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It’s that time again. With the festive celebrations a distant memory and January feeling like it will go on forever, it’s likely your employees are feeling the slump. They’re not alone. January is the UK’s peak time for sickness absence and stress with the number of sick days higher in January than in any other month.
But this year what if you were inspired by Blue Monday? We’re here to empower you with the right tools and all the support you need to help protect your people, make mental health a priority in your workplace and power your business forward.
What is Blue Monday?
Blue Monday falls on the third Monday of January and has been labelled as the most depressing day of the year. = In 2024, it takes place on Monday 15 January.
Blue Monday is the creation of Dr Cliff Arnall. Back in 2005, he invented a formula for the most miserable day of the working year. Christmas is over, the weather is miserable, finances are stretched, New Year’s resolutions are failing and when you combine all that with a Monday you get Blue Monday.
We know what you’re thinking, that doesn’t sound very scientific. True. But what is real is the importance of mental health and that’s what we can take from Blue Monday if nothing else. It’s a great opportunity to encourage your employees to talk about mental health and tackle some of the stigma surrounding it.
New year, new mindset
There’s a lot going on in the world right now, all the news seems negative so it can seem even more difficult to tackle poor mental health in the workplace with all the external factors at play. But supporting your employees can make a real difference to their health and wellbeing, not to mention their productivity.
In Gallup’s ‘State of the Global Workplace: 2023 Report’, they discovered that the UK is one of the least engaged workforces in Europe, ranking 33 out of 38 countries, with 38% of employees experiencing daily stress. It’s clear that we need to do more to make sure employees are getting the support they need.
So let’s shift the focus of Blue Monday, let’s use it to start a fresh, future-focused mindset and a timely reminder that you can do something within your power for your people.
Here’s a couple of steps you can take now to make resources available to your employees.
Train Mental Health First Aiders
This can be a great way to build a more open and supportive culture. With Mental Health First Aiders in your workplace your employees will have dedicated people they can talk to about their mental health and wellbeing. They will be trained to spot the signs of mental ill-health and act as a first point of contact for colleagues and signpost to sources of support.
Introduce an Employee Assistance Programme
You can support your employees’ mental health with an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). This can provide an essential support service for individuals who need to talk to an external person or specialist about their mental health or wellbeing.
Get fit for the future with ISO 45003
Ready to go beyond Blue Monday and make it a priority to support your employees? If you want the tools to create a happier and healthier work environment, then ISO 45003 is here for you.
ISO 45003 is the world’s first International Standard to address psychological health and wellbeing in the workplace. A best practice framework developed by experts around the world to help organisations of all sizes and from all sectors, identify and manage psychosocial risks to their workers, focusing on the mental health and wellbeing side of Health & Safety.
With ISO 45003 you can show that you really do prioritise the mental health of your employees, protect your people, cut absenteeism, boost productivity, enhance the reputation of your company and save money.
If you’d like to find out more about ISO 45003, get in touch today – call 0330 828 4759 or email [email protected].
