How to support employees with mental health challenges

The world can be a daunting place at times and the feeling of being overwhelmed can creep up on anyone. As an employee it can be difficult to spot the signs that someone is struggling, but there are a number of resources available to help.

Automotive charity Ben, offers a four simple, clear cut products that can help businesses work mental health and wellbeing into the conversation, from the urgent need for help to a more long-term approach to making sure staff are looked after.

1. Urgent Response Service

Ben’s urgent response service offers support with critical incidents that affect your people including support for complex cases, safeguarding, suicide and self-harm concerns.

2. BenTraining

With mental wellbeing high on the automotive industry agenda, Ben Training could help.

Ben delivers effective health and wellbeing training to people working in automotive, supporting everyone from shop floor to top floor to build the self-awareness and good habits that promote resilient mental health, and the skills to help others.

Ben Training offers a comprehensive range of face to face and online courses and all profits go towards providing support for life to automotive people and their family dependents.

3. Health checks (in partnership with Bluecrest Health

Many employee absences are linked to lifestyle-related illnesses, with factors such as alcohol, obesity and smoking known to be at the root of many health conditions. Employee health screening is a particularly useful way to encourage employees to think about their health and wellbeing. It comprises a combination of tests and checks, which aim to give an employee an overview of their health, and help to spot early signs of disease, or to identify health risk factors. Subsequently, any flagged issues can be discussed with a GP.

4. BenAware

Raise awareness of Ben’s services to your employees, so they know what it is, what it does and how to access its free and confidential services. Ben can provide you with a wide range of materials, tools and initiatives designed to make all employees in your business ‘BenAware’. From helpline cards, to content for your induction programme and your intranet, to posters and digital advertisements.

It can be difficult as a business trying to help employees to cope when times are challenging, but there are a host of resources available to make it easier.

Automotive charity Ben provides support for life to anyone who works or has worked in the automotive industry, with a range of services. If you or someone you know is struggling - you can chat with Ben online, or call its free and confidential helpline on 08081 311 333 (Mon- Fri 8am - 8pm).