Together we stay stronger October is Barratt's Health and Wellbeing month Throughout October we’ll be focusing on the different aspects which all play a part in our overall health and wellbeing. We’ll be sending emails and sharing updates on Our Place, looking at each of these areas in turn and providing details on the help and support available to colleagues and where to find out more information.
Health and wellbeing training Managing our own mental health interactive webinar
In the COVID-19 survey that was sent out earlier this year, we received feedback that colleagues would like to see more help around managing your own health and wellbeing, stress and anxiety. As such we have partnered with Willis Towers Watson, our Group Risk Insurance Broker, and they will be running an interactive webinar which will look at understanding and managing our own stress and mental health in light of some of the challenges faced by COVID-19. The session will be interactive and will provide information, tools and tips to support you in maintaining good mental wellbeing throughout COVID19 and beyond. The session will take place on Wednesday 7 October from 10.30-11.30am. This session is available to all employees. Click here to register. Once you are approved by the host, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions for joining the session.
Health and wellbeing training Internal learning offer during October Understanding Flexible Working - This session will help you understand what is meant by flexible working and how it may impact you. Mindfulness Practice - This 30 minute virtual session will explore our tendency to operate on ‘'Auto pilot’ and provide an opportunity to practice mindfulness through a 15 minute guided meditation. Visit MyLearning to book on your preferred session.
World Mental Health Day - Saturday 10 October As part of our health and wellbeing month, we take a look at the range of support available for colleagues ahead of World Mental Health Day on 10 October. If you need someone to speak to, or want to find out ways to manage stress and improve your mental health, the organisations detailed below can help: Employee Assistance Programme: Our EAP providers, Unum LifeWorks, offer someone to talk to in confidence. You can call them freephone on 0800 048 2702 or access tools, information and links on their website https://unumuk.lifeworks.com/ (user id: unum password: lifeworks).
Construction Worker Helpline: A free, confidential service for construction workers. Visit their website here for further information or call them in confidence on freephone 0808 801 0372 (8am8pm, 7 days a week).
Together we stay stronger Construction Industry Helpline: The Construction Industry Helpline, is managed and funded by the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity. Call them on 0345 605 1956. The Construction Industry Helpline also have an app with provides information, advice and guidance about how people can relieve the long term effects of stress, anxiety or depression as well as providing access to other areas of support such as anger management, drug and alcohol dependency, debt management, legal advice, and emergency financial aid. Key support areas include: Mental wellbeing; covering anxiety, depression, anger, suicidal thoughts, sleep and building resilience Physical wellbeing; covering aches and pains, nutrition, weight management cancer, alcohol and drug addiction Financial wellbeing; covering budgeting, debt management, tax and legal advice, retirement planning and emergency financial aid Each section of the app offers learnings about a variety of conditions or issues, self- assessment tools, coping strategies and referral pathways to access expert advice and support. The app is free and simple to use, and accesses a major researched library of resources on a vast array of topics and brings them all together in one app. The ‘get help’ function is particularly useful as the built in geo-locator signposts users to support from both national help center's and local support services, specific to the subject being investigated. Click here for further information.
Samaritans: Get in touch about anything that’s troubling you, call free on 116 123 for 24/7 confidential support or visit their website www.samaritans.org
NHS Every Mind Matters: Click here to access expert advice and practical tips to help you look after your mental health and wellbeing. MIND: The charity are providing helpful information, tips and support for anyone who is worried about lockdown easing. www.mind.org.uk CRUSE bereavement care: A charity offering support, advice and information to children, young people and adults when someone dies. On their website, you can find help, guidance and information on grieving during isolation. Click here or contact them via the national free helpline number 0808 808 1677. BrightSky: A free to download mobile app, providing support and information to anyone who may be in an abusive relationship or those concerned about someone they know. Money Advice Service: Provided by the Money and Pensions Service which was established in 2019 to support people’s money management, help people tackle problem debt and improve people’s financial capability. Offers various tools and calculators, plus free confidential advice. A debt adviser will: • treat everything you say in confidence; • give advice about better ways of managing your money; • never judge you or make you feel bad about your situation; • suggest ways of dealing with debts that you might not know about; • check you have applied for all the benefits and entitlements available to you Call free on 0800 138 7777 Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm.
Together we stay stronger Mental Health First Aiders Remember we also have a team of qualified Mental Health First Aiders within our HR and SHE teams. The role of a Mental Health First Aider is to be a point of contact at work for any employee who is experiencing a mental health issue or emotional distress. This interaction could range from having an initial conversation through to supporting and signposting the person to get appropriate help. To see the contact details of all our Mental Heath First Aiders please click here.
Looking after a child or young person’s mental health The past few months have been hard on everyone, including children. Supporting children’s mental wellbeing can help them feel ready for life’s uncertainties, and Every Mind Matters provides help to offer that support. Whether it’s improving a child’s mental resilience, helping them settle back at school, or looking after a parent’s mental wellbeing, Every Mind Matters has NHS-approved support that’s right for both parents and children. Click here to find out more.
Positive mental health whilst working from home As many colleagues continue to work from home, we appreciate that as we come towards the winter this will present additional challenges. There is a wealth of information, please click the guides below for hints and tips available Health and Wellbeing Support Guide Working from Home Guide
How to look after your mental health during the coronavirus outbreak The Mental Health Foundation have a wealth of support information on topics such as: Returning to school after lockdown Looking after your mental health at home Change, loss and bereavement Lonliness Click here for more information
Happifull - free monthly health and wellbeing eMagazine The magazine aims is to provide informative, inspiring and topical stories about mental health and wellbeing – also to break the stigma of mental health in our society, and to shine a light on the positivity and support that should be available for everyone, no matter their situation. Click here to subscribe to the free monthly e-magazine.
Next week ........ Physical health and wellbeing Next week we look at physical health and the importance of exercise in relation to our overall wellbeing, ways to keep fit if you're working from home and keeping active when the dark nights set in. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we will be sharing information and encouraging you to 'wear it pink' on Friday 23 October. Can you go Sober for October? Why not set yourself a challenge and sign up to Macmillan Cancer Support - Go Sober (ish) in October, click here for more information For information, tools and links on many areas of health and wellbeing please click here to visit our My Barratt Benefits website