Make wellness a priority. Employees love special events that happen in the … That they matter to us. You might not be talking about it, because mental health is still a taboo subject. deliver your workplace activities. By raising an organisation’s mental health literacy an employer can increase employees’ knowledge of the symptoms and warning signs. Team Building Activities SUMMARY: Team-building activities, developed by experts, can help build resilience and emotional intelligence by improving the ability of leaders and team members to respond effectively to workplace stressors, resolve issues, and support each other through challenging times. A disabled person is entitled to ask for reasonable adjustments to their job or workplace to accommodate their disability. Copyright © 2020 Time To Change. In-fact, mental health issues are more common than most think. An adjustment is intended to level the playing field by removing a barrier to the job that is provided by the effect of their mental health problem. Find out how much your colleagues know about mental health. Advice on how to start a conversation about mental health. To find out more about our MHFA training. Suggestions that help you demonstrate value and appreciation to the staff members you manage. Brainstorm with colleagues all the ways you can start conversations about mental health in minutes. What goes through your mind at work?Suitable for: Individual Lack of value and respect in the workplace Workplace conflict/bullying can increase symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress -related problems. ; Play a game in the park – for example, frisbee, tag or a game of catch. Think about the 'masks' we all wear at work and how we can make it possible and safe to show more of our 'true' selves. Research suggests there are three broad overlapping areas that affect workplace mental health. Time: 10 minutes Having Mental Health First Aiders is the workplace is great opportunity to rise awareness and get people talking about mental health. Invite employees, their families and pets to a (virtual) mental health … Awareness is the first step in fostering a more positive mental health culture in our society. Encourage people to take some time away from the workplace and do something positive for their wellbeing. Elephant in the roomSuitable for: Groups Mental health activities might include mindfulness or meditation, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy worksheets, Psychotherapy worksheets, and even mood trackers. Mental health problems are all too common in the workplace and it is the leading cause of sickness absence. Walk a bit more – to work, to the shops, or to the end of the road and back. Time: 15-20 minutes Create a safe environment from the outset: Make it clear that people do not have to disclose anything about themselves unless they feel comfortable and safe to do Make sure everyone knows where and how to access support, both in and out of the workplace. Mental ill health costs employers in the UK £30 billion every year through lost production, recruitment and absence. Ask employees whether they want to be involved and if so, to provide you with their names. Time: 15-20 minutes Make sure everyone knows where and how to access support, both in and out of the workplace. Time: 15 minutes Time: 10 minutes “Well organised and practical.”  – Employee, Action Aid, Activities and ideas that organisations with any budget can do to promote Mental Health Awareness Week on the theme of kindness.​. Why not offer employees a few hours off during Mental Health Awareness Week to either foster a dog, or walk an elderly or vulnerable neighbour’s dog? It’s a super way to ensure everyone feels special from time to time. Mental Health Awareness Week is a good time to set this in motion. This activity focuses on 'self-stigma', the negative thoughts we have about ourselves. At least 1 in 6 of us at work experience common mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. Users draw on their own values, preferences and experiences to select and build their personalised toolkit. Invest the time and money by upskilling your line managers to help them manage mental health challenges in the workplace. Managing conversations with struggling colleaguesSuitable for: Individual You may want to run one with … Stream of consciousnessSuitable for: Individuals It is ideal to do it each month so that over time, many people have the chance to be recognised in front of others. Mental Health First Aid is a good place to start as it teaches people how to identify, understand and help a person who may be developing a mental health problem. Mental Health Awareness Week is also a great time to get employees onto an online resilience training course such as Brain Happy’s Feel Great @ Working From Home or Feel Great @ Work. Time: 5 minutes Note: Some activities could bring up difficult feelings and it’s likely that at least one person in a group is likely to have experience of mental illness. Time: 30 minutes Get some ideas for running one or more 'Lunch and learn' sessions about mental health. This activity helps you to think about how we might find a place to start telling our experiences of stress, anxiety, low mood, or other mental health problems. This activity looks at the pros and cons of talking about mental health at work. The activity is sent in the weekly email and falls into one of three categories – calming, energizing or relaxing. What are the barriers to seeking