Mind Week 2011

• Mind Week: Taking Care of Business launched May 2010

• Aims include:

• Ensuring that people with experience of mental distress are able to gain and retain fulfilling employment

• Transform attitudes towards mental wellbeing at work

• Raise awareness and provide simple and cost effective tools to support both employers and employees

2010 Mind Week – Taking Care of Business

• 12,000 people visited Mind’s website for wellbeing tips

• 15,000 people viewed the TCoB campaign film

• 40 organisations signed up to the campaign

• 38 million people were reached through the media

•Over 5,000 employers received Mind’s guide to mental wellbeing at work

•Launch of a new guide for small organisations in partnership with the Federation of Small Businesses

2010 Mind Week Successes

This year’s focus:

•To help create stigma-free workplace environments where employees feel able to speak up and employers can respond appropriately to provide support

Activities:•14th to 21st May saw a high profile awareness campaign (the ‘elephant in the room’) with excellent reception rate via national/local media and online

• High-level business summit, supported by AXA

• LMAs are now working with local businesses •‘Wake up your Mind’ fundraising breakfast

2011 (Y2) Mind Week

2011 (Y2) Mind Week

• Business summit report with recommendations

•In partnership with the CIPD; developing practical tools for employers to support disclosure during recruitment and employment

•Partnership working with organisations including Work Foundation and Business in the Community to maintain awareness raising

•Supporting employers directly and developing bespoke advice for different sectors/sizes

•Engaging with Government to lobby for mental health at work incentives (P11D for example)

They may forget what you said, butthey’ll never forget how you madethem feel.

Carl W. Buechner

Outcome: mental health related absence = 30% down

TCoB Case Study (2010)

A three-tiered approach to mental health was developed:

• Level I• Promoting and preventing: advice on intranet; training on soft skills

• Level II: • Development and dissemination of tools to help people understand what

distress ‘looks like’; • Key ways developed to prevent escalation via online SRA for employees

and training for managers

• Level III: • Offering at risk employees opportunity to develop an ‘advance directive’

What employers need to know

How to help someone who is experiencing distress

• Acknowledge what’s happening for your friend or colleague

• Be aware that distress feels different for everyone

• Don’t be put off by a lack of knowledge about mental health issues – they may well feel the same!

• Ask the person what they feel will help them – they’re the expert!

• Create time for them without any distractions

How to help someone who is experiencing distress

• Offer them both practical and emotional support

• Don’t avoid the elephant in the room – each time you see them, make a point of saying hello

• Honour your commitment to maintain confidentiality

• Challenge other people’s assumptions about mental health issues at work and at home

Taking Care of Business’ resources

• Advice on practice issues within your client base

• Toolkits for individuals and employers

• Mental Health Awareness Training (SU delivered)

• MHFA Training

• Workplace assessments in partnership with EAPs

Contact us:

t: 020 8215 2226

e: a.whitelock@mind.org.uk

Visit www.mind.org.uk