There’s no longer any doubt about the importance of understanding mental health in the workplace – a happier workplace stimulates a more productive workforce.
Whether it’s a small start-up or an established company with hundreds of employees, the individual mental health of staff can have drastic effects on morale, productivity and success. The government’s Thriving at Work Report in 2017 uncovered a crisis in Britain’s workplace, finding that 89% of workers with mental health problems report an impact on their working life, while just 13% of employees would be comfortable talking about mental illness at work.
The UK’s Centre for Mental Health also highlights the issue, estimating that poor mental health in the workplace costs businesses up to £35 billion a year. With the appropriate training for staff and on-site employees who have a good grasp of mental health, these costs to employers can be drastically reduced.
What is a Mental Health First Aid Course?
Mental Health First Aid training courses can have many positive effects, but one of the main objectives is to create a safe place for the discussion of mental health in the workplace. The focus being on actively pursuing a working environment, which promotes wellbeing and encourages a healthy atmosphere for employees. Mental Health First Aid courses can fit around ordinary work schedules and can be implemented across an entire workforce. Typical learning outcomes can include:
- An understanding of what mental health is and how to challenge stigma
- A basic knowledge of common mental health issues
- An introduction to reviewing your own mental health and maintaining wellbeing
- Confidence to support a colleague in distress or any individual who may be experiencing a mental health issue.
Creating an atmosphere of support
At GBS Corporate Training, learning takes place experientially through a mix of presentations, group discussions and workshop activities. The first step is always a discussion. Mental Health First Aid courses focus on helping employers and employees openly talk about their mental health and how it might be impacting their work life.
It’s important that employers and employees feel comfortable in finding the next step of support, whether this is therapy or actions within the workplace to improve mental health. The effect that positive mental health can have on productivity and business success is therefore enormous. We’ve helped many businesses review their current performance in this area and improve their employee’s wellbeing and mental health, whilst outlining just how it can have a positive effect on workforce productivity, staff turnover, reputation and customer service.
By completing a Mental Health First Aid Course, supervisors and managers will also develop the necessary skills to listen without bias or preconception alongside reassuring, informing and encouraging their colleagues to find professional help, and assess any associated risks.
At GBS Corporate Training, we provide a variety of Mental Health First Aid courses and they can be completely tailored to your company’s exacting needs. We currently offer three kinds of Mental Health First Aid courses;
For more information just get in touch with one of our training experts who are always on hand to understand our clients’ challenges before narrowing in on the right solution for them.
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