Mental Health Awareness Week: How we’re supporting our people
Approximately one in four people in the UK will experience a problem with their mental health each year, with one in six in England reporting experiencing a common mental health problem such as anxiety and depression in any given week.
Mental health and behavioural problems are reported to be the primary driver of disability worldwide. Awareness around mental health is growing, with plenty of great initiatives already rolled out across the country to support those who need it most. But, common misconceptions are still leaving some conditions behind and more can always be done to improve the support on offer to those who need it across the UK.
As part of Mental Health Awarness Week, the McCann Group is releasing information to its team each day through its dedicated EDI Matters emails. Each daily update covers a specific mental health condition to show how it can manifest itself or become hidden within individuals.
We’re also sharing information about how people can manage each of these conditions themselves, overcome obstacles and how the team can support family, friends and colleagues should they need to. Conditions covered throughout the week include depression and anxiety, Schizophrenia, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) and loneliness.
Should anyone in the team need support, then our dedicated Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is on hand through a 24 hour helpline, with access to independent and confidential support services. The EAP also provides online courses, webinars and programmes to assist with personal goals such as losing weight and quitting smoking.
We’re also providing information on how to access NHS mental health support services in the local area as well as a directory of helpful contact numbers for specific subjects. All of this help and advice is available to our team 365 days a year.
For our Equality Diversity and Inclusion Manager Michael Valentine, it’s important to continually reinforce the support on offer to the team so that no one feels isolated in the workplace or at home should they start to struggle with their mental health.
“It’s common to feel very alone when you develop any mental health condition,” says Michael. “For me it’s vital that we continually inform our team about the support services available to them so that if they need to talk, they know exactly who to go to to receive the guidance they need,”
Michael has seen great strides made across the McCann Group and the industry as a whole in relation to mental health but knows that more can always be done to lend a hand to those who need it most.
“Mental health conditions are incredibly dangerous because you can’t always see them and the effects they’re having on someone. That’s where creating an understanding around it is so vital because if everyone can be mindful of others around them and what they might be going through, then it can help to create a support network,”
“McCann is incredibly supportive of initiatives around mental health. More can always be done to improve and develop the services provided but we’re committed to doing our bit to make sure that our team, their families and their friends are supported whenever and however they need it.”
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