The number of organisations across England that have committed to tackling mental health stigma and discrimination in the workplace has passed 350, with more set to sign in the coming months as well.
Most notably, Lendlease is the first construction company to sign to the pledge. Sadly, every two days someone working in construction takes their own life. Lendlease recognises a cultural shift is required in its industry, and it is one they are especially proud to lead.
In addition, after winning the Bupa Wellbeing Award 2015, Unilever signed the employer pledge in October. We are also pleased that Age UK, who work to tackle loneliness and isolation in later life, have signed the pledge among many other employers.
If your organisation is interested in signing the pledge, please register your interest online by completing our webform. Once completed, you will be able to download the action plan guide and action plan template.
As part of the action plan we encourage organisations to:
- Run anti-stigma events or activities which involve staff with lived experience of having a mental health problem talking about their own experiences and tips for looking after their wellbeing.
- Review their existing internal policies relating to mental health and wellbeing, including the whole lifecycle of employment: from recruitment, through keeping people well and managing a disability or ill health at work, to supporting people to return to work after a period of absence.
- Review support tools. What support do you currently offer staff around mental health issues? Is that support fit for purpose? Do your staff know that support exists and how they can access it?
- Run a staff survey to set a baseline for activities.
In all this, we are looking for employers to take an organisational-wide approach to mainstream mental health in the business. By choosing to be open about mental health, you can join a movement that’s breaking down mental health stigma and discrimination.
To find out more about the employer pledge, check out our FAQ. The deadline for submitting an action plan is 4 January 2016.