A recent survey identifies mental health as the biggest challenge facing the facilities management sector in Europe. The survey of 750 facility management professionals was conducted for MRI Software’s Voice of the Facility Manager report. 39 per cent of respondents agreed that mental health is a ‘critical’ issue, with 70% indicating that they work beyond their contracted hours…
Mental Health
Aston University’s College of Health and Life Sciences has established Schwartz Round sessions to allow medical and healthcare students to discuss the emotional aspects of their work in a safe space. A steering group for the initiative includes members of staff from all five schools within the College of Health and Life Sciences. It is…
A novel partnership between NHS Property Services (NHSPS) and the Campaign to End Loneliness is providing training for NHS receptionists to tackle loneliness. Loneliness is a significant issue in the UK and can negatively impact mental and physical health. It is also a common cause of people visiting their GP and using other health services.…
With survey data revealing a majority of UK workers still suffer the wobbles at work, leadership coach Deborah (Debbie) Green, shares her thoughts about ‘imposter syndrome’ and how to overcome it. A survey from music licensing company PPL PRS in June asked 1,000 UK workers in the professional services sector how they feel in their place…
Asim Shah, MD, chief of psychiatry at Harris Health Ben Taub Hospital, calls for more research into the effects of the pandemic as the number of deaths through suicide reaches almost 50,000 in the United States. Three years after the COVID-19 pandemic, following a notable decline in the pre-pandemic years of 2019 and 2020, a…
Georgia Shaw, Culture and Inclusion Coordinator at NHS Property Services (NHSPS), discusses the property services provider’s approach to supporting colleagues’ mental health, and its new ‘Mental Health Awareness’ E-learning course. On 10th October, NHSPS celebrated World Mental Health Day. We’re mindful, however, that efforts to improve and protect our mental health should be ongoing. Due…
Corps Security has announced a second event to address the stigma around mental health in the UK’s security industry. Following a finding by leading academic, Professor Mark Button in 2020 that 40 per cent of security officers were presenting with symptoms of PTSD, Corps Security hosted an inaugural mental health event in May which called…
Corps Security Solutions Director, Salman Shamim, will take on the ultimate challenge of strength and agility when he participates in the UNESCO Saharan Ultra Challenge to raise money for Social Enterprise charity partner, Combat Stress. The charity supports the mental wellbeing and the integration into civilian life of UK Armed Forces veterans. On 13th and…
A partnership between EMCOR UK and Access Community Trust (ACT) is creating employment, supporting a local community, and improving wellbeing and mental wellbeing at the British Sugar plant in Kings Lynn, Norfolk. EMCOR, which provides integrated facility services at the plant, reports recruiting two individuals as a result of the collaboration which has renovated the…
Nine prominent Safety & Health organisations in the United Kingdom have formed the Occupational Safety and Health Stakeholder Alliance (OSH Stakeholder Alliance) to provide a ‘360-degree’ perspective on critical safety and health issues for employers and building operators. The British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS), British Safety Council, British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF), Chartered Institute of Environmental…
‘Corps Security has announced that it will be hosting a vital mental health event, Mental Health – Security’s Invisible Enemy, in May during Mental Health Awareness Month. The event will aim to break the stigma around mental wellbeing in the security sector and bring together senior managers and leaders to discuss ideas, share experiences and…
Serco Middle East is sponsoring a university programme in collaboration with Takalam, an award-winning mental wellbeing platform operating from Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, Hub71. The programme is designed to benefit university students and provide them with the tools and support they need to become resilient future leaders. As part of its wider environmental, social…
Following World Mental Health on 10th October, Shauna McQueen, Global Wellbeing Lead at ISS, explains why a holistic approach to employee wellness and wellbeing benefits staff as well as businesses. “Overall, mental health has suffered tremendously in the last few years,” says Shauna McQueen, Global Wellbeing Lead at ISS. “We’re still in an uncertain situation,…
