Feature
Charity and CSR
Mental Health First Aid
Companies such as the Association
of Event Venues, the Business Design
Centre and RefTech have been
sending employees on mental health
first aid courses to enable them to
better understand and spot warning
signs in their colleagues.
Helen Moon, MD of charitable
social enterprise EventWell: “I
get asked regularly what change I
would like to see in the workplace
to assist with increasing levels of
mental health issues and stress
experienced by event professionals,
and my answer has always been
to see Mental Health First Aiders
in businesses working alongside
Physical Health First Aiders, and
in the very near future to see this
as part of an employer’s legal
duties under the health and safety
regulations.”
Margaret Reeves, managing
director of RefTech: “I recently
completed a two-day mental health
first aid course which I found to be
mind-blowing and really beneficial
to us all.”
Joe Hardy, marketing co-ordinator
at LSO St Luke’s: “Giving back is
so important to us. That’s why we
frequently collaborate with local
organisations on community focused
events, enabling us to reach local
residents and workers, as well as new
audiences and potential supporters.
It’s vital that we demonstrate our
strong community ethic and brand
values as broadly as possible – our
team are invested in bringing people
together and celebrating human
interaction, increasing the job
satisfaction of those who work here
and providing personal nourishment
within their roles.”
Healthcare benefits
Offering private healthcare and
eyecare allows businesses to
demonstrate the value they place
on the physical health of their
employees, and many, such as RCP
Meetings and Events and Olympia
London, have gone down this route.
Gillian Kiamil, Olympia London
venue director: “In addition to
long-established benefits such as
season ticket loans and free dental
& healthcare, we have introduced an
Employee Assistance Program, which
offers confidential support for to our
team 24/7 and have developed a new
training program which concentrates
on resilience, difficult conversations
and how to read body language.
“Over the past two years, we have
introduced flexible working hours,
trained 12 mental health first aiders
and provided masterclasses on stress
management, how to sleep better and
mindfulness. One of the best-received
classes that we run provides financial
awareness and education training
to our staff, something that the
company received no direct benefit
from, but we recognise the needs of
our people and the stress that money
concerns bring.”
Making wellbeing-focussed
appointments
Anthony Bennett, co-founder and
director at Bennett Hay: “We will
spend such a large chunk of our
lives at work that it’s imperative to
instil a positive environment where
employees feel part of a community
and come together to work as part
of a team; this is where a Happiness
Officer adds value. We created the
position within our business this year
to support and engender employee
welfare. Celebrating individuality
and positivity not only opens
communication across different
business functions, it allows teams to
socialise, learn and share knowledge
with senior management.”
Lorraine Thorne, venue sales
manager, Royal Horticultural Halls:
“We have wellbeing champions who
are trained in mental health first aid
in each department. There are posters
all around the office to educate people
on the signs of stress and declining
mental health which point people in
the right direction.”
Twickenham Stadium has
announced a partnership with
Stress Matters, pledging to show
a measurable improvement in its
wellbeing activities. Make Venues has
introduced ‘Wellbeing Champions’ at
each of its venues.
Healthy lifestyle
Businesses have been encouraging
their staff to be more active and
healthy in their day-to-day lives, with
ICC Wales allowing staff to make full
use of its nature trails and wildlife
viewing and RCP Meetings and
Events introducing a cycle-to-work
scheme to staff as a salary sacrifice
scheme, attracting tax and National
Insurance savings. Center Parcs
encourages its staff to take advantage
of the site and have walking meetings
and one-to-ones outdoors.
September — 27