog lately, you will be aware that we regularly offer advice on how to improve both mental and physical wellbeing.
Read on to find out more about Mental Health Awareness Week and how to get involved…
The Mental Health Foundation
The Mental Health Foundation has been hosting Mental Health Awareness Week since May 2000. The Foundation works to raise awareness of mental health issues and how our lives can be effected by problems with mental health.
In previous years The Mental Health Foundation has focused on a variety of issues. This has included anxiety, sleep deprivation and relationships, as well as how mindfulness can help. In 2017 their theme is ‘surviving to thriving’. They are tackling how to overcome issues to live a more fulfilling life.
Mental health is still not widely spoken about openly, but many of us struggle with issues on a daily basis. Our mental health issues can contribute to everyday life being a bit of a battle. The Mental Health Foundation work to help people better understand mental health issues. They help increase awareness to make these issues more acceptable and to improve understanding.
Increasing numbers are now starting to accept that experiencing anxiety, stress and depression is the price we have to pay for keeping our lives on track. This Mental Health Awareness Week, we want to prove that this isn’t the case, and that a life filled with stress, upset and worry shouldn’t be accepted.
Making a difference
As individuals we can make a difference, but even more so as organisations. Many people who suffer from mental health issues such as stress and anxiety feel like the root cause is their jobs.
As business owners and employers it’s a scary prospect to know that the roles you provide could have a negative effect on your employees lives. It’s important to be aware of the issues than can arise in the workplace. And, know how to work towards lowering employees stress levels and increasing job satisfaction.
Simple things like a bi-weekly 1-2-1 session at work with someone who each team member feels comfortable with can make all the difference. When you are in the middle of a battle with anxiety, depression or similar, it can be all too easy to bury your head in the sand. Often all it takes is a listening ear to encourage someone to open up about their struggle.
The first step is to determine when there is a problem, and work together to understand how to improve the situation. Some team members may be afraid to open up about why they are struggling for fear of losing their job, so it’s important to ensure it’s made clear that you want to help.
Mental Health Awareness in the Workplace
If your organisation would like a starting point for dealing with mental health in the workplace, we have a vast array of services that might be able to help. We run mental health workshops for managers and employees. We also offer Mental Health First Aid Courses and Mindfulness and Stress Management Courses – to name a few. If you’d like to chat about what service is right for your organisation, give us a call now on 0333 900 0212.