BAM has been commissioned by Betsi Cadwaladr University (BCU) Health Board to develop the detailed design for a new inpatient adult and older persons mental health unit at Glan Clwyd Hospital in Bodelwyddan near Rhyl, Wales. The Welsh Government has approved the Health Board’s outline plans and the scheme can now proceed to a full…
UK commercial and industrial fit-outs and refurbishment specialist Pexhurst has been holding Mental Health Tool Box Talks across all of its live sites using professional occupational health and safety consultants, Safety Services UK. The consultants discussed mental health issues with site workers, outlined the support available to them and suggested ways in which they could…
Ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day (10th September), ABM will be joining other founding member of the Security Consortium for Suicide Prevention (SCSP) at a conference in London to consider strategies for preventing unnecessary loss of life within the security industry. Launched earlier this year with ABM’s support, the SCSP is a network of security…
Visits to Langley Mead Greenspace, traditionally managed wildflower meadows on the banks of the River Loddon in Berkshire, South East England, increased dramatically under Covid-19 lockdown measures according to UK ecological consultancy, EPR. Did you know it is recommended to spend at least 120 minutes a week outdoors in a natural environment? Whether in parks,…
In support of Mental Health Awareness Week (9th-15th May 2022), Landmarc Support Services (Landmarc) has signed the Mental Health at Work Commitment, curated by the Thriving at Work Leadership Council, Business in the Community (BITC) and mental health charity Mind, to demonstrate its commitment to developing a thriving and inclusive workplace environment. In a survey…
With Mental Health Awareness Week 2022 (9th-15th May) focusing on Loneliness at Work, Alex Minett, Head of Products and Markets at health and safety compliance solutions provider CHAS, sheds light on how employers can tackle the issue as part of a wider mental health agenda. Who is affected by loneliness? In short, anyone can be…
As the United Kingdom marks Stress Awareness Month, Alistair Dent, Chief Strategy Officer for data-science company Profusion, comments on the potential of data-driven approaches for understanding employee mental wellness. Created by the Stress Management Society, Stress Awareness Month has been held every April since 1992 in a bid to raise awareness of the causes and…
Pareto FM has released guidance from its Mental Health First Aider team on staying mentally healthy in the workplace ahead of ‘Time To Talk Day’ on Thursday 3rd February. The document (which can be read and downloaded below) includes practical advice for maintaining mental health, including taking your mobile “for a walk”, creating to-do lists…
Sodexo UK and Ireland have announced a strategic health and wellbeing partnership with Spectrum.Life to provide their Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to all colleagues with a comprehensive suite of health and wellbeing solutions to support their mental and physical health. Since 2015, Sodexo has provided an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support colleagues with life’s…
Calderwood House in Cumbria offers a safe place to live and helps homeless individuals build a better future through a 12-week recovery programme. The hostel is run by Time to Change (a not-for profit Community Interest organisation), and its aims and approach reflect two of Securitas key values—integrity and helpfulness. Shaun Kennedy, Securitas UK Country…
12.10.2021, 08:20 ESS Expands Mental Health First Aider Programme During the last 18 months, Compass Group subsidiary ESS has worked with Mental Health First Aid England to train over a hundred mental health first aiders. Employees ranging from frontline operatives to members of the company’s senior leadership team have participated in the programme which aims…
06.10.2021, 10:27 Psychological Health Certification First for EMCOR UK EMCOR UK has become the first organization in the world to be certified against BSI’s new psychological health and safety scheme ahead of World Mental Health Day. With just days to go before World Mental Health Day 2021, the facility services provider has proved it prioritizes…
29.07.2021, 11:18 Transforming Wellbeing at Work A new report from Business in the Community, The Prince’s Responsible Business Network, includes insights from EMCOR UK and other leading companies and business organisations on the measures business can take to transform wellbeing at work. ‘What if your Job was Good For You?’ describes best practices in collaborative…
