WORCESTERSHIREWORKSWELL
BUSINESSES CELEBRATE TIME TO TALK DAY 2022 On Thursday 3 February, organisations across the county celebrated Time to Talk Day and encouraged conversations about mental health. “The day is about creating supportive communities by having conversations with family, friends, or colleagues about mental health. We all have mental health. By talking about it, we can support ourselves and others.” – Mind.org With some organisations now adopting a hybrid working style, highlighting support has never been more important for employees. The Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce decided to hold a week of events and activities to celebrate mental health and promote positive conversations. Meditation Monday, Tea & Cake Tuesday, Wellness Wednesday,
Thoughtful Thursday and Fitness Friday were among the activities the Chamber organised. The events were a success with positive employee engagement and conversations being had across the week. Other organisations such as The University of Worcester made use of their facilities and visited each of the café’s on premises to speak with colleagues. Mental health support resources were shared and were promoted on the company’s social media accounts. The importance of Time to Talk Day and its positive messaging continues to be highlighted by companies all across Worcestershire. To find out more about Time to Talk Day visit www. timetotalkday.co.uk. For more info on the activities you can do to make a difference please visit www.comfirst.org. uk/timetochangeworcestershire.
WORCESTER BOSCH UTILISING WORCESTERSHIRE WORKS WELL TO SUPPORT THEIR STAFF With 1 in 4 people experiencing a mental health problem this year and a 75% job burnout rate due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the health and wellbeing of employees at Worcester Bosch has been a huge focus for them. They have implemented many activities and initiatives to support colleagues through this difficult time. They have created a safe space at Lol’s Cafe at their Worcester HQ where employees can grab a free drink and cake and have a chat. They are also currently working with partner charity Mind to champion mental health and support those who may be struggling. They have over 200 048
Mental Health First Aid Champions trained to offer practical support and 1:1 advice and run regular drop-in sessions for employees. Short burst virtual training sessions on navigating the new norm, getting quality sleep and staying energised in challenging times, have all helped their employees to cope with the many emotions they have been experiencing during these unprecedented times. Worcestershire Works Well has helped Worcester Bosch to adopt a more strategic approach to their workplace health and wellbeing offering. Their
employee-led Health and Wellbeing team have found the additional standards extremely helpful when planning the annual calendar of activities, initiatives and focus areas. Most recently they have focused on supporting Working Carers and are very proud to have joined Worcestershire’s Carer Friendly Employer Network – a new membership scheme to help identify and support carers in the workplace. To find out more information on the scheme please visit www.worcestershire. gov.uk/worcestershireworkswell. March/April 2022
