State of the art, modern training rooms
Free car parking
Established in 1998
The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has released a new campaign entitled Working Minds, where they are calling for a culture change within businesses, so that work-related stress can be incorporated into Health and Safety at work, just like other work-related incidents and accidents. In this blog we look at the campaign in more detail, our consultants highlight the good practices for implementing strategies and our training team talk about the right training programme to support this initiative.
The HSE are calling for people to become ‘Working Minds Champions’ as work-related stress is now the number one reason for employee absence. The campaign is about highlighting the duty of care that employers have for their team, which extends far beyond their physical wellbeing. There are so many resources available from the HSE for this campaign that are well worth a look at. From talking toolkits, to a stress indicator tool for businesses with fewer than 50 people. The resources have been designed to help employers and employees to encourage open conversations about stress within your workplace.
“Employee wellbeing initiatives are crucial in addressing work-related stress, promoting a healthier workplace culture and enhancing overall productivity. Companies can implement various strategies to support their employees’ mental and physical health, such as offering flexible work arrangements, providing access to mental health resources, organising wellness programmes undertaking stress risk assessments and promoting a healthy work-life balance. These initiatives not only help employees manage stress more effectively, but also foster a positive work environment where individuals feel valued and supported in their professional and personal growth. By prioritising employee wellbeing, organisations can reduce absenteeism, increase job satisfaction, and ultimately improve overall performance and retention rates,” outlines Allison Peasgood.
UK employment law plays a fundamental role in protecting the rights and wellbeing of workers and encompasses a wide range of regulations and statutes aimed at ensuring fair treatment, equal opportunities and safe working conditions for employees. Key aspects of the law include the minimum wage requirements, regulations regarding working hours and breaks, provisions for parental leave, protection against discrimination and harassment in the workplace and health and safety regulations. These laws are designed to establish a framework for employers to adhere to ethical and legal standards in their employment practices, thus safeguarding the rights and wellbeing of workers across various industries and sectors within the UK. You might need to be doing more than just what the law says, though, if your stress-related absence levels are high (and it’s a very good idea to track reasons for absence if you aren’t already).
A key training course that OMS have seen many positive results from is the Mental Health First Aid (England). MHFA have recognised that the workplaces have changed drastically with many factors having impacted and taken a toll on employees.
They say “Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAiders®) are crucial to helping boost employee wellbeing as we adjust to a profoundly changed workplace environment.”
OMS can provide training for multiple employees in one go at your site, or you can send team members to our East Midlands-based training centre. This two-day course provides the skills, knowledge and understanding of first aid for mental health and how to effectively support those experiencing distress. The trainers also help to provide the tools for people to help remove the stigma of talking about stress within the workplace.
Independent research has highlighted that having mental health first aiders:
The recent news report outlining that 21% of 18 to 24 year olds have been off work due to mental health reasons, reinforces the need for us all to support our team members. But don’t forget that while MHFAiders® work to support others, they need support too within your organisation.
Combine this training with the tools and support available from both MHFA England and the HSE and you’ll be on the right track to help improve wellbeing for your employees and that’s a business critical thing to get right today.
Book your MHFA England course with OMS today or call the training team to discuss private training on your premises (01530 833533).
It’s April, which is stress awareness month, where the focus is on prioritising employee mental wellness as part of your workplace’s health and safety. In...
Read moreWhatever your industry, whatever your operations within the workplace, whether you have had an accident or not the HSE can undertake an inspection (with notice)...
Read more
01530 833533
