What are the Basics of a Good Mental Health Policy

What are the Basics of a Good Mental Health Policy Some companies have won awards for their employee mental health policies, others have just got the bare minimum in place to ensure they and their staff are covered, while shockingly some organizations havent even considered putting one in place. So what should an employee mental health policy include and why? Well luckily for you, weve got just the people who can give you that information. Some of you may already have these in place, but if not then how about including them now? Nick Patel At a minimum, employers leading the way in mental health benefits should offer two core benefits: (i) an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and (ii) mental health coverage.   The companies that are differentiating themselves in regard to EAPs are the ones that want employees to use the program.   Many employers “check the box” by providing an EAP vendor that does not focus on driving engagement.   Employers need to also provide mental health coverage, thereby removing barriers for employees who may need professional help. Nick Patel, CEO of Wellable. Renae Shaw Every company should invest in employee assistance programmes, such as free counselling, so staff members have both an internal and external support network and gives them the opportunity to address problems that they may not want to discuss with a manager or colleague. Having a good return to work process is also important to ensure workers feel like they can manage their mental health without fear of risking their job. It also means managers are asking the right questions in the right way and staff feel like they can be honest. Renae Shaw, Head of HR at Search Laboratory. Lee Keyes Good mental health care coverage in insurance policies, especially parity. Well-articulated, managed, and reasonable benefits and leave policies. . . Dr. Lee Keyes, is a Psychologist and Emeritus Director at the University of Alabama. Emma Mamo Having clear policies and approaches for managing mental health helps organisations ensure consistency but in practice this may look different in different workplaces and contexts. For example small businesses may not have formal policies for every situation but they can still develop a clear positive culture and approach on mental health and communicate this clearly to staff. Things like a flexible working policy as a basic can go a long way to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of your staff.   Emma Mamo, Head of Workplace Wellbeing at Mind. Brendan Street Current legislation states employees experiencing a long-term mental health issue have protection under the Equality Act 2010. This means reasonable adjustments must be made to work practices. However, these adjustments don’t need to be complicated. For example, some find commuting during peak hours a stressful experience, so offering flexible start and finish times can help employees choose the hours, which work best for them. It’s important to work with wellbeing partners to put in place bespoke return to work plans to support employees with more acute mental health concerns. This includes gradually increased hours and responsibilities, as well as regular reviews. Brendan Street, Professional Head of Emotional Wellbeing at Nuffield Health. Shona Davies To ensure that their existing sickness policy applies to mental health conditions as well. I would also suggest having a nominated person that an employee can talk to if theyre struggling and ideally, ensure training for line managers in how to manage employee wellbeing. There are many charitable organisations who are able to offer such training, coaching and support for a donation! . Shona Davies, Founder of Shona Davies Consulting. Chieu Cao It’s important to remember that what can work for one person and improve their mental health, might not work for another. Instead, we should be focusing on designing policies that focus on workplace factors that may negatively affect mental wellbeing policies of prevention rather than treatment. This could be anything from: giving employees information on and increasing their awareness of mental wellbeing, offering them flexible working arrangements that promote their wellbeing and/or establishing a good two-way relationship so that they feel comfortable coming to you to discuss any issues.                       Chieu Cao, Co-Founder of Perkbox. Lucy Faulks As outlined by the WHO, the first step is to become aware of any mental health issues in the workplace. Speaking to employees, running regular employee surveys and providing training for managers to be able to spot the signs of mental ill health are good ways to start to do this. Many companies choose to elect a wellbeing committee or team to take on the responsibility for not only mental health policy implementation but also managing the overall health and wellbeing strategy. Lucy Faulks, Co-founder of Elevate. Paula Whelan As a minimum, to comply with Equality Legislation, an employer should have in place a policy on providing reasonable adjustments for employees â€" most Mental Health issues are likely to be covered under the Disability element of the Equality Act 2010. Paula Whelan, Head of Diversity Inclusion at Right Track Learning. Nicole Thurman I dont have a good answer for that one, I just know that its not enough. Most companies don’t do a good job of it because they don’t understand how intertwined mental health is with peoples ability to be happy, engaged and productive. If companies understood those correlations, they may spend more time thinking about how to help people be mentally healthy. Companies that have onsite clinics are missing the boat if they dont have mental health services, as well. Of all the visits that take place at our clinic, 2 out of 5 involve some sort of mental health issue. Thats one of the reasons why we added the mental health providers, to make sure we were directing care in the most efficient and best way possible. I think it’s part of the problem with the delivery of healthcare in the United States, in general. There isnt a holistic approach that takes mental health into consideration, which is absolutely critical. Not including mental health is a big miss for a lot of companies. Nicole Thurman, Vice President, Talent Management at CHG Healthcare.

The Key Aspects of Resume Writing That Are Most Ignored by College Students

The Key Aspects of Resume Writing That Are Most Ignored by College StudentsThe key aspects of resume writing that are most ignored by college students who are searching for jobs and long-term employment opportunities are never the same when applied to resumes for different job categories. Many students consider these elements to be of little importance and look at resume writing as a step in building their resume for future use. This is a mistake because these important elements of resume writing are crucial for your success as an employer.The overall appearance of your resume plays a crucial role in gaining the attention of a hiring manager, especially if the applicant has no prior work experience. A recent study has shown that almost one in four people who are hired for a job will hire another candidate who had the same resume, but better overall appearance. Employers have an immediate physical perception of the type of worker you are, which they interpret as someone who is hardwor king, well-organized, punctual, and intelligent.You may have received an invitation to appear at a meeting for potential employees and been told you will be interviewed during the next few days. This means you have plenty of time to gather information on the company you are interviewing with, and it also means you have plenty of time to plan your resume. Take some time and prepare your resume based on the key aspects of resume writing that are most ignored by college students.Once you have established your resume using the key aspects of resume writing, you can begin to make notes about the specific needs of the company you are interested in working for. You will want to highlight the skills and talents you have, any qualifications you have that could prove beneficial to the company, and the current status of your education. All of this information should be placed in a particular section of your resume, which you can call the 'Interests'Skills' section.You will need to make a signi ficant amount of points about each of the aspects of resume writing that are most ignored by college students. While these aspects are not written in stone, it is a good idea to take some time and determine what each employer is looking for. Be sure to include the skills and talents you have and the current situation of your education.By filling out the recruiter's questionnaire, you can get the general feel of the job and learn about the specific industry you are applying for. What industry does the company primarily represent? Is the industry moving toward automation or do they still need manual labor?The main reason these aspects of resume writing are ignored by college students is that college students do not follow these steps. When it comes to the current employment situation, college students are often very unsure of what they are looking for. They lack experience in job search techniques and do not understand the importance of outlining the skills and talents they have in a job description. As you build a resume based on the key aspects of resume writing that are most ignored by college students, remember that the recruiter is also looking for the same information you are looking for.Your resume may include the skills and talents you have, but the best way to land the job is by submitting a resume that displays your academic and work experience. It is also a good idea to keep your resume organized in an organized manner. If you create an organized resume and follow these key aspects of resume writing, you can ensure your success in landing a job.