Fifteen employees of Sharp Business Systems UK (SBSUK) have completed a two-day adult mental health first aid training course, delivered by Mental Health First Aid England.
The course is designed to educate participants to spot the symptoms of common mental health issues, to recognise early signs that someone may need help, and to be able to provide co-workers with the initial support and guidance they might need to recover from or manage their condition.
Employees from across 11 of the organisation’s 13 regional offices took part in the training, organised through the British Safety Council.
Sarah Coates, head of HR at SBSUK, said: “In the UK, we are facing a mental health crisis and the statistics are quite shocking. Embedding an effective mental health first aid structure [in an organisation] is paramount to ensuring the mental wellbeing of a workforce.
“At Sharp we understand the importance of maintaining a healthy, happy workforce and the positive impact this can have on not just the obvious things like absence and productivity but also staff morale, engagement and creating a positive working environment. This is a significant investment in our people and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to their wellbeing.”
The training forms part of a continued mental health awareness campaign for SBSUK. The employer took part in Mental Health Awareness Week in May and a further training course, MIND mental health for managers, is planned for members of staff in October.
SBSUK HR business partner Hardeep Sanotra, who took part in the mental health first aid training, said: “The course was a real eye-opener. One thing that really stood out to me was how everyone was so open and honest to share their own experiences of mental health, which were quite sensitive. People’s stories were very inspirational.
“One key learning I took away was about removing the stigma surrounding mental health and to stop being judgemental. We need to continue to create an environment where we can encourage others to talk about their issues.”