IMD Solicitors signed the Mental Health at Work Commitment today, demonstrating their ambition to develop a workplace environment and build on their positive culture where all employees can thrive. By signing the Mental Health at Work Commitment, IMD Solicitors has committed to achieving better mental health outcomes and a genuine longer-term positive impact on staff’s wellbeing, joining a growing movement of over 1000 organisations including : Avon Cosmetics, B&Q, Barclays Bank, BT, Bupa UK, Deloitte UK, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Historic England, Marks and Spencer, Pets at Home, Santander UK, Save the Children UK and many more. Developed with the knowledge and expertise of mental health charities, leading employers and trade organisations, the Mental Health at Work Commitment provides a simple framework for employers who recognise the importance of promoting staff wellbeing. This framework sets out six clear standards based on what best practice has shown is needed to make a difference and better equip employers to create an environment where employees can thrive.
Daxa Patel, Team Engagement and Development Partner at IMD solicitors said: “ We value our staff and their mental wellbeing. The pandemic has magnified a sense of isolation which can lead to anxiety and stress. Many of our colleagues work from home so we have decided to go the extra mile to ensure their overall wellbeing by making this commitment. We don’t want colleagues to suffer in silence as anxiety is not visible unless, people feel safe enough to seek help. Our work culture is all about caring for our colleagues and clients, so this is a natural step forward for us. To compliment this initiative we have set up a Mental Health and wellbeing committee to drive through the sharing of knowledge and support. We have implemented a Mental health and wellbeing policy which includes a variety of support including training colleagues who wish to act as Mental Health first aiders and Mental Health champions. We will also run lunchtime workshops which will provide an opportunity to share knowledge and demystify mental health so it is no longer seen as a taboo subject. This also links in with our broader strategies of the organisation which is to empower all our colleagues to thrive, and to create an atmosphere where they can get the support they need to help them thrive”.
Andrew Berrie, Mental Health at Work National Lead said: “We’re delighted to see IMD Solicitors sign the Mental Health at Work Commitment. By embedding our six standards in the way they operate, IMD Solicitors are demonstrating a real commitment to supporting the mental health of those in their workplace.”
“We know it can be hard to talk about mental health and seek support, which is why public commitments such as this one are so important. With issues like stress, anxiety and depression common across all employers, regardless of size or sector, we want to see every employer recognise and address any work related causes of poor mental health among their staff and it’s fantastic to see organisations like IMD Solicitors taking the lead.” In a survey of UK adults conducted by Business in the Community in partnership with Bupa in 2020, only one in two (51%) of employees say they feel comfortable talking about mental health in the workplace, whilst two in five (39%) report they have experienced a work-related mental health issue in the last year. The cost of poor mental health to UK employers has been estimated to be between £42 billion and £45 billion, according to the Mental Health and Employers Report published in 2020 by Deloitte and investment in workplace support and interventions remains a key issue. Andrew Berrie, Mental Health at Work National Lead added: “Many leading employers have found that making a strategic commitment to the mental wellbeing of their workforce not only benefits their staff but also their bottom-line, improving productivity and staff retention. With one in six British workers experiencing mental illness it’s time for businesses to make a change and start creating more mentally healthy workplaces.”
This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Please note that the law may have changed since this article was published.
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