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Supporting staff wellbeing
Affinity Trust is proud to be a Mindful Employer.
As signatories to the Charter for Employers Positive About Mental Health, we are committed to supporting the mental health of our staff.
In line with this, we have:
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set up a staff wellbeing group
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launched an organisation-wide wellbeing strategy and action plan
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created a toolkit for line managers with resources to help them support the mental health of their staff
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provided wellbeing webinars for managers
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begun monthly wellbeing communications with all our staff
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started measuring staff’s wellbeing through our staff ‘pulse’ survey.
Anne Kippax, Director of HR, says: “As an employer we recognise that people experiencing mental ill health continue to report stigma and discrimination at work. Having signed the Charter for Employers Positive about Mental Health, we are committed to creating a supportive and open culture, where colleagues feel able to talk about mental health confidently, and aspire to appropriately support the mental wellbeing of all staff.”
By signing the charter, Affinity Trust has committed to:
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providing non-judgemental and proactive support to staff experiencing mental ill health
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not making assumptions about a person with a mental health condition and their ability to work
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being positive towards all employees and job applicants with a mental health condition
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supporting line managers in managing mental health in the workplace
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ensuring we are fair in the recruitment of new staff in accordance with the Equality Act
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making it clear that people who have experienced mental ill health will not be discriminated against, and that disclosure of a mental health problem will enable both the employee and employer to assess and provide the right level of support or adjustment.
Anne adds: “We are encouraging wellbeing and mental health to become normal subjects to discuss at work, trying to breakdown the stigma.”
Mindful Employer is a UK wide initiative run by Devon Partnership NHS Trust. Providing employers with easier access to professional workplace mental health training, information and support, the initiative aims to help empower employers to take a lead in supporting the mental wellbeing of their staff.