‘Making Mental Health Your Business’ Returns for its Second Year

Following the success of last year’s ‘Making Mental Health Your Business’ event, Shropshire Council supported employment service, Enable, is hosting another free event for World Mental Health Day on Tuesday 10 October 2017. The event will be held at Shrewsbury Football Club from 8:30am – 10:30am. Employers from across Shropshire and the further West Midlands will attend to gain information and sources of support to help them manage the mental well-being of their workforce

An attendee from last year’s event said: “The event contained a powerful message that we should all be looking after each other, in and out of the workplace. Mental health needs to be higher on the priority list for all. Don’t hide it, talk about it and provide help to those who need it.”
According to the Prince’s Responsible Business Network, three in four employees have experienced symptoms of poor mental health, with mental illness costing employers in the UK an estimated £30 billion a year due to losses in production and absence. It makes good business sense for employers to make adjustments in the workplace to support staff dealing with mental illness and to create a work environment that promotes the mental wellbeing of all staff.

Many people suffer in silence which is why it is vital that employers become more informed about mental health, allowing them to be able to spot the potential signs and symptoms. By doing this, it not only provides a positive outcome for staff but it also improves productivity; increasing revenue and reduces staff turnover; saving on training costs and time.

The event will include presentations from an Enable client and an employer, as well as two short workshops in Mental Health First Aid. By offering attendees the chance to hear first-hand experiences, they will be able to improve their knowledge on what it means to hire someone with an existing mental health condition through Enable and the advantages it can bring to a company. The workshops will provide employers with an introduction to Mental Health First Aid, which is designed to provide employers with the skills to become confident with dealing with mental illness in the workplace.

Enable want to build on the success of last year’s event, of which 100% of attendees surveyed said that they would recommend the event to a friend or colleague.

One attendee said: “It was just a brilliantly hosted event. I would certainly be interested in having someone from Enable work for me in the future, it’s just a wonderful organisation from what I can see. Well done!”

To book your place at this year’s event or to find out more information, simply email enable@shropshrie.gov.uk or phone 01743 276900