13.05.2021, 12:02 First Aid for Mental Health ABM has introduced a mental health training programme across its business, industry and aviation divisions in a first-of-its-kind partnership with change and development platform, TalkOut. The programme will equip team members, including security officers, train station cleaning teams and those working in airports and shopping centres, with…
05.05.2021, 12:17 Championing Workplace Mental Health Aramark Northern Europe is introducing Mental Health Champions as part of its long-standing effort to support employees struggling with mental health difficulties. The new champions will support all businesses that come under the Aramark Northern Europe structure in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, and offshore. Following…
04.05.2021, 14:25 Mental Health Training for the Security Industry The International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO) has teamed up with learning and development specialists Ethos Farm to create an avatar-led online programme for security personnel called ‘Being Human’. Announcing the new programme, Mike Hurst CPP MSyI and IFPO UK & Ireland director, said: “We are…
22.01.2021, 10:20 Fundraising to Support Mental Health Awareness Teams at Parr Group and Parr Facilities Management in East Belfast have raised £22,290 in support of mental health charities AWARE and Tackling Awareness of Mental Health Issues (TAMHI) following a very cold dip in the sea. Marking the festive season and recognising the mental health…
06.10.2020, 18:45 Embracing Diversity and Inclusion Atalian Servest has announced the launch of new D&I platform, Creating Harmony, Respecting Others and Making Allies (CHROMA). Bringing together the company’s existing employee outreach networking programmes, Physical & Mental Health, Race, Ethnicity & Faith and LGBTQ+, the platform has been developed to provide colleagues with a voice,…
Compass Group’s “You Matter” campaign builds on its partnership with charity Hospitality Action to improve support for employees who are experiencing mental health challenges. This week, company’s staff in the UK and Ireland will be encouraged to “Ask Twice” when checking if colleagues are ok to prompt them to speak up if they are struggling.…
29.04.2020, 15:26 Online Mental Health First Aid Courses (20 May & 27 May, 2020) FM Industry event partner Green Light is offering an online interactive mental health awareness course developed by Mental Health First Aid England for organisations and individuals on two dates in May. In addition to challenging the stigma that often attaches to…
03.02.2020, 12:06 Supporting Colleagues’ Mental Health Testing, inspection and compliance services provider SOCOTEC Group is encouraging organisations to support colleagues who may be experiencing mental health issues in the workplace. The appeal follows publication of the Annual Statistics on Work-related Stress, Depression and Anxiety in 2018/19 report by UK government agency, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE),…
20.01.2020, 13:35 Supporting Better Mental Health Awareness Compass Group UK & Ireland has joined forces with Hospitality Action (HA) to support the industry charity’s major new mental health awareness programme. Today is Blue Monday, widely recognised as the saddest day of the year, when post-festive season finances are at their worst and many new year’s…
22.11.2019, 12:08 Axis Enhances Training Capabilities UK-based Axis Group’s learning and development initiative, The Axis Academy, has opened a head office in Sidcup, Kent as part of a move to expand its training and development programme. Since its creation in 2017, the academy has trained over 3,000 people who have enrolled on more than…
12.11.2019, 12:24 Sleep and Mental Health Amy Highland from The Sleep Help Institute explains why a good night’s sleep is essential for our physical as well as mental wellbeing. Sleep and mental health go hand in hand. When you don’t sleep well, you don’t feel well — both physically and mentally. You might think of…
23.05.2019, 03:55 Can You Ignore Workplace Mental Health? Accelerator Solutions have introduced an accredited Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) course following a research finding that mental health issues affect one-in-six workers and account for 91 million lost workdays in the UK. Offered under license from Mental Health for England (MHFA), the new course will combine…
23.05.2019, 03:55 Can You Ignore Workplace Mental Health? Accelerator Solutions have introduced an accredited Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) course following a research finding that mental health issues affect one-in-six workers and account for 91 million lost workdays in the UK. Offered under license from Mental Health for England (MHFA), the new course will combine…