Business in the Community (BITC) has partnered with Public Health England to produce a free online toolkit to help organisations support the mental health and wellbeing of their employees.
It aims to help employers build a culture that champions good mental health, provides information on assisting those who need more support, and includes case studies from government departments and small businesses.
Justin Varney, national lead for adult health and wellbeing at Public Health England, said that all employers have a responsibility to support the health and wellbeing of their workers. “Staff who have positive mental health are more productive and businesses that look after the mental wellbeing of their employees can see a significant impact on business performance,” he said.
“This toolkit will help employers understand and act, step by step. It will enable employers to pick out the free resources that are most useful to them, and help them develop an approach that fits the needs of their organisation.”
Peter Simpson, chief executive of Anglian Water Group and chair of BITC's wellbeing leadership team, praised the mental health toolkit. “At Anglian Water we understand the positive benefits for both the employee and the business of creating a culture where we can openly discuss and manage mental wellbeing,” he said.
“For some time we have been raising awareness with our employees, providing resources and tools to demonstrate this culture and stimulate conversations, and have started to take the approach outside the company. The Mental Health Toolkit for Employers gives us the perfect opportunity to start a conversation with our supply chain and further expand our approach to mental wellbeing in the workplace.”