help? Lunch and learn – mental healthSuitable for: Groups Invite employees, their families and pets to a (virtual) mental health brunch. Mental Health Promotion in the Workplace Workplaces can have a major impact on a person’s mental well-being. Take Your Break activities are no- to low-cost and are designed to encourage employees to take regular breaks even during the busiest workdays. Fill in the word map with words associated with mental health stigma, and think about how to reduce stigma when talking about mental health. Mental health at work. 1. A pack that helps you to think about how you can support and or start conversations with colleagues who you work closely with and those that you don't. Please include attribution to brainhappy.co.uk with this graphic. Checking in on your family, friends and colleagues during the coronavirus outbreak is more important than ever. Workplace wellbeing. Building trust amongst colleagues is important in enabling mental health related conversations. Mental health in the workplace While we recognise the cost of mental ill-health is not merely a financial issue, calculating the costs of mental health problems can be persuasive when making the case for investment in preventing them. ; Try a new sport, or join a team, group or exercise class – the Be Inspired website has lots of information about what different sports and activities are like, and how to get involved. Time: 5 minutes Examples of reasonable adjustments: Host a mental health brunch. A growing number of companies are now offering pawturnity leave – a day off for adopting a dog or cat from a rescue centre. Time: 5 minutes Increasing awareness can help to normalise the conversation about mental health at work. If possible, find someone in your organisation who is willing to speak about their own mental health. According to the mental health charity Mind, at any one time, at least one in six workers are experiencing common mental health … Sharing how you all relax after a tough day is a good way to start talking about mental health. Search mental health and HR-based Facebook and LinkedIn groups for practitioners and coaches that are willing to provide these sessions – many will do introductory hours for free. This could be something small like managing a challenging problem well, going out of their way on a project, or helping someone. Educate and communicate. The idea is that each person, from time to time, perhaps every two months or so, will do something kind to their recipient – but they will do it anonymously, maybe leaving something on someone’s desk while they are out. Apr 26, 2019 - Explore Janet Milder's board "MENTAL HEALTH ACTIVITIES", followed by 622 people on Pinterest. Mental Health at Work. WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY 2020 WILL TAKE PLACE ON SATURDAY 10 OCTOBER WHAT TIME TO CHANGE ACTIVITIES CAN YOU DELIVER? 1. Start a healthy recipe exchange and potluck lunch. Mental Health at Work is here to help you find what you need. Ask people to nominate someone else that they think deserves recognition for something they have done recently at work. Each session lasts thirty minutes and contains three to five new skills. Activities out and about. Fancy some Craftercise?Suitable for: Groups How to speak about your own experiences in a safe and effective way. Mental health myth buster quizSuitable for: Groups Stigma word mapSuitable for: Groups Things have changed again, and they continue to be difficult. Time: 45 - 60 minutes Arrange a series of webinar-, video- or app-based activities that help promote good mental health: Having a pet is clinically proven to promote good mental health and animal rescue centres have a huge number of dogs and cats that need temporary foster homes, making a win-win situation, especially for people working from home. Setting healthy boundaries as a ChampionSuitable for: Individuals Speaking upSuitable for: Individuals Advice on how to set boundaries that help you balance your role as a Champion, your work, and your wellbeing. But there are small, simple steps you can take to make your workplace mentally healthier. Workplace health promotion programs have proven to be successful, especially when they combine mental and physical health interventions. Interventions to promote and protect mental health in the workplace should consist of raising awareness of the importance of mental health, informing employees of the help available, involving employees in decision-making, offering programmes for career development, … Staff with good mental health are more likely to perform well, … Recognise the achievement with an applause, certificate and/or small gift (such as a voucher). What are you looking to achieve with your activity? We can review some of the activities from World Mental Health Day 2017 (for which the theme was mental health in the workplace). Make a safe space to discuss 'taboos' at work, and establish that mental health belongs to us all and isn't taboo after all. In turn, they will receive Random Acts of Kindness from someone else but they will not know who. Workplace wellbeing, then, refers to the business goal of being watchful of, and then improving on, the collective mental health of your workplace, so that everyone feels supported and included, particularly in the more difficult times. If not, use the opportunity for people to relax and have non-work-related discussions. Secret BantaSuitable for: Groups Leaders, at all levels of an organisation, need to ensure they have