Navigate staff wellbeing

• T he UK automotive sector employs 863,000 people.

• T he World Health Organisation suggests that one in four of us will report a mental health issue.

• T hat works out as a staggering 216,000 people in the automotive industry.

Even more alarming is the risk of suicide. According to ONS data, the suicide rate in Wales and England is 10.7 deaths per 100,000. Extrapolate that across the entire automotive industry and you can see how many people could potentially be at risk of taking their own life. Bear in mind that the rate of suicide is highest among men in the 35-50 age range.

Of course, suicide is an extreme example of mental health and wellbeing challenges, but please don’t assume this isn’t an issue in your business just because you haven’t experienced it yet.

So what can I do?

Drawing up an action plan to help people doesn’t have to be daunting, and even the simplest of changes can make a huge difference. Here are four tips to help you and your business navigate this tricky area, especially if you haven’t had to face this challenge yet.

1. Speak up

Let your teams know that you’re aware of the challenges going on in the world, and as a leader/ employer you want them to feel they are supported.

2. Be vulnerable

You’re not immune to mental health challenges, and even if you’re doing fine, there will be people in your life that you know who aren’t. So be vulnerable and let the team know that you also have difficulties.

3. Shoulder-to-shoulder

Encourage your teams to look out for each other and have informal, non-intrusive conversations that emphasise how supportive your business is.

4. Have fun

We all need more of this right now, so encourage people to enjoy themselves at work. However, one person’s banter is another person’s bullying, so encourage fun but within certain boundaries.

Link all of these with a culture that encourages psychological safety (people perform well when they feel good about themselves) and you have the building blocks for a business that can support its staff when times get tough.

Stephen Whitton is the founder of [M]enable, an organisation that raises awareness and takes proactive steps across the automotive sector to tackle mental health issues