Many employers talk about wellbeing and mental health issues. At rhw we are putting what we talk about into action! To mark World Mental Health Day we are posting this snap-shot of what’s going on inside rhw. 

Know a colleague who doesn’t sleep well? Someone in your team who doesn’t cope well under pressure or recently suffered a bereavement?  Do we just cover it up at work?

The cost of poor mental health for employers is an estimated £1,300 per employee per year*. One in four junior lawyers stated they suffered with a mental health problem in the last month** – crikey that’s high!

It is World Mental Health Day today (October 10th 2018). For some people even the term ‘mental health’ still holds a stigma but it’s no different really to discussing ‘physical health’.

Obviously it’s not all about the financial impact, it’s about real people – our “work family” – in real life situations. For that reason rhw started our Employee Wellbeing programme back in the summer. Look how far we’ve come – what could you do? – I’ve shared some links and resources at the end of this article. Please keep sharing yours too.

Reflexology – putting our best foot forward ! – subsidised staff treatment, shown to reduce stress and tension, restore balance and improve sleep per the Association of Reflexologists. And what a treat!

Mental Health First Aiders – all our managers and team leaders will be trained by the end of this year by our friends at the Charity Oakleaf

All staff courses – talks from a qualified psychotherapist on looking after ourselves, techniques to manage stress and anxiety, and getting the best of ourselves a work – focus, productivity, managing difficult situations

Fruit in the kitchen – feeding minds with organic nutrition (we have cake too, obviously)

LawCare – excellent independent resources and support shared with our colleagues

And there’s so much more we can, and plan to do – it’s in the budget.

Don’t forget it’s also good for our mental health to help others. Warning – it’s infectious. Posters will go up in the staff area about meditation that were not put up by you. Colleagues start recommending apps that help them sleep or relax. And you find yourself discussing a colleagues new yoga class in the kitchen – who knew they used to do ballet?!

What could you do? Oakleaf have spaces on our managers training day at rhw’s offices on the 28th November – come and join us! Contact Eli Beckett here:

Well wishes from rhw, Sarah

(Sarah England – rhw Solicitors llp) 

* Oakleaf – workplace mental health first aid training

** The Law Society – supporting resilience and wellbeing in the workplace – Feb 2018 https://www.rhw.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/supporting-resilience-and-wellbeing-in-the-workplace.pdf

Oakleaf – making life work with mental illness (Charity) – http://www.oakleaf-enterprise.org/

Association of Reflexologists- https://www.aor.org.uk/home/what-is-reflexology

https://www.lawcare.org.uk/