Mental health is an essential part of general wellness, and the importance of good mental health in the workplace cannot be underestimated. The ability to manage the day-to-day stresses of home and working life helps people to achieve productive work output as well as enhancing their individual contributions to society.
For some years now, Medequip staff have enjoyed open access to mental health and support services provided by professional organisation Care First, in the form of counselling and information covering areas from bereavement through to financial advice and signposting to other relevant services. In addition, there are over 80 Mental Health First Aiders in Medequip depots across the country, trained to provide all-important support to their colleagues.
However, it had become evident that in some situations, it was increasingly important to do more to support Care First measures and also to effectively support the work of the Mental Health First Aiders team. This was in some degree accelerated by the COVID pandemic, which exacerbated mental health issues for many in and outside the workplace.
Introducing the Wellbeing Committee
In 2023, the decision was made to expand support for mental health across the organisation, and the Wellbeing Committee was set up, staffed by volunteers from different areas of the company.
The first step was to establish levels of awareness about support for mental health issues within Medequip. The Wellbeing Committee developed and carried out a survey across the organisation to encourage feedback on a broad range of issues, including levels of awareness about the Care First package and how to access this, and also looking for feedback on what other areas of support would be useful.
It was an important goal to reach every member of staff with this survey, including those whose work did not involve daily email access such as technicians and cleaning teams, to establish what could be done better.
Clear signposting to mental health services
The results of this survey highlighted a lack of awareness about how to access Care First services, so one of the first tasks of the Wellbeing Committee was to address this. As a result, every Medequip depot now has a Mental Health Board located in a communal area, with full details on how to access Care First, including the necessary passwords and logins. These boards also include information on the Mental Health First Aiders on site, enabling staff to approach them discreetly to request assistance if required.
An important part of the work of the Committee is also about supporting the team of Mental Health First Aiders. This is a voluntary role sitting alongside other pressures of work for these individuals, involving regular and refresher training on how to identify if people are struggling and how to provide effective support.
The Committee holds ‘Wellbeing Wednesdays’ every week, an online drop-in session open to Medequip’s Mental Health First Aiders, providing an open Group chat between the Mental Health First Aiders and also encouraging depots to do something wellbeing-related to bring the teams together, such as a Wellbeing Walk or a Wellbeing Lunch. The Committee members hold a meeting every Friday to discuss what they are doing to encourage good mental health about and within the company, and to establish priorities in terms of supporting the employees.
Open access to external advice and support
The Wellbeing Committee has also created an online link from Medequip’s social media platform Blink, which opens up access to constantly updated webinars on a diverse range of subjects from menopause through to financial issues, which can be watched live or as a recorded session.
The original survey also highlighted interest in other areas, which means Medequip staff now have easy access through Blink to information such as Money Saving Expert advice to assist with cost of living issues. There is also a link to Mental Health England’s ‘My Whole Self’ portfolio, where people can access a wellbeing survey to assess their own mental health and important information on how to manage emotions.
Practical help and assistance
The Wellbeing Committee is all about practical assistance too, with projects like the Cycle to Work Scheme and access to Perk Box, which facilitates discounts for Medequip staff on whole range of benefits including discounts on supermarket shopping.
The Committee is currently working on the creation of a ‘Medequip Wallet’ on Blink, which will bring everything into one place for Medequip people, from access to Care First services through to Perk Box, with a quick QR code link to access all relevant information and support.
Into the future, the Wellbeing Committee is working with professional trainers on a number of issues including promoting a better understanding of neurodiversity within the business, understanding people’s individualities, consulting with external bodies to ensure Medequip achieves best practice in all areas.
Medequip’s Wellbeing Committee is all about promoting an open conversation about mental health, working closely with all areas of the business including the training team, SHEQ team, HR and Operations ensuring everyone at Medequip has access to the right calibre of support, helping them enjoy happy and productive working lives.