Working Minds welcomes new partners this Mental Health Awareness Week

As this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week (13-19 May 2024) unfolds, we are pleased to announce two new Working Minds campaign partners in the construction and entertainment/leisure sectors.

We welcome the Scaffolding Association and the Professional Lighting and Sound Association (PLASA) to our network of partners, which now stands at 35 dedicated organisations across a wide range of sectors. All working to raise awareness of workplace stress and supporting good mental health at work.

Added support for construction and entertainment industries

Working in construction often involves intense work pressure and demanding schedules, leading to significant stress. Workers in the fast-paced entertainment and leisure industries regularly faced irregular working hours and job uncertainties. Both industries can often also involve working away from home and loved ones for extended periods, too.

Recognising these pressures, our new partners bring a wealth of insight and resources to help us support employers and workers in these fields.

Robert Candy, CEO of the Scaffolding Association, says:

“Working in the scaffolding sector can be challenging with a wide range of pressures that include finding skilled workers, maintaining a pipeline of work, and managing cash flow.
We firmly believe in fostering a culture of wellbeing and proactive support in the workplace.

“Through our partnership with the Working Minds campaign, we are reaffirming our dedication to promoting mental health awareness and providing support to our members in the scaffolding sector. We look forward to continuing our collaborative efforts to prioritise mental health.”

Nicky Greet, Director of Membership, Skills and Technical at PLASA, says:

“PLASA fully supports the HSE Working Minds campaign and is proud to be a campaign partner. For any business, people are the most important asset.”

Giving businesses the tools to make positive change

According to Liz Goodwill, HSE’s lead on work-related stress and mental health policy, employers play a pivotal role in shaping a work environment that eliminates stress and promotes good mental health. Liz says:

“We spend a lot of time at work, and it can have both positive and negative effects on our mental health. It’s normal for people to have challenging times and, like any other work-related risk to health, risks to mental health should be included in risk assessments at work.”

We want employers to take Mental Health Awareness Week as a reminder of their critical role – and legal responsibility – in supporting staff mental health by managing risks of stress in the workplace.

The Working Minds campaign provides a host of practical tools and resources that are simple to implement into business operations to support workers. There is a free online learning tool to help employers learn about workplace stress, what to look out for, and how to act on it. You can also download risk assessment templates and other resources to help you raise awareness of stress.

And we have talking toolkits to help you start the conversation with workers who might need your support. Because, as Liz Goodwill says, reaching out and asking how people are feeling and coping with stress is a vital first step:

“Having regular conversations about work-related stress and mental health helps to reduce stigma and encourages people to talk about their problems earlier. The earlier an issue is recognised, the sooner action can be taken to reduce or remove it.”

A Call to Action for Every Employer

As we continue to build awareness and encourage open conversations about stress and mental health, we invite all employers to explore the Working Minds campaign, tools and the additional resources and support offered by our partners.

Together, we can create safer, healthier workplaces that recognise and address stress and mental health with the importance it merits.

For more information and to access resources, visit the Working Minds campaign site today.