Wellbeing; Strategic / Group / Individual offer…. 

Poor workplace mental health costs UK employers up to £45billion* annually.  How much is it costing you? You may never be able to work it out, but you could reduce it & reduce business risks.  (*Mental Health Foundation 2024), 

Delivering a robust wellbeing strategy demonstrates a duty of care, often making it easier for a colleague to gain help in the workplace.  This may prevent them being absent, breaking themselves or even worse.  Colleagues can’t help but bring their whole selves to work, ‘masking’ unseen challenges.  This can only last for so long as they do their best to deliver for you.  If your colleague is affected by ‘personal’ challenges, its already affecting your business despite best efforts. 

Raising awareness of mental wellness to navigate low confidence, stress, anxiety, grief, loss, shame, illness or low self-esteem while trying to balance work takes time. Colleagues may not want to share that they are also carers, going through a divorce or have financial challenges etc AND they don’t want their performance or profile at work to be judged. 

Supporting mental wellbeing is more than an annual Wellbeing week or World Mental Health day, its every day employee care.  I can support you with the following…..

STRATEGIC SUPPORT;

WELLBEING AUDIT: Review your current strategy and offer, identifying possible risks and potential areas to improve.  Consideration given to mental, physical, and financial wellbeing.  Review would incorporate colleague data available.

MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AIDER REVIEW:  How effective is your MHFA offer?  Does the communication strategy need to change or who is involved?  A facilitated feedback process to identify pinch points and possible improvements for optimisation, whilst providing psychological safety.

GROUP SUPPORT;

MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AIDERS (MHFA) Single or Regular CPD sessions;  There’s business risk to training MHFA’s & not providing ongoing support. Duty of care for MHFA teams includes regular sessions for professional development or group discussions on themes.  Improving skills & knowledge, whilst keeping them safe and equipped to support your business is key.

TEAMS/ GROUPS:  Single or multiple sessions to support workplace bereavements and tragedies.  Specialist support for groups may be helpful, providing Management and People Teams with a specialist partner to lean on.  Managing expectations on how grief, loss or change may affect us collectively or individually.  Follow up individual counselling available.

WELLBEING WORKSHOPS (Half or full day) tailored for Management / Colleague groups on;

• Wellbeing in the workplace (Managers / Colleagues)
• Menopause in the workplace (Managers / Colleagues)
• Managing boundaries for selfcare (Managers / Colleagues)
• Listening skills and difficult situations (Managers / Colleagues)
• Supporting grief & loss in the workplace (Managers / Colleagues)

INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT;

REGULAR COUNSELLING PRESENCE:  Pre-book  block sessions on a regular (fortnightly, monthly etc) basis for your colleagues.  Available onsite or online.  You never know when a colleague needs support.

INDIVIDUAL COUNSELLING: Your EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) counselling offer may be a maximum of 6 sessions and most situations require more.  Refer colleagues to a qualified counsellor with a business background and flexible availability.

INDIVIDUAL MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AIDER SUPPORT:  MHFA’s may require one-to-one sessions space for download or supervision guidance (within ethical confidentiality).  Having someone to go to with mental health knowledge minimises colleague risks.  Sessions could be on a retained or planned basis.  Avoid your MHFAs being disadvantaged by their additional responsibility.

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS! Following your own policies and procedures regarding absence or capability is critical before considering a counsellor.  Your colleague may be in the workplace or signed off work, so a GP or Occupational Health professional may need to agree offering counselling as a way forward.  Its critical any individual agrees to see a counsellor, and are not pressured to do so. 

Therapy is a brave step, and can make a huge difference for your colleague and business.  It can be physically and mentally exhausting, therefore timing and location of sessions need careful consideration.  Possible locations or online can be discussed.  In line with Data protection and counselling ethics, there would be confidentiality between the counselling client (your employee) and myself, subject to legal exceptions.   You may wish to fund 6, 12 or ongoing support.