Royal Mail Group: because healthy minds matter
Throughout the pandemic and beyond Royal Mail Group’s (RMG) award-winning mental health strategy “Because Healthy Minds Matter” continues to provide resources, support, and signposting for key worker colleagues. Awareness of mental health increased through the strategy, reducing stigma and working towards a culture where mental health can be openly discussed by all colleagues.
Because Healthy Minds Matter
Having a clear brand for mental activity through “Because Healthy Minds Matter” has strengthened RMG’s ability to promote and communicate resources and support. They understood how important mental health is to their people and wanted a strong approach to messaging so that it stood out. Utilising employee-led case studies has also been successful in getting key messages across to front-line colleagues.
The development of cohesive support strategies and tools work to make a difference to individuals. It is helping build a strong mental health culture where asking for help and accessing support are as normal as receiving treatment for a physical health condition.
The impact at Royal Mail Group of “Because Healthy Minds Matter”
Calls to the employee assistance helpline increased considerably at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. While this has now levelled, it is continually monitored for trends to help better support colleagues. Dedicated coronavirus information intranet pages were set up and received over 30,000 visits in their first month online. These continue to be a valuable source of advice and guidance for colleagues.
In 2020 RMG was honoured to become a Business in the Community (BITC) Responsible Business Champion in the category of Health and Wellbeing. The award recognises the five-year “Because Healthy Minds Matter” Mental Health strategy and activity which launched in 2017.
During 2020 they were also recognised at This Can Happen Awards, winning the Best Mental Health in the Workplace Strategy: Large Company award, again for “Because Healthy Minds Matter”. The Best Mental Health in the Workplace Strategy award led to also winning the ‘Grand Prix’ which is given to the application that was the best in class from all 11 separate categories awarded.
Watch a video case study where Royal mail Group people share the impact of bereavement and suicide on employee wellbeing. They also discuss the crucial role of the employer in supporting staff with these issues against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.
What if your job was good for you?
People do not expect to be physically injured at work, and nor should their mental health be damaged. However, in the 12 months before BITC’s Mental Health at Work 2020 survey, developed in partnership with Bupa and the BITC Wellbeing Leadership Team, 41% of employees experienced poor mental health caused by work1. Although work can be part of the cause of poor mental health, it can also be part of the solution to improving it. COVID-19 has acted as a powerful catalyst to transform the working world. For example, employees who never dreamed of working remotely and flexibly are now doing so.
BITC’s What If Your Job Was Good For You? report identifies actions employers can take to transform wellbeing at work. It contains two calls to action for employers that build on lessons learnt from the pandemic.
- Treat mental health and safety with the same importance as physical health and safety.
- Collaborate with colleagues to enable employees to create their own ‘good jobs’ within organisational parameters.
The What If Your Job Was Good for You? report was delivered in partnership with the Business in the Community Wellbeing Leadership Team and Affinity Health at Work, and supported by CIPD.
Next steps
- Download the What If Your Job Was Good For You? report.
- Read and watch more What If Your Job Was Good For You? case studies.
- Learn more about BITC’s work on health and wellbeing.
what if your job was good for you?
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References
- Business in the Community (2020) Mental Health at Work 2020: key findings.