6th February 2024
Zenith takes mental wellbeing seriously
Mental wellbeing is a subject that Zenith takes seriously and we are committed to providing a supportive environment for our employees. Testament to this, our Office Manager, Rachel Perry, has recently completed a Mental Health First Aider course through Mental Health First Aid England, ensuring we provide an invaluable support service if required.
It’s a fact that poor mental health is responsible for 72 million working days lost each year, costing UK employers up to £56 billion. With 1 in 6 working adults at any given time and 1 in 4 people generally having symptoms associated with poor mental health each year, it’s a situation that can affect literally any company. A particularly sobering statistic from 2020 found that while 1,752 people died in road traffic accidents, 6,479 died by suicide.
Against this backdrop, we were determined to minimise the impact of mental ill health on our business and employees by promoting health workplace practices and proactively managing health and wellbeing. Committed to delivering a wellbeing strategy, we were delighted when our Office Manager, Rachel Perry, volunteered to become a Mental Health First Aider and undertake professional training.
Qualifying on 29th January 2024, Rachel comments: “I have seen first-hand the effects of poor mental health both at work and in my personal life. Before joining Zenith in 2011, I studied Sociology at university and it has always fascinated me how patterns of social relationships, social interaction and aspects of culture associated with everyday life can affect human behaviour. It came as no surprise to me that these things are also a factor in a person’s wellbeing and mental health.”
Rachel undertook training with Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England, a social enterprise with a vision to improve the mental health of the nation and the largest provider of Mental Health First Aid Training in the UK and Europe, with over ten years of experience supporting businesses to create and sustain healthier workplaces.
Grounded in research, rigorously tested and accredited by the Royal Society for Public Health, MHA’s courses have been developed with input from clinical experts and those with lived experience of mental health issues. Research indicates that the courses deliver quality mental health training and make a lasting difference to people’s knowledge and confidence around mental health.
Rachel says: “The course has given me the confidence to approach people to start often difficult conversations and the skills to be able to help them on a journey of improving their mental health. I aim to start by raising awareness within the workplace and reduce the stigma attached to poor mental health.”
To find out more about MHFA England and the courses they provide, please visit: mhfaengland.org