Mindful Employer What is Mindful Employer Initiative aimed

Mindful Employer

What is Mindful Employer? ¢ Initiative aimed at increasing awareness of mental health at work and providing support for employers in recruiting and retaining staff. ¢ Provides information, advice and practical support for people whose mental health affects their ability to find or retain employment. ¢ Includes a Charter for Employers who are Positive about Mental Health. ¢ Now over 1, 000 employers in the UK who have signed up to the initiative and over 1. 25 million people work for employers who have signed the Charter. ¢ The Charter is a voluntary agreement seeking to support employers in working within the spirit of this positive approach. It requires employers to work towards the principles of reduced mental health discrimination and increased support for recruiting and retaining staff who live with mental health issues.

Why is Mindful Employer Important? ¢ The overall cost of mental ill health to employers in the UK through lost production and staff turnover is estimated at £ 30 billion per year. ¢ Research indicates that, for every 80 p spent on health promotion and intervention a saving of £ 4 can be made in costs due to absenteeism, temporary staff and presenteeism (See NICE Costing tool for promoting mental wellbeing at work). ¢ 59% of people report feeling uncomfortable about talking with their manager about mental health issues and this subject remains an area of fear and social stigma.

The Key Principles of the Mindful Employer Initiative ¢ By Employers, For Employers ¢ Good Practices not Great Promises ¢ Adapted and Adopted. Safe People not Scary Places ¢

What resources does Mindful Employer provide? Becoming a signatory provides an organisation with: ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ Online information and resources Signposting information to national and local supporting agencies Links to other employers who may have had similar experiences through Linked. In and Local Employer Networks Training in mental health awareness Examples of good practice Practical, hands on support The Charter which represents a public, tangible commitment to staff. Use of the MINDFUL EMPLOYER logo.

What are the benefits of Mindful Employer to the organisation? ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ According to the MINDFUL EMPLOYER Initiative the advertised benefits of becoming a signatory include: It demonstrates to employees and others that you are a good employer It expresses corporate and social responsibility It reduces staff and training costs It helps towards complying with legislation (e. g. Equality Act, Health and Safety) It reduces sickness levels It enhances customer service It improves productivity It makes your company more attractive to people with mental health conditions and others It makes for a healthier workplace.

What does being a signatory involve? ¢ Sign the Charter ¢ Complete a “Working Towards” document which sets out how they intend to implement the principles of the Charter in a number of areas. ¢ Review process after 2 years - provide evidence of the progress made. ¢ This is not an inspection but is intended to ensure that the organisation has made progress in keeping with the overall philosophy of MINDFUL EMPLOYER. ¢ If an organisation fails to complete the review process MINDFUL EMPLOYER reserve the right to revoke the use of the Charter and the logo.

The evidence base for Mindful Employer ¢ ¢ ¢ In 2012 MINDFUL EMPLOYER conducted a qualitative evaluation of the effectiveness of the Charter 87. 3% of signatories who had undergone a review and who were included in the sample, had achieved at least 3 of their stated aspirations across most or the whole of their organisation. A wide range of positive current practices and a willingness to address those areas which needed improvement was also revealed which led the author to conclude that those employers participating in this initiative were at least “going in the right direction” (Frost, 2012).

What other health professionals are saying about the Mindful Employer Initiative… ¢ "MINDFUL EMPLOYER is an initiative which is a real help in dealing with patients with mental health problems. Often work issues figure highly in patients who are beginning to get better, but I find I don't have the time or the expertise to help as much as I would like. The support available and services such as Workways have become a real asset. “ ¢ "Satisfactory employment and good mental health are intertwined and interdependent. As a Psychiatrist working in Rehabilitation I have long regarded meaningful occupation, work and employment as pivotal mediators of recovery for people with severe mental health problems. Similarly maintaining and promoting good mental health is a major mediator in producing and sustaining an effective and committed workforce. Productive creativity is almost a hallmark of good mental health. I therefore applaud the efforts from many sides in support of MINDFUL EMPLOYER, and with it the growth of awareness in the value of promoting mental health in the workplace and giving access to work opportunities for those in recovery. There is a great deal to gain from both perspectives. "