Mental Health Awareness in the Workplace

10th October was World Mental Health Day and this year the theme is workplace wellbeing. At ThoughtShift we focus on the wellbeing of our team as we believe it to be vital for a healthy and happy workplace. It is an integral part of our core values. We’re actively working to help breakdown the stigma that mental health still has. Mental health covers a plethora of conditions the most commonly known are anxiety and depression. Mind, the mental health charity, report that 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year. This is not going to go away and it is our responsibility as employers and human beings to support the individuals experiencing these challenges.

Wellbeing

Understanding and looking after your own mental health is vital. We take it so seriously here at ThoughtShift, this year we rolled out our Wellbeing Event, to educate and support the team in their own wellbeing and that of their peers. Building a supportive and engaged team.

We’ve put together some of our tips on how you can look after your own wellbeing at work.

Lunch

The working week can be hectic so it’s important to take a lunch break. Reclaim that hour away from the desk. It amazes me how often I must remind people to step away from their laptop and take their lunch hour. As an employer it’s wonderful to see their commitment, but we want them to be happy and healthy as well. We would rather they recharged their batteries and enjoyed their lunch before coming back to their desk and continue to do amazing work.

Social Committee

Be part of a community. Being social with your colleagues and building those relationships really gives everyone a sense of belonging. At ThoughtShift we have a social committee who are planning activities the team can participate in through the year. Movie night, team drinks, team picnics, and team lunches help us cement the relationships we have with our peers and provide a fantastic opportunity to build a strong rapport with those in the business, who work in different departments.

Music

Music soothes and calms the soul like a balm. Research has proven that slow, quiet music can reduce anxiety. Whilst not everyone enjoys my 90’s Garage and RnB playlist, we encourage people to listen to music whilst they work. There are some fantastic playlists to listen to whilst working. A popular one here at ThoughtShift is Music for Concentration and Electro Concentration which often get popped on as background music during a busy week.

Work-Life Balance

I’ve spoken about work-life balance in my previous posts, but it truly cannot be highlighted enough how important a good work-life balance is to your mental health. Being organised, understanding what needs to be done and making a plan. Prioritising your work load and including a contingency buffer, because let’s be honest, we will get interrupted and something ALWAYS comes up. Recognising what’s important versus what’s urgent and where they sit within your list of priorities. Then make sure you leave on time and aren’t working late every day. Draw those boundaries between work and life so you aren’t routinely taking work home and answering emails over the weekend.

You can find great advice and more useful tips and coping techniques as well as other resources online. Mind offers a wealth of information and support for both individuals and companies and how we can improve mental health.

Caring

Taking care of your own wellbeing is just the start. Speak to your Doctor. At work confide in your line manager, HR Manager or someone senior within the team, who can help you. Find out what the employee benefits programme is and what resources are available to you.

At ThoughtShift we have recognised the importance of a fully rounded employee assistance program, which can help individuals speak in confidence to a professional and receive free counselling and advice should they need to do so. Being open and honest with your employer will help them support you. They’ll have a clearer understanding of what you are going through and how they can work with you towards improving your wellbeing.

There are some amazing resources available such as SilverCloud, which offers a secure, online service, providing supported CBT program.

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