Prioritising Mental Health in the Workplace

This World Mental Health Day the theme is ‘Prioritising Mental Health in the Workplace’. At Aptus, recognising the importance of the role we can play as a business in tackling this global challenge we’re highlighting the ways we support mental health and wellbeing.

Mental health continues to be a major concern with construction workers nearly four times more likely to die by suicide. The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity reports that mental health issues, including depression and anxiety, are estimated to cost the UK construction industry around £2.1 billion each year in lost productivity, absenteeism, and staff turnover.

Our workforce is made up of many talented people including our construction operatives who observe a raft of health and safety regulations while juggling the physical and mental challenges of their roles, to colleagues in a distinct yet similarly demanding fast-paced office environment, all dedicated to upholding our standards of service delivery.

The diversity of skills and the varying demands placed on our workforce are key considerations in our mental health support strategies, and we’re continually strengthening our approach to keep pace with the fast-evolving demands of our industry and the world we inhabit.

Mental Health First Aid Training

One of the most significant measures we have introduced is making mental health awareness training and mental health first aid training available to all of our colleagues.

We’re proud of the incredible response and now have 40 Mental Health First Aiders who have qualified through MHFA England, with more signed up to undertake training. This represents more than 10 percent of our workforce – meaning that in every office and depot, and on many of our operational sites, we have a MHFA who is equipped to assist someone struggling with their mental health.

Health and Wellbeing Campaign

Our Health and Wellbeing Campaign, which launched during the pandemic, continues to evolve and offers practical tools for maintaining mental wellbeing. It focuses on topics including stress, sleep and managing social media, to name a few. Many also touch on the link between physical and mental health – such as our heart health campaign, as well as offering guidance for supporting loved ones or friends who are struggling. We also offer support through our Employee Assistance Programme, which gives access to free confidential helplines, counselling, and other resources. You can find out more about the health benefits we offer in our company brochure here.

Knowing Your Numbers

In the summer we organised ‘Know Your Numbers’ clinics in partnership with our healthcare providers, UK Healthcare. These 20-minute assessments measured vital metrics including blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels – information which can be used to help people make informed lifestyle choices for improved health, and in some cases determined where a referral to onward support was necessary.

Moving More for Mental Health

Embracing the theme #MomentsForMovement, during Mental Health Awareness Week in May, we focused on ways to integrate more physical activity into our lives to improve our overall health. Some of ours included a winter Corporate Race At Your Pace Challenge which was launched to motivate people to get outdoors – it was a lot of fun and also helped to inspire the weekly Aptus Run Club, which provides another opportunity for our team to get together and enjoy regular physical activity.

Throughout the year, many colleagues have shared stories about activities and sporting events they have participated in to achieve personal fitness goals and fundraise for charity. A proud shout out to everyone working towards, or who has already achieved their health objectives this year!

Destigmatising Mental Health

Mates In Mind found that more than two-thirds of construction workers still feel there is a stigma attached to mental health, which prevents them from talking about their problems. We aim to help shift these troubling statistics by uniting with peers in the industry by speaking up and advocating for mental health awareness.

We also aim to highlight the help available – which is why we have pledged our support for the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity. The charity is dedicated to supporting the emotional, physical, and financial wellbeing of construction workers and their families by providing free tools and resources, including helplines. Find out more here.

Andy’s Man Club is another mental health organisation that was set up to support men through the power of conversation and end the stigma surrounding men’s mental health; their motto is #ITSOKAYTOTALK. They host Monday meetings, which are free to attend, at 180 locations across the UK.

The Mental Health Foundation is a vital source of support and resources for employers and organisations dedicated to tackling mental health in the workplace on World Mental Health Day and beyond. They highlight how addressing mental health and wellbeing in the workplace is essential for the benefit of people, organisations, and communities. Visit them for ideas on how to get involved on WMHD2024.

Published on 8th October 2024