What is a ‘mentally healthy workplace’?
We have been working with mental health charity Mind on a series of articles exploring mental health in the workplace. Take a look at the full content series today to get insight and advice on how to improve mental wellbeing throughout your organisation. As part of Mind’s Taking Care of Business campaign, we often highlight the importance […]
The Art of Communication – supporting those nearing retirement age
If there is one thing in life we can all be sure of it is that we age – hopefully gracefully, but we cannot escape the inevitability of growing older. For one so widely recognised, this fact can often be surprisingly difficult to accept. Employees in particular can often struggle to come to terms with […]
Resilient employees likely to be physically healthier and more productive
Psychologically resilient employees are likely to be physically healthier and more productive in work, according to new research conducted by well-being experts Robertson Cooper. Between June and August 2013, over 500 people from the UK working population were surveyed to determine their current level of psychological resilience – in other words, their ability to perform […]
Managing health and safety: the right-people, right-place, right-time approach
According to a report issued by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), toward the end of October 2012 there were 17,495 reported non-fatal injuries in the UK; an estimated 27,000 self-reported injuries, and an estimated 33,000 new cases of work-related ill health. It also calculated an estimated 1.8 million working days were lost due to […]
10 tips to beat stress at work
Mind recently surveyed 2060 workers and found that almost half of people (45%) said that employees at work are expected to cope without mentioning stress at work and a third (31%) said they would not be able to talk openly to their line manager if they felt stressed. Stress is a serious problem, it is […]
Employers not doing enough to address the stress taboo, says Mind
Stressed workers are suffering in silence against a culture of mental health taboo, according to new statistics released today from mental health charity Mind. Almost half (45%) of the 2060 workers polled by Mind said that staff are expected to cope without mentioning stress at work and a third (31%) said they would not be […]
Top 10 security reminders for the post-summer period
Now firmly into autumn and back to normal, it’s time to review your company’s cyber security practices after the summer break has been and gone. Although a lot of people have returned back to the office, in today’s 24/7 connected world most people were still checking email and in work mode from their sun loungers. […]
The strategic path to supporting staff on their return to work
Employees can often find returning work following long-term sickness absence a difficult and overwhelming experience, with relapses a regular occurrence. Carefully planned return-to-work programmes to support staff are crucial if these relapses are to be avoided. 1/ In order to appropriately support employees, line managers may require training and guidance from Human Resources and Occupational […]
The rise of the ‘inactive office’ and what HR can do about it
As an employee, you’re often tied to your desk, squinting at a screen for most of the day and counting down the minutes until you can leave. After this you have to force yourself into a strip-lit gym, to burn off the sandwich that you ate for lunch, probably at your desk. As an employer […]
Financial services workers ‘unhappiest in the UK’
Close to a third (32%) of financial services workers responding to a new survey describe themselves as unhappy at work. Workers in sales, media and marketing were happiest – with 78% self-classifying as happy. Arts and culture came second with over two-thirds (69%) saying they were happy at work. Across the board, the number of […]
47 tips for Corporate Wellbeing Programme success
Most corporate wellbeing programmes have a simple objective. To provide staff with knowledge and motivation to make informed lifestyle choices that result in energy, enthusiasm and engagement in all areas of work and life. A simple objective yes, but sometimes easier said than done, so to help you fast-track the success of wellbeing in your […]
UK firms have ‘half the rate of staff sickness’ of German counterparts
The number of UK companies reporting high rates of staff sickness has fallen to half the rate reported in Germany and France. This is according to Dr Wen Wang, of the University of Wolverhampton Business School, who reported the findings to the British Sociological Association’s conference on work, employment and society. Dr Wang said that […]
Is your wellbeing strategy really meeting your employees’ needs?
Wellbeing. It’s on everyone’s lips at the moment. It’s no wonder with increasingly pressurised work environments, redundancies and an increase in the prevalence of mental health problems and stress in the UK workforce. There is a lot of talk about the introduction of wellbeing strategies to alleviate these problems but are employers doing enough? Wellbeing […]
Stamping out the stigma around workplace mental health
We have been working with mental health charity Mind on a series of articles exploring mental health in the workplace. Take a look at the full content series today to get insight and advice on how to improve mental wellbeing throughout your organisation. We all have mental health just as we have physical health – it moves up […]
Workers ‘take caring bosses for granted’
Empathetic bosses who go out of their way to help employees with personal and work problems are being taken for granted, according to new research from IMD business school. The study found that employees tend to view these acts of kindness as part of the manager’s duties and do not plan to put in extra […]
HR guide to depression in the workplace
We have been working with mental health charity Mind on a series of articles exploring mental health in the workplace. Take a look at the full content series today to get insight and advice on how to improve mental wellbeing throughout your organisation. We all have mental health just as we have physical health – it moves up […]
10 signs your employees are suffering from stress and anxiety
This article was written by Rick Hughes, Lead Advisor: Workplace, British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP). Taking more time off work than usual Greater use of substances such as alcohol, tobacco and drugs (prescription and illegal) Increased irritability, poor concentration, reduced productivity Deteriorating personal or work relationships, including bullying behaviours Becoming more ‘emotional’, moody […]
Beat burnout – seven ways to create an extra hour in the day
This article was written by Jeff Archer, Director of The Tonic Corporate Wellness. Someone said to me recently, ‘All I need is an extra hour each day and I’d get everything that I need to do done.’ Unfortunately, we’re all stuck with 24-hours in the day and 168 hours in the week so an extra hour […]
Psychological first-aid in the workplace – responding to traumatic events
This article was written by Mandy Rutter, head of the critical incident team at wellbeing company The Validium Group. The Boston marathon bombing has been an example of the kind of shock incident that is not only traumatic for those involved, but sends waves through networks of friends, colleagues, family and whole communities. For employees, the implications […]
Six top lifestyle changes for reducing stress in the workplace
This article was written by Jeff Archer, Director of The Tonic Corporate Wellness. On any given day, in any office around the country, you’ll hear staff complain about how stressed they are. It’s a phrase that trips off the tongue and has become a catch all term for all manner of frustrations at work and beyond. […]