POWERED access provider Nationwide Platforms marked Mental Health Awareness Week by encouraging employees to take part in ‘One Small Thing’, an initiative that aims to improve mental wellbeing in the workplace.
One Small Thing took the form of a company-wide activity where colleagues anonymously submitted one realistic action or change they’ve made in order to support their mental health, with helpful prompts including taking a proper break during the working day, getting some fresh air between jobs, and asking for help instead of pushing through a difficult task alone.
There were similar suggestions on how to help others, such as taking the time to listen to how a colleague is doing, recognising that they’ve done a good job, and checking in on how a colleague is feeling.
These suggestions were collected and shared across the working week, with five examples from across all the areas of the business – including IT, training, transport and depot staff – emailed out each day to the whole team. There was also an option to anonymously post advice on a digital bulletin board.
“With the UK amidst a mental health crisis, it’s imperative that activities such as One Small Thing are implemented to not only raise awareness of the importance of support with mental health, but to equip employees with an arsenal of actionable changes they can use in their own lives to allow them to help themselves,” said Karen Maguire, HR director at Nationwide Platforms. “It’s an employer’s responsibility to do everything they can to support their team and ensure that they understand what options are available to them if they need further help.”
