As part of this year’s campaign, which was focused on anxiety, our Mental Health First Aid team encouraged our staff to try some activities to improve their mental wellbeing throughout the week and share the results. Marnie from our MHFA team produced the poster below  with some suggested activities, which was displayed in communal areas across our sites and offices.

Throughout the week, the MHFA team shared activity sheets with staff – including sudokus, colouring sheets, crosswords and word searches – to encourage everyone to take 10 minutes out of their day for a mindful activity.

Many of the team were inspired to get moving during the week. Below are some photos from Marnie’s sunset walk and Rob and Kalvin’s cycle ride. Rob said, “I’d been putting off going for a ride all week but was feeling quite stressed one day so made an effort to finish work on time and finally get out for a few miles. It made such a difference to be outside, enjoying nature in the sunshine, and I felt much better afterwards.”

Marnie said, “The MHFA team wanted to make sure we did something meaningful that would have a positive impact on staff during this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week. Through sharing resources and activities, we were able to prompt people to take a few minutes out of their day to take a break and do something mindful. It’s been great to see so many of the team getting involved and the feedback has been very positive. We hope it’ll inspire people to continue with some of the activities they’ve tried this week on a regular basis and that they will experience the benefits.”

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We ran a poll on LinkedIn, asking people to rate how often they experience stress at work. The results showed that over 50 per cent of those who responded feel stressed every day, while only six per cent said they never experience work stress.

Tips for managing stress

In light of these results, we wanted to share some tips that can help manage stress levels:

1. Exercise releases endorphins which make you feel happy, so regular physical activity can have significant benefits to your mental health.
2. Eat well. Eating healthily, including the right amount of fruit and vegetables, and drinking enough water, can help improve your mood and ability to concentrate.
3. Get enough sleep. Lack of sleep can make you feel tired, groggy, and unhappy. Create a routine that ensures you get enough shut eye. If you’re having trouble sleeping, try cutting down on caffeine and screen time before bed.
4. Take time for yourself. It’s important to take time out of your day to relax and do activities you enjoy. Try taking up a new hobby, as learning new skills can help you feel fulfilled and accomplished.
5. Tell someone how you’re feeling. If you’re struggling, the best thing you can do is talk to someone – either a friend, family member, colleague, or, if you think you need more support, a professional.

What we’re doing

At Elkins, we take mental health very seriously and aim to provide as much support as we can to ensure our staff stay physically and mentally healthy. We have Stress at Work and Employee Wellbeing policies in place, outlining our responsibilities as an employer and the actions we must take, including:

• Identifying and controlling workplace stressors using risk assessments;
• Providing training to help managers, supervisors and staff support their own mental health and that of others;
• Promoting good communication between employees and management;
• Providing an open forum for employees to discuss stress in HSEQ committee meetings;
• Conducting regular reviews with employees to assess workload, mood, output and motivation;
• Investigating any serious cases of stress, behavioural change and workplace absence;
• Referring employees to support services where they are being negatively impacted by stress.

We aim to encourage open and honest conversations about mental health in the workplace and have a dedicated Mental Health First Aid team of six staff, who are always on hand to offer advice and point people in the direction of further professional support if required.

During Stress Awareness Month, our MHFA team have been sharing resources with our staff on indicators of stress and how to handle it. We have included a list of these, along with some further helpful advice here:

• Dealing with stress – NHS

• Tips for managing mental health at work – MHFA England

• Coping with stress – Mental Health UK

• 10 ways to manage stress (video) – BUPA UK

• Health benefits of walking – Super Wellness

• How stress affects your body and mind (video) 

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How did you become a Mental Health First Aider?

Louise: I trained as a Mental Health First Aider in 2017. I’ve been a member of Elkins’ Mental Health First Aid team since 2020, which is when the company first introduced the scheme.

Paul: In contrast, I’m the newest member Elkins’ MHFA team! I was asked by the company if I was interested in undertaking the training as they were looking to get more men involved.

Richard: Louise, Paul and I are all very approachable people and have good established relationships with our colleagues, which is why we were suggested for the roles. Personally, I have experienced some difficult times in the past which have made me aware of the importance of looking after your mental health – it’s something I’m really passionate about.

What does being part of the MHFA team involve?

Richard: We’re here to offer a listening ear with no judgment if they want to have a friendly chat with a familiar face. While we can’t offer professional advice, we’re able to steer them in the right direction and put them in touch with the right people if they do need further help.

How have you found your experience as an MHFA in the business?

Louise: It can be quite a difficult role. In the past I’ve had to support people with a variety of mental health issues. It can be draining, and you have to make sure you protect your own mental health, but it is also rewarding to know that you’re helping people and getting them the support they need.

Richard: It is sometimes frustrating trying to get people to buy into the importance of mental health support. There is usually some initial resistance, because in the past people didn’t talk about how they were feeling, but thankfully this appears to be changing.

Paul: As I’m quite new to the role I haven’t had any significant incidents to manage. For me it’s really just been an extension of what I was doing before – listening to and supporting my colleagues. The only difference is I have the extra knowledge and training to back that up, so I’m able to offer additional support if someone needs it.

What should someone do if they’re experiencing mental health issues at work?

Paul: We have posters up and around our sites and the office with the phone numbers for mental health support and crisis lines for emergencies. If they feel comfortable, they can approach either Louise, Richard or myself as a first port of call as we can put them in touch with more specific support for what they’re struggling with.

What do you do to look after your own mental health and what advice would you give others?

Louise: For me, it’s really important to try and leave work at the door, and not carry the stresses and pressures home with you. This can be particularly difficult as a MHFA as you’re also dealing with other people’s mental health concerns, but you have to try and let it go.

Richard: It’s definitely important to talk. People need to know there’s no shame if you’re suffering with your mental health.

Paul: Many people are worried about speaking up for fear of the stigma. It’s especially a problem with men and those working in the construction industry. There’s no shame in looking after your physical health so there shouldn’t be any in looking after your mental health, it’s just as important!

We know people working in the construction industry are more likely to experience mental health issues. What changes do you think the industry could implement to help reduce stress and encourage people to seek help?

Richard: Increased awareness and funding of schemes to provide mental health support in the construction industry over the last few years have gone a long way. There’s more that could be done but things are definitely getting better.

Paul: We are seeing things start to change. Campaigns like Mental Health Awareness Week have made it more socially acceptable to talk about mental health and widely published statistics about the suicide rates in the construction industry means companies can no longer ignore the problems.

Louise: For many people suffering, just having someone to talk to honestly and openly can make a huge difference. At Elkins we’ve had Mental Health First Aiders for over two years and the company has always been passionate about supporting employees’ mental health. It’s not a requirement to have a MHFA team but it’s something that employees really appreciate and thankfully more companies seem to be realising this support needs to be in place.

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