the knowledge and skills to manage mental health issues for the benefit of all. See more ideas about mental health activities, school social work, coping skills. With a quarter of workplace absences due to mental ill-health, costing employers an estimated £26 billion per year, there’s no time like the present to start acknowledging the importance of your employees’ wellbeing, and the huge impact it has on your business. What you do during that break time could have an impact on your workplace mental health. How do we chill?Suitable for: Groups Taboo or not tabooSuitable for: Groups As a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic, many of us … Create a safe environment from the outset: Mental health pub quizSuitable for: Groups Challenge misconceptions, start conversations and change attitudes around mental health with these materials for your workplace. Challenge misconceptions and learn the real facts about mental health. Break away from the habit of telling others we're 'fine' when we might not be. Ideas for managersSuitable for: Individual Taking care of your staff. Stigma force field exerciseSuitable for: Individual Spontaneous 8Suitable for: Groups at Work Paying attention to workplace mental health has never been more important. Do you wear a mask at work?Suitable for: Individual Six degrees of being in a colleagues’ cornerSuitable for: Groups and individuals According to Statistics Canada, employed Canadians spent an average of 36.6 hours per week in the workplace during 2012. Online activities for World Mental Health Day 2020. Get the latest news and opportunities to take action, by email. Tea, Toast and Chat?Suitable for: Groups Experiencing mental health problems can be isolating - sharing ideas and feelings can help people to realise they're not alone. Assign to each person, someone else who will be their Random Acts of Kindness recipient. Engaging in wellness activities can have a positive effect on your health and wellness, as well as your sense of inner peace. Each person will be given one name of a person who they will do Random Acts of Kindness to. Ideas could be: a card, a bottle of wine, chocolates, flowers etc. Our research confirms that a culture of fear and silence around mental health is costly to employers. With that in mind, we’ve compiled 10 activities for organisations that will nourish wellbeing, empower your employees to become better advocates, and continue the conversation on mental health in your workplace. Time: 10 - 30 minutes Time: 10 minutes 5 Examples of Mental Health Techniques and Skills View more pages in Workplace Whether you’re an employee worried about your own or a colleague’s mental health or an employer thinking about staff wellbeing – there are many ways that SAMH can help. Starting a conversationSuitable for: Individuals This World Mental Health Day, we encourage you all to consider how you can create learning opportunities for all your staff and increase their level of understanding of mental health. Highlight the fantastic work you’re already doing to address mental health stigma in the workplace, and introduce new and targeted activities anchored to the event. 17 Things Your Workplace Can Do For Mental Health Month Activities Three elements that contribute to a sense of mental health and wellbeing in the workplace are feeling valued, connected to others, and safe. Time: 15 minutes If you need support, there are organisations who can help you. Taking care of yourself. Promoting positive mental health in your workplace can therefore be hugely beneficial. Time: 10 minutes You could start with a game that promotes good self-esteem by asking each person to list three things they like about one other person in the team. A staff session on mental health and wellbeing is a good way to get colleagues together, share information and explore relevant issues. Time: 5 minutes Exercise, healthy eating, and participation in leisure activities are a few … Make it clear that people do not have to disclose anything about themselves unless they feel comfortable and safe to do. The workplace is an optimal setting to create a culture of health because: Communication structures are already … Resilience training by elearning that is clear and simple to use. World Mental Health Day is held every year on October 10th and has a theme each year. Break the work routine by holding a meetup event specifically for wellbeing. By using this site, you accept our use of cookies. World Mental Health Day Activities. A mental health issue can be considered a disability under the law if all of the following apply: it has a ‘substantial adverse effect’ on the life of an employee (for example, they regularly cannot focus on a task, or it takes them longer to do) it lasts at least 12 months, or is expected to Guidance for having safe and supportive conversations when a colleague shares a mental health problem. Do not publicise the list of who is the gift-giver of who to keep it anonymous – recipients will not know who they are receiving the Random Acts of Kindness from. If the work environment is a stressful one, it can contribute to health problems such as anxiety, depression and burnout. Help an audience you're speaking to to understand what it feels like to experience mental health stigma. What does stigma feel like?Suitable for: Groups Am I reaaally fine?Suitable for: Individual Sessions are packed full of exercises to help people learn and retain skills. 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