Mindful Employer
Mindful Employer is an initiative led by employers aimed at increasing awareness of mental health at work and providing ongoing support for employers in recruitment and retention of staff.
Stress, depression and anxiety are estimated to be the cause of more working days lost than any other work-related illness. Sick pay reduces profits. Covering absent workers adds more pressure. Loss of valued and talented people costs more than money. With the right support, people with mental health issues can and do stay in work.
We have signed up to the Mindful Employer charter, which shows our commitment to being an exemplary employer.
You can read the charter below:
Charter for employers who are positive about mental health
South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust have signed up to the Charter for Employers who are Positive about Mental Health
As an employer we recognise that:
- People who have mental health issues may have experienced discrimination in recruitment and selection procedures. This may discourage them from seeking employment.
- While some people will acknowledge their experience of mental health issues in a frank and open way, others fear that stigma will jeopardise their chances of getting a job.
- Given appropriate support, the vast majority of people who have experienced mental ill health continue to work successfully as do many with ongoing issues.
As an employer we aim to:
- Show a positive and enabling attitude to employees and job applicants with mental health issues. This will include positive statements in local recruitment literature.
- Ensure that all staff involved in recruitment and selection are briefed on mental health issues and the Disability Discrimination Act, and given appropriate interview skills.
- Make it clear in any recruitment or occupational health check that people who have experienced mental health issues will not be discriminated against and that disclosure of a mental health problem will enable both employee and employer to assess and provide the right level of support or adjustment.
- Not make assumptions that a person with a mental health issue will be more vulnerable to workplace stress or take more time off than any other employee or job applicant.
- Provide non-judgemental and proactive support to individual staff that experience mental health issues.
- Ensure all line managers have information and training about managing mental health in the workplace.
View the charter as a PDF (PDF, 54KB).
Visit the Mindful Employer website [external site] for more information.
Tagged under: Mindful Employer
Page last updated on July 30th, 2012
