Maggie Steven is a Senior Advisor at Acas. Her role includes helping organisations improve productivity through good employee relations, individual and collective dispute resolution and mediation. Maggie has extensive commercial experience, having worked in both the private and public sectors and is currently the belgium phone number library Chair of Trustees for a Wellbeing Centre.
This year’s theme for World
Mental Health Day, set by the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH), is suicide prevention.
This is a very challenging discussion but one we really need to have. Last month, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published the UK suicide rate for 2018. The statistics show there has been a significant rise since 2017 and, alarmingly, the first increase since 2013. Three-quarters of suicides are men. For both men and women, the highest suicide rate is for those aged 45 to 49.
Breaking down the stigma
With over 32 million people in UK employment, the workplace offers an opportunity to agb directory reach out to people who may need extra support. Mental wellbeing is as much part of our day-to-day health as physical health, and workplaces play an important role in breaking down the stigma of talking openly about single image or video how we feel. It’s ok to admit if you are struggling to cope and need help.
At Acas we have noticed a significant increase in organisations asking for help in developing a positive wellbeing culture. Creating an environment where workers feel they can talk openly without fear of judgment or discrimination is the foundation of good work and good health.
Reflecting on the mental health training I have facilitated, it strikes me that no two sessions are ever the same. It’s obvious I know, but worth repeating: mental health may have many root causes – and some of these may be triggered by workplaces issues – but the way it is experienced is unique to the individual.
