Mental health in the workplace Promoting positive mental health and encouraging open conversations among staff about their wellbeing are high on the agenda at Fisher German.
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t any one time at least one in six workers are experiencing depression, anxiety or problems relating to stress. This is just one of many sobering statistics (see box) that highlight why mental health in the workplace is being taken increasingly seriously by employers. Unsurprisingly, Covid-19 has exacerbated mental health conditions, with nearly 70 per cent of adults reporting in 2020 concern about the impact of the pandemic on their wellbeing. Fisher German was quick to respond when Covid hit, putting in place support platforms for all 600 colleagues. As the world moved onto virtual conferencing spaces to communicate, Fisher German made a significant investment in online resources, including a programme of webinars for all employees, covering a diverse range of topics, such as: financial wellbeing; understanding stress; managing stress; sleep; coping with change; understanding burn-out; and wellbeing while working from home, as well as Q&As with a registered dietician. “This was a very clear way we could
Our mental health first aiders are able to recognise tell-tale signs, often from casual conversations, which indicate that someone might be anxious, depressed or even suicidal, and then tactfully point them in the direction of help.”
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demonstrate in practice our dedication to put colleague wellbeing first,” says Fisher German HR director Maria Hawley. The positive response to these webinars resulted in the formation of a four-week programme, led by a professional coach, on personal and professional resilience. And for those seeking to improve their health and fitness, a monthly online yoga session was provided by a qualified instructor. “We were very aware of the importance of talking to other colleagues when we weren’t able to meet face to face,” says Maria, “so we created Business Blend, a system that randomly pairs colleagues across the business and emails them monthly to encourage them to chat to each other, either on the phone or via video conferencing.” Enthusiastic feedback from this initiative led to the firm’s first Time to Talk Day, earlier this year, when 100 colleagues joined a live speed-networking session to chat to each other online about anything from work projects to hobbies and their personal coping strategies during lockdown.
