Mental health and wellbeing should be supported in every environment, especially the workplace. As the majority of us spend a third of our lives at work, it’s vital that organisations have measures in place that protect our wellbeing and support our work-life balance. In 2019, 24% of employees in the UK said they find it difficult to relax in their personal time due to worrying about work, a statistic that can be tackled when we set a foundation of support for mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. This is one of the reasons why we’ve introduced our MHFA Wales Wellbeing Quality Mark; a chance for your organisation to commit to and celebrate your initiatives to support mental health at work. This can empower staff to come to work feeling supported and can go home, or log off, knowing that they can relax in their spare time, safe in the knowledge that their wellbeing is protected. Read on to learn more about what the MHFA Wales Wellbeing Quality Mark is, how it can be achieved and why it is beneficial in any organisation.
What is the MHFA Wales Wellbeing Quality Mark?
Our Wellbeing Quality Mark celebrates any type of organisation in Wales that commits to taking mental health and wellbeing seriously by taking steps to show it. This includes workplaces, institutions and community groups, and actions taken focus on improving attitudes towards mental health, dispelling stigma, providing support, and education. The different actions organisations can commit to vary from areas that cover the following:
- Leadership commitment and engagement
- Having a workforce skilled in mental health first aid (MHFA)
- Having Mental Health First Aid Officers
- Evaluating and continuously improving the quality of MHFA actions
There are three tiers of recognition: Gold, Silver and Bronze. Certain criteria must be met to achieve each level of recognition, such as the minimum number of actions completed and the percentage of staff trained in MHFA.
The importance of MHFA in the workplace
With a third of employers in the UK not offering enough support for mental health and wellbeing, it’s vital that this support is provided. Committing to MHFA in the workplace sends a message that your organisation cares about staff and has multiple benefits, including:
- Improving employee wellbeing and productivity
- Reducing staff turnover
- Enhancing leadership skills
- Supporting the creation of a positive culture in the workplace
- Ensuring the workplace is complying with legal requirements to staff
- Promoting a positive representation of the organisation to prospective employees
We know that thinking about where to start when incorporating MHFA actions into the workplace can seem like a daunting task, and that’s where our Wellbeing Quality Mark comes in. We’ve gathered a list of actions that organisations can use to commit to mental health support in the workplace and really prove to staff that they care about their wellbeing. So, what actions could you have in place in order for your organisation to achieve the Wellbeing Quality Mark?
- Incorporating MHFA into a wider strategy. This commitment can empower colleagues with the skills to recognise and respond to early signs of ill mental health in a supportive and effective manner
- Promoting MHFA on the intranet, through posters around the office and in external communications
- Incorporating MHFA into the induction process, a demonstration to new staff that your organisation is serious about supporting wellbeing from the get-go
- Enrolling staff not trained in MHFA on the Mental Health Awareness course to provide an understanding on the role of MHFA in the workplace
- Establishing the role of a Mental Health First Aid Officer, or a central coordinator, if there are more than one within your organisation
- Incorporating the collection of MHFA evaluation data into annual internal surveys, such as a staff satisfaction survey
By introducing these actions, with many others to choose from, your organisation can celebrate and showcase their commitments to mental health and wellbeing in the workplace and start the journey to achieving our Wellbeing Quality Mark. Don’t just take our word for it, read on to see what other organisations we’ve supported have to say about achieving the Wellbeing Quality Mark in their place of work.
Testimonials from other organisations
Korbuild Ltd
“This achievement underlines our dedication to promoting mental health and wellbeing within our organisation. A huge thank you to all our incredible staff for your support and encouragement. Your commitment has been instrumental in helping us attain this incredible milestone!”
Four Construction Group
“We’re thrilled that Four Construction has achieved the MHFA Wales Gold Level Quality Mark for Wellbeing in the Workplace! This recognition underscores our commitment to fostering a supportive and healthy environment for our group and the construction industry. Huge thanks to the dedicated Mental Health First Aiders on our committee for making this possible!”
These testimonies from organisations we’ve worked with showcase the importance of creating positive environments for staff to work in, and that the work that goes into committing to mental health really pays off. We’re also delighted that another organisation who has achieved the Gold MHFA Wales Wellbeing Quality Mark, ClwydAlyn, have been shortlisted for the Mental Health & Wellbeing category at the Working Family awards. Achievements and results like this are a huge testimony to the important, valued role that committing to MHFA in the workplace holds for organisations.
If you’re interested in finding out more about our Wellbeing Quality Mark and would like to start your journey to achieve it, visit our website for more information. For more details about training to become an Adult Mental Health First Aider or to view other training we provide, visit gwefan and learn how to invest in your mental health.
