This week between the 14th – 20th of May, the Mental Health Foundation are hosting their annual ‘Mental Health Awareness Week’. Following last year’s theme ‘Surviving or Thriving?’ the theme for 2018 is stress. The week aims to promote good mental health whilst educating the public about mental health issues to reduce the stigma and discrimination which is associated with it.
Every year, an estimated 16 million people experience a problem regarding mental health. As the world becomes more conscious about mental health people are being encouraged to converse about how we can support both ourselves and others.
Stress is considered a key contributor to mental health issues. Numerous factors such as financial issues, work, family affairs, moving home, coping with a bereavement to organising an event can all contribute to stress. Whilst stress is coped with on an individual basis, some cope with it better than others. To avoid stress becoming detrimental to both physical and mental health, the signs of both stress and depression must be identified at the earliest possible opportunity. Focusing on the early signs of stress can aid prevention of further mental health problems such as anxiety and depression and sometimes in further instances, self-harm and suicide.
Here at Hodgkinsons our employees are the core of our organisation and we take their mental health extremely seriously. In recent news much spotlight has been placed on the requirement for legal firms focusing more on mental health. One specific method which has been highlighted is to appoint ‘Mental Health First Aiders’ to the firm. Hodgkinsons are pleased to confirm that we already have a trained ‘Mental Health First Aider’ within our team, Marie Leary, who is also the HR Manager.
Marie’s responsibility aside HR aspects include actively working with all employees to reduce their stress levels, constantly questioning how Hodgkinsons can look after the mental health of its employees, ensuring there is a healthy work environment in which all employees feel valued and supported and to support individuals through any stressful times they may be experiencing. Hodgkinsons believe that by prioritising their employee’s mental health it benefits their personal well-being whilst helping to attract and retain staff.
Through integrating policies such as our ‘Equality and Diversity Policy’ which outlines a zero-tolerance of bullying, discrimination or intimidation Hodgkinsons aim to make all employees feel comfortable and supported within the work environment whilst reducing causes of possible stress.
Marie Leary, Hodgkinsons ‘Mental Health First Aider’ commented: “Here at Hodgkinsons we foster an all-inclusive environment within our workplace.
As a trained mental health first aider, I am able to spot the signs of a mental health condition early and am able to provide the necessary resources to effectively support our employees. We actively promote mental health and well-being in the work place by encouraging positive working relationships and social activities amongst staff and promoting a healthy work and life balance. Mental health really does matter and it is often seen as the ‘Elephant in the Room’ and is not openly talked about. At Hodgkinsons, we are keen on changing this in order to encourage employees to raise mental health issues directly and encouraging colleagues to talk to each other about mental health and to support each other where needed.”
Working within the legal industry involves daily challenges and pressures, as well as daily rewards in being able to work so closely with our clients to take them through the process of pursuing their cases to a satisfactory conclusion. Further, not all stress is negative, and some employees thrive in a pressurised work environment as it can motivate them to enhance their performance. However, at Hodgkinsons we are conscious that stress can have a negative impact on our employees and their personal lives, and all employees are encouraged to raise any concerns at an early stage so that steps can be taken to assist them. We believe that the more employees talk about their own mental health issues, the more their colleagues will feel able to discuss their own concerns, thus building a culture that encourages and supports those with mental health problems.
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