Monday, April 12, 2021
UK workforce sees 113% increase in stress-related leave over the past 2 years
In a poll of UK employees, 58% are feeling exhausted, not excited ahead of summer
Money or me time? When asked to choose between an additional day off every year, or £200 cash, majority saw more value in ‘me time’
Nottingham, UK, 12th April 2021: Data from absence management platform e-days, reveals that, when comparing pre-pandemic levels in March 2019 to March 2021, the number of stress sickness days recorded has increased by 113%.
Additionally, the average number of people taking stress-related leave has increased by 74% when comparing Q1 2021 to Q1 2019. The number of people taking stress-related leave in 2020 and 2021 has remained the same, but the increase in days taken demonstrates that stress is taking longer to recover from and must be taken more seriously by employers. This news comes at the start of National Stress Awareness Month when the country comes together to raise awareness of the modern stress epidemic.
In light of this concerning revelation, e-days polled UK employees and found that an additional 58% of the UK workforce is feeling exhausted rather than excited as the summer approaches. Additionally, when asked to choose between an additional day off every year, or £200 cash from their employer, almost two-thirds (62%) of the UK workforce opted for ‘me time’ over money. This response suggests an increasingly stressed workforce, and further reinforces the importance of suitable workplace wellbeing support. So, whilst usual financial incentives may not be a viable option at the moment, businesses should be tracking leave and absence among employees to encourage wellbeing and workplace satisfaction over the coming summer months.
Steve Arnold, founder of e-days, commented, “With the majority of the UK workforce feeling exhausted and needing time out as we approach what is hopefully the light at the end of the tunnel, it’s vital that employers recognise the importance of a well-supported workforce. No business can afford to ignore the doubling of stress-related leave in such a short period of time - this affects us all. However, financial incentive is not the be-all-and-end-all of workplace benefits: the key to a motivated workforce is an employer that understands just how much absence matters.”
END
About e-days:Founded by Steve Arnold and Chris Moseley, e-days is an award-winning, cloud-based absence management and intelligence platform that makes holiday and absence management easy and accurate for organisations of all sizes, anywhere in the world. e-days delivers for more than 1,500 customers across 120 countries, including brands such as Canon, ASOS, AXA, Monster Energy, Barclays and Sony.
The e-days mission is to provide organisations with key intelligence regarding staff absence - enabling them to build better staff management and wellbeing strategies. Absence intