SME webinar on managing employee mental health in the changing working environment

Speakers:

• Emma Stewart MBE, CEO Timewise Foundation
• Lauren Adams, HR Director, CBI
• Joelle Warren MBE, Executive Chair and Founding Partner, Warren Partners
• Deborah Fraser, Director – Regions, CBI

Overview:

Emma Stewart:

• Timewise have found that one of the best ways to enable wellbeing is to give employees control and input into how/where and when they work
• Lockdowns have fast-tracked a lot of their work, and highlighted the gap between what is currently seen as ‘remote working’ (same work patterns as before, just from home), vs flexible working
• As we move out of lockdowns and want to bank some of the gains of remote working, it will be necessary to shift from being reactive to circumstance, to being proactive and having plans in place to embed flexible working
• Communication with staff is key as very few staff are confident to broach the subject with employers. One audit by Timewise found that only 15% of all job vacancies stipulated the ability to work flexibly
• They’re hearing an increasing level of discussion on the rollout of more Microhub-type workspaces to bridge geography and maximise talent.

Lauren Adams:

• As an employer, CBI went into lockdowns in an ‘OK’ place as regards our flexible working policy. Lockdowns have highlighted how much more there was that needed to have been considered
• CBI wanted people to be able to work in patterns that supported their wellbeing
• CBI also had to adapt to introduce processes whereby staff could request additional equipment to support their working, and ensuring all staff had conducted a DSE assessment to demonstrate they were working safely
• We will retain much of what we’ve been able to develop in lockdown to encourage more flexible working in the future, and more work will be done on utilising technology to bridge the gaps between employees and colleagues
• Mental health and wellbeing have been at the centre of all of our actions to support employees, and we will continue to encourage dialogue with our Mental Health First Aiders, and ensure regular lines of communication through surveys and encouraging honest feedback.

Joelle Warren:

• Since the first lockdown, they have moved to working entirely digitally which has massively reduced their travel budget and by implication their carbon footprint
• Many of their staff and clients have found the second lockdown more difficult than the first when there was a real sense of ‘community’. She feels this change is driven by many factors including the move into winter weather and darker nights
• Found that the role colleagues play in their lives drive emotional and social wellbeing, with leadership teams taking on the role of ‘cheerleaders’ to buoy morale
• Remained open, honest and in regular communication with staff regarding the business so they feel reassured, and moved lots of their own online social activity to fit with staff wants and needs
• Warren & Partners have found, through their own experience and that of their clients, that honest communication is the most useful instrument to drive loyalty and alleviate concerns.