NYTimber has announced that six members of its management team are now fully-qualified Adult Mental Health First Aiders.
The team will be able to use their training to identify and support the recovery of employees that are struggling with mental health problems.
The training, delivered by Mental Health First Aid England, covered areas including depression, suicide, substance misuse, anxiety and personality and eating disorders. It also provided the NYTimber team with a five-point action plan to work through when administering mental health first aid.
Mental health in the workplace is becoming an increasingly important issue; last year, Theresa May pledged to update health and safety regulations to give mental health the same standing as physical health. It is the aim for all UK employers to have qualified Mental Health First Aiders in place, in the same way there are mandatory Physical First Aiders.
Camille Bowman, Human Resources Manager at NYTimber, said: “Employers have a responsibility for the health of their employees and this should not be limited to physical health. This is especially important at NYTimber where men, who account for 75% of all UK suicides, make up 95% of the workforce.
“By increasing awareness of the support available, and reducing any stigma associated with mental health issues, employers can help prevent suicide and provide support to those that need it most. We will continue to invest in improving the health and well-being of our employees and would encourage others to do the same.”
