12 Feb Members Only Resources – Time To Change Campaign
This month on the blog we are going to be focusing on our newly up and running members only area, and some of the most valuable (we think!) resources we link to on the site. Since Mental Health is the by far the most common workplace health issue talked about with the organisations we meet with, we thought it only right to start with the Time To Change campaign which aims to create more mentally friendly workplaces!
What is it?
Time To Change is a growing movement changing how we think and act about mental health, run by charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness with funding received from the Department of Health, Big Lottery Fund and Comic Relief. The aims of the campaign are to improve public attitudes towards individuals with mental health problems, to challenge the stigma, reduce the amount of discrimination that people with mental health problems report and to create a sustainable movement which will continue for years to come.
For the workplace, Time To Change can provide support for employers and employees through their resources, workplace workshops, workplace champions and information for HR and management.
Get your employer involved
We know all too well how hard it can be to get your employer involved and, as with all matters of workplace health and wellbeing, management buy in is key! It’s now more important than ever to tackle mental health stigma in the workplace, and help employees get the support they need, which is why Time To Change have put together some ideas and resources to help you introduce the idea to your employer.
The main advice is to speak to the key decision maker within your organisation – arrange a meeting or go for a coffee, make a presentation or draft an email! However you go about it it’s important that they have all the information and facts they need to make a decision, and since Time to Change is such a valuable campaign to be involved with it shouldn’t be hard!
And if your organisation needs a little extra push, sharing these staggering statistics should do the trick;
Almost one in three people have experienced mental health problems whilst in employment.
Mental ill health is the leading cause of sickness absence in the UK.
Employer Pledge
Once your organisation is on board, the next thing to do is to sign the Employer Pledge. Signing the Employer Pledge demonstrates your commitment to change how we think and act about mental health in the workplace, and makes sure that employees who are facing these problems feel supported. You can make this fun, get some comms out and make a day out of it!
Signing the pledge makes business sense – it can help reduce absence rates and presenteeism levels, increase staff wellbeing and productivity as well as retention and recruitment. You would be joining the 500+ employers (including local authorities, leading retailers and Government departments) who have reported the campaign having a positive impact on their organisation.
All that’s required is to create an action plan to get your employees talking about mental health, which could include taking part in awareness days and national campaigns, as well as engaging in training. This doesn’t have to be time consuming, and getting involved can even improve your performance on the Norfolk Workplace Wellbeing Charter!
“Completing the Time to Change Pledge was very simple and easy. The template provided easy to follow guidance and advice with applicable examples that we could utilise. What has been important is to ensure buy in from management and senior management. By seeing the completed pledge management can see the importance of having good practice and processes in place to ensure a safe place for employees to talk about mental health and be supported. “ – Catherine Watling, YMCA Norfolk.
If you’re not currently an engaged organisation and therefore don’t yet have access to our online members only area but would like to, feel free to contact us here. We’re always up for a coffee and a chat!