Thursday 28 March 2024
 5.9°C   ESE Moderate Breeze
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

Health / Workers encouraged to be mindful of mental wellbeing over festive period

MANAGERS and employees in Shetland are being reminded to look out for the mental health of other colleagues during the festive period.

The Scottish Business Resilience Centre (SBRC) and mental health project See Me have teamed up to offer advice on how business owners and managers can look out for their staff over the festivities.

The two organisations said Christmas and the New Year can be some of the most stressful weeks for employees as they tie up work for the year.

SBRC’s head of cyber and innovation Eamonn Keane said: “Given the workplace is where the majority of us spend a great deal of our time, it should be a supportive environment where people look after one another.

“In cyber and digital we regularly use the expression ‘people, process and technology’ in improving our position. However, it’s the people who are the very heart of everything we do.

“Employee wellbeing is a key element of overall business resilience. For an employer, creating a healthy working environment can be important in ensuring a productive and effective organisation. So, while these tips will help staff, they also impact across the business to make it a much safer environment for everyone.”

See Me, a Scottish Government funded project to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination, said workplaces should have three key things in place:

  • Leadership role models: when leaders can talk openly about mental wellbeing issues, take part in learning events and lead sessions with other employees, this all impacts the perception and practicality of the working environment.
  • Good internal communication: if employees aren’t aware of the existence or purpose of support in the workplace they can’t access it. See Me encourages regular communications across multiple channels to raise awareness of available support.
  • Line management: all managers need to know what supportive conversations look like within their various roles.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

 

Interim director of See Me Wendy Halliday said: “There’s a significant problem with people in Scotland not being able to speak openly about their mental health in the workplace, which can lead to people feeling like they’ve nowhere to go if they’re struggling.

“It’s really important that in all areas of our lives we’re able to say we’re not ok – especially in work.”

Become a supporter of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.

Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.

Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has  over 600 supporters  who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.

Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -

  • Bring you the headlines as they happen;
  • Stay editorially independent;
  • Give a voice to the community;
  • Grow site traffic further;
  • Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.

 

Newsletters

Subscribe to a selection of different newsletters from Shetland News, varying from breaking news delivered on the minute, to a weekly round-up of the opinion posts. All delivered straight to your inbox.

Daily Briefing Newsletter Weekly Highlights Newsletter Opinion Newsletter Life in Shetland Newsletter

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Your Privacy

We use cookies on our site to improve your experience.
By using our service, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Browser is out-of-date

Shetland News isn't fully functional with this version of .
Head over to the help page for instructions on updating your browser for more security, improved speed and the best overall experience on this site.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

We're committed to ensuring everyone has equitable access to impartial, open and quality local journalism that benefits all residents.

By supporting Shetland News, you play a vital role in ensuring we remain a pivotal resource in supporting the community.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.