AdviserPlus puts mental health and employee wellbeing at the heart of its culture
On April 27th, we’re attending the Disability Smart awards as finalists in the ‘Disability Confident Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace’ category. We’re so excited and honoured to be a part of such an important event that celebrates organisations that are constantly working towards creating a more inclusive and accessible world for disabled employees.
The event is especially timely given that Acas has just launched their new guidance on Reasonable Adjustments for mental health at work, which further highlights the significance of mental health in the workplace and how organisations should be prioritising the implementation of support.
We wanted to take a look at some of the reasons why we have been nominated as finalists and reflect on the work we do in supporting the mental health agenda, not only in our own business, but what we do for other organisations who ask for our help in this space.
Why AdviserPlus are finalists for the Disability Confident – Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace category.
AdviserPlus Learning Development Director is one of the ‘Most Influential HR Leaders’ in the UK
One of the reasons for this recognition is the work of Pat Ashworth, our Learning Development Director at AdviserPlus, who sits on the Government’s Disability Confident Professional Advisors Group (PAG) and was part of the Disability Confident Task Force that developed the new Disability Confident Standard and assessment process and resources. Pat’s expertise and influence has helped AdviserPlus to stay at the forefront of disability inclusion strategies. Pat has been named one of the ‘Most Influential HR Leaders’ in the UK for her work supporting organisations with their mental health agenda during COVID-19. Pat also supported the provision of free Disability Confident webinars to help organisations attract, retain, and progress disabled people in work.
A Cohort of Mental Health First Aiders
To support mental health in the workplace, AdviserPlus has three Mental Health First Aid Instructors and over 30 accredited Mental Health First Aiders, who make up more than 10% of the workforce. As a company we also run numerous mental health initiatives and have two well-established working groups, WellbeingPlus and InclusivityPlus, that meet monthly to discuss opportunities to champion inclusion, mental health, and wellbeing initiatives. Mental health and wellbeing awareness is a part of every employee’s onboarding induction, and managers are well-trained in recognising the early signs of stress. The company also conducts an annual online, anonymous survey called “Your Voice” to gather feedback on its support of disability and mental health in the workplace.
Keeping Mental Health and Wellbeing on the Agenda
AdviserPlus offers a variety of resources to its employees, including information about mental health and disability support and an intranet hub regularly updated with articles, videos, and resources. The company also partners with organisations such as the charity ‘Chasing The Stigma’ to promote mental health awareness. The WellbeingPlus working group regularly hosts events and activities that keep mental health and wellbeing on the agenda, providing support and educating colleagues in issues that may impact anyone within the workforce. You may have seen the Series on Modern Life social media campaign that includes webinars, guides, and information about subjects such as mental health and measuring the impact of wellbeing programs in the workplace.
Being a Disability Confident Leader
AdviserPlus has been a Disability Confident Leader for a decade and has been proactively involved in promoting the Disability Confident agenda both within the company and more widely. As a company we have sponsored and co-hosted Disability Confident employer-focused events and co-hosted a range of Disability Confident mental health seminars to promote the mental health agenda and encourage open discussions that help break the stigma. AdviserPlus also works strategically with the DWP and uses management information from the employers it works with to inform its support for employees with Mental Ill Health and Autistic Spectrum Conditions.
How we help other organisations with mental health and wellbeing agendas.
Each organisation’s culture is unique and creating change around mental health is a complex task that requires a multi-tiered approach, which our team of experts is positioned to provide. Here’s some of the ways we can help your organisation bring mental health and wellbeing to the top of the agenda.
Training and support
Our team of specialists, each with an extensive background in HR and learning and development, design and deliver tailored courses for line managers that focus on the key competencies and behaviours required to develop effective people management skills. We’ve helped thousands of leaders, managers and individuals drive business success through improving people management skills and performance.
One of our training courses, ‘Becoming Disability Confident’ enables organisations to demonstrate what they are doing to reduce the challenges people with disabilities face in the world of work. To find out more about the benefits of joining the scheme, watch Pat Ashworth explain in this short video.
We also offer specific training that enables your line managers to manage mental health and wellbeing confidently and proactively, minimising the risk of mental ill health on your business and your people, and help to promote and maintain healthy workplaces.
To find out more about our mental health training packages or becoming a Disability Confident Leader, download our guide and get in touch.
Policies that promote inclusion
Employees’ mental health and well-being can be affected by a variety of factors outside of work, such as personal life events, financial stress, family issues, health concerns, and many others. These challenges can impact an employee’s ability to perform well at work, be present, and be productive.
Organisations that are focused on the the mental health and wellbeing of their people need to prioritise implementing these progressive policies to support employees during difficult times.
If you are looking for off-the-shelf, best practice policies that are ready to integrate into your current policy set or a set tailored to your brand and tone of voice, contact us to discuss our policy services.
Empower line managers with guided journeys.
Line managers play a critical role in supporting the mental health and well-being of employees, as they are often the first point of contact for employees who are experiencing challenges. When employees feel comfortable discussing their mental health with their managers, they are more likely to seek support when they need it.
Line managers therefore need to feel empowered and supported when it comes to having these conversations, not just about mental health and wellbeing, but about all aspects of an employee’s journey with the organisation. Whilst training and policies go someway into supporting them to have these conversations, they need the right tools to help them put it into practice. With empower®, line managers are guided through the processes and taken on a journey through the policies, ensuring they’re taking the relevant action at the right time but in a risk managed way. By having line managers empowered to have these conversations, it can help them identify early warning signs of mental health issues, and provide the appropriate support and resources early on. This can help these issues escalating and reduce the impact of them on productivity, absenteeism and most importantly the employee’s mental wellbeing.
To discuss how empower® can transform the way your line managers handle these difficult conversations and have the confidence to own them, talk to us about empower.
We are wishing all our fellow finalist’s good luck at the Disability Smart Awards on the 27th April. We are very much looking forward to celebrating with other organisations that are having such a positive impact on the wellbeing of employees at work.