By Laura Parker

In recent years, a noticeable transformation has taken place within the corporate world – the shift towards prioritising employee wellness. No longer focused solely on productivity, there is a growing awareness amongst professionals that employee health and wellness has a huge benefit on the overall success of a business.

A business that values mental wellbeing quickly became a priority for me when looking for a job. Having struggled throughout university with anxiety, I wanted to go into a job that made me comfortable enough to talk about my struggles, if I ever needed to.

An environment that makes mental health an open conversation is becoming increasingly more attractive to young people, with research showing that 76% of workers view mental health benefits as critical when evaluating a new job.

When I first joined The Bespoke Group, I was surprised at the work being done to make workplace mental health and wellness a top priority in the business. Some part of me believed that stepping onto the career ladder meant I had to put on a brave face and pretend everything was ok. I was pleasantly surprised that this was not the case. With the team being so friendly and learning pretty much straight away that there were people about to talk to, it instantly put my first day nerves at ease.

At The Bespoke Group, we now have three mental health first aiders who have all undergone extensive Mental Health First Aid training (MHFA) to equip them with the right tools to deal with issues that arise regarding mental health. It teaches people how to recognise crucial warning signs of poor mental health, and empowers them to feel confident in guiding an individual to appropriate support. By implementing MHFA training into an organisation or community, it encourages people to talk more freely about mental health issues, reducing stigma, and creating a positive culture and healthy working environment.

It is by taking these steps that the environment of an office begins to change. Knowing there are people around who are willingly available to assist you, is a step in the right direction to helping those who may be suffering in silence. Alongside this, the team has also attended a stress management training course, which will help to identify the signs of burnout and offer productive ways to manage the stress that work can bring.

Companies are no longer viewing wellness initiatives as a benefit of the company, but rather a strategic investment. The shift can be attributed to the recognition that a healthier and happier workforce translates into increased productivity, reduced absenteeism, greater job satisfaction and a more positive organisational culture.

One in six of the working population in Britain struggle with symptoms associated with mental health issues, whether this be a high level of stress, anxiety, or depression. With statistics slowly increasing each year, many businesses have taken matters into their own hands in an attempt to help their workforce.

The Bespoke Group has started an open conversation about mental wellbeing of employees that is regularly revisited, to find the best ways to help and support the team. In our most recent team meeting, an activity was run to set ourselves goals on how we would improve our mental wellbeing on a daily basis. Small exercises such as these have the potential to bring about open conversations and get us thinking about the little things we can do to have a positive impact on our day-to-day lives.

In business, the shift to prioritising wellness is certainly clear, with other influential companies such as Google showcasing how businesses can build on a culture of wellness with mental wellbeing initiatives. While there is still a long way to go to get people talking at work, one thing’s for sure, the wellbeing approach is certainly winning in our workplace, and long may it continue.