Funded by the Welsh Government and run by two of Wales’s leading mental health charities, Adferiad Recovery and Mind Cymru, Time to Change Wales is the first national campaign established to reduce the stigma and discrimination faced by people with mental health problems. mental health in Wales.
the Time to Change Wales Campaign is a social movement that aims to improve attitudes and change behavior towards mental health in societies, ensuring equality for all in Wales and helping to blur distinctions between people with and without mental health problems.
The campaign aims to make a difference and end stigma and discrimination around mental health today with the Employer Pledge.
The cost of mental ill-health for employers
With statistics showing that one in six employees experience a mental health problem, indicating that stress is believed to be responsible for almost half of lost working days in the UK, the relationship between mental health and the workplace is complicated. An article published by Deloitte of ‘Mental Health and Employers: Refreshing the Investment Case’ supports employees to understand more about mental health and well-being in today’s job market.
The Thriving at Work report found that poor mental health costs employers between £33 and £42 billion a year. This is made up of:
- Cost of absenteeism: £8 billion
- Cost of presenteeism: £17bn to £26bn
- Staff turnover: £8bn
Total cost: £33 billion to £42 billion
This equates to a cost per employee of between £1,205 and £1,560 per year. This cost is for all employees, not just those who are sick.
As mental health becomes an increasingly important issue in society, it has never been more important for companies to monitor, promote and support positive mental health in the workplace.
What is the Time to Change Wales Employer Pledge?
The employer’s commitment is a public statement that a company wants to step up and address mental health-related stigma and discrimination in the workplace and is dedicated to supporting the well-being of staff by taking realistic and appropriate action.
The Commitment is not a mark of quality, accreditation or endorsement. There is no test or application. You just have to commit to taking steps that are realistic and right for you that will lead to a reduction in mental health-related stigma and discrimination within your organization and in the broader community.
More organizations coming together to sign the Employer Pledge means more noise is being made, helping to break the silence around mental health.
Imagine if every organization in Wales made a public commitment to tackling stigma… that would send a powerful message that mental health is something to talk about, and stigma and discrimination are not welcome.
Time to change Wales works closely with employers to help them foster a more open culture of discussion and honesty around mental health, as well as providing practical resources and support to reduce stigma in the workplace.
And the new phase will have a particular focus on working with SMEs in areas of poverty and deprivation, as well as Black, Asian and minority ethnic employers and employees.
On opening up the initiative to SMEs, Lowri Wyn Jones, Program Manager at Time to Change Wales, said:
“If you are one person taking care of a whole team of people, it can be quite stressful. It can have a huge impact on people’s mental health.
“Through this new phase, we are committed to opening our initiative to smaller businesses, as they too need our support to challenge the mental health stigma that can plague their communities.”
How do I start?
If you are interested in signing the Time to Change Wales Employer Pledge, you will need to create an employer account. Here you will have access to resources that will help you sign the Pledge.
Time to Change Wales also provides resources and support to organizations looking to set up their action plan so they can be on their way to developing a successful plan to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination in the workplace.
The activities that Time to Change Wales encourages organizations to consider are:
- Analyze policies and culture to make sure the workplace is supportive of people with mental health issues.
- Run internal anti-stigma campaigns using TtCW materials; inviting Champions to give talks against stigma.
- Promote messages externally among the people who use your services and the community in general through your communication channels or by running a campaign.
The Action Plan and the Signature of the Commitment
The action plan is a useful way to set organizational goals or record achievements so far. Think about all the different roles your organization has and the different groups you have contact with.
How can you engage these people and groups to challenge the stigma?
You’ll find tips and sample activities in the action plan guide, which you’ll have access to when you create your Employer account.
When you are ready, send your action plan to the Time to Change Wales team and they will contact you within 14 days to agree your plan.
When your action plan is agreed, then sign the pledge. Stepping up to sign a pledge is a public pledge, seeing a senior representative of your organization publicly sign your pledge board.
Case Study – Melin Houses
One of Time to Change Wales’ committed organizations is Melin Homes, a leading housing association that has been a committed TtCW employer for many years and has earned numerous benefits as part of it.
Paula Kennedy, CEO of Melin Homes, said:
“We signed the original pledge in 2014, so Time to Change Wales has given us a framework within which we can shape and mold our policies and processes.
“The feedback we get from staff is that people experience mental health issues for a multitude of reasons, but it will always affect their work environment. And what we want to do is try to create an environment where those issues impact people and the services they provide as little as possible.”
Signing the employer pledge has been hugely beneficial for Melin Homes, as Sharon Crockett, Director of Innovation and Culture, described:
“We have been very lucky to have a lot of support from our board, our CEO. And we have a lot of high-level people within the organization, who are more than happy to talk about their own mental well-being.
“We put the Time to Change Wales commitment into action at Melin by integrating mental wellbeing into everything we do. Because it’s a big part of our DNA, it’s just something that happens here.
Within our Committed Employer network, 79% of staff feel safe sharing their mental health challenges, and 84% of Committed Employers say registering has helped raise their staff’s awareness of how to access health support mental.
* Percentage statistics from the 2020 Employers Survey conducted by Time to Change Wales between 28 September and 21 October 2020.
Another Melin Homes employee commented:
“I think for the staff in particular, they know that there are resources there and there is support there for them no matter what happens in their lives.
“A healthy workforce is really the key to providing good services. If you take care of your staff, they will take care of everyone.”
Sharon added:
“So for other organizations that are thinking about signing the pledge, please go ahead. Go ahead, do it. It’s one of the best things we’ve ever done in terms of promoting the type of organization that we are.”
You can watch the Melin Homes case study video here
Put your pledge into action – sign up today!
Now comes the hard work: putting your commitment into action! This depends on your organization, and TtCW is always here to support you.
Our Employer Champions are essential in challenging stigma and changing the way employees think and act about mental health in the workplace. They are at the forefront of Time to Change Wales’ fight to make it commonplace for employees to say “I’m struggling”, “I’m working too hard” or “I need support” in the workplace without fear of negative consequences.
If you are a SME in a low-income area and/or employ members of Black, Asian, and minority ethnic communities, take the first step today.
Contact Time to Change Wales and join the movement to help end mental health-related stigma and discrimination in the workplace.
