The cost of poor mental health to the UK economy has been estimated at between £74bn and £99bn per year, according to the report Thriving at Work. Published in October 2017, the report contains the recommendations of the review into workplace mental health, commissioned by the Prime Minister.
Recognising the magnitude of the problem and its human cost, the British Safety Council has launched a range of mental health training courses which are designed to start conversations about mental health and support employees who are experiencing mental ill-health.
One of the main challenges of dealing with mental ill-health in the workplace is the stigma associated with it, which makes it difficult for people to admit that they are affected. Talking about mental health is one of the ways of addressing this stigma.
The British Safety Council's "Start the Conversation" is 45-minute session which aims to get employees thinking about mental wellbeing and talking about it. The next stage is a three-hour "Manage the Conversation" workshop to give line managers the skills and confidence to listen to and talk with someone who needs to share a problem regarding their mental wellbeing.
The British Safety Council also offers the two-day Mental Health First Aid course, developed by Mental Health First Aid England, which teaches people how to identify, understand and help someone who may be experiencing a mental health issue.
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