Every year the 10 October is World Mental Health Day – it’s hosted by the World Federation of Mental Health and championed by the Mental Health Foundation.
It focusses a spotlight on and aims to raise awareness of mental health issues that could affect any of us at some point in our lives.
The theme this year is DIGNITY – aimed at challenging stereotypes, confronting stigma and shifting attitudes in a bid to reduce discrimination. This will goes towards enabling people with mental ill health to seek the help and support they need and to experience lower levels of social isolation or withdrawal.
With one in four adults and one in ten children experiencing a mental health problem in any given year this is an issue that merits our attention.
In the UK 70 million days are lost from work each year due to mental ill health, making it the leading cause of sickness absence. So if you are an employer it makes good business sense to be knowledgeable and aware so that you can take steps to keep your work place a healthy work place.
A healthy workplace is one where:
– employees have the opportunity to do a great job using their skills and abilities
– employees know they are valued by their employer
– employees feel safe carrying out their work
– the environment is a good place to work
– the culture is positive and challenges everyone to do their best
– the workloads are demanding but manageable
How does your work place stack up?
http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/world-mental-health-day/world-mental-health-day-2015/