Date posted:
Mon 18 May 2020
“ Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of your clients “
Sir Richard Branson
Since setting up Sequoia Health 2 years ago, I have read several books from Entrepreneurs across various industries, however, this quote from Sir Richard Branson above has always stuck with me. Possibly, the reason it has stayed with me is because we look after a lot of fantastic businesses who genuinely care about their employees, and by no fate of coincidence, they are also very successful in what they do. As Richard eludes to, having a happy, healthy workforce will pay dividends when it comes to looking after your clients and making your business successful.
What is Mental Wellbeing?
In a time where it’s becoming less stigmatised to talk about our mental wellbeing, strong mental health strategies at work make employees more productive and therefore have a significant impact on how a business performs. Conversely, poor Mental Health at work is posing a cost on employers of £33bn - £42bn a year, a truly staggering figure. But, what actually is Mental Wellbeing and what can we, as employers, do to support our employees at work?
Mental wellbeing is your day-to-day status which informs your overall mental health. According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development and mental health charity Mind, Mental Wellbeing is “the ability to cope with the day-to-day stresses of life, work productively, interact positively with others and realise our own potential.”
When we are “confident”, “up for the challenge”, “handling the pressure” etc, we are describing positive mental wellbeing. What employer doesn’t want employees who are “engaged”, “switched on”, “committed”? - All expressions of positive mental wellbeing.
Companies are human organisations, it stands to reason that the Mental Wellbeing of the people involved will affect company performance. Always has done, always will.
Tune in on Wednesday to Part 2 of this post to find out about the current state of mental well being in the workplace.
Sequoia Health provide Private Healthcare Plans, Wellbeing Strategies & Protection.
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