I ask the question seriously.
Recently I visited a medium sized company to offer my help to raise awareness of the stigma that still surrounds employees speaking up about any mental health concerns.
The person I was talking to really couldn't grasp what I was talking about. So I asked again...
"Who'd be the best person to speak with in your company who's responsible for looking after the welfare of your employees, particularly if they are struggling with a serious life event, such as a death, divorce or a life altering diagnosis."
Their reply.....
"Oh we don't have any of that in our company, we're all really happy and get on with each other."
I guess this is one of the reasons why employees still don't feel it's 'safe' to speak up. Because there is the constant pressure of having to be "happy" and "sorted" and "positive" at all times of the day. Could this explain why the stigma is still rife?
Is Caring about Being Aware such a difficult thing to do?
Now I know that not everyone gets buzzed up by this subject. And for many they can be intimidated by the serious nature of the subject of stress, depression, anxiety and mental health.
When I was working in the corporate world organising training programmes and events, I was always advised to reach out to those who had more experience than me. If raising awareness of mental health within your company is stressing you out, here's a solution for you.
Don't do it on your own. Reach out. This is a subject I live, sleep and breath. I am passionate about helping raise awareness and to educate people about a different perspective on what's causing their symptoms.
There are two important dates coming up soon:
- Stress Awareness Month: April 2018
- Mental Health Awareness Week: 14-18 May 2018
If you'd like to discuss some ideas about how to raise awareness in your company, which would be simple for you to implement, please email me at: lks@louisekshaw.com
Together we can make more of an impact.
p.s. If you are not aware of anything being done in your company, feel free to pass this onto Human Resources.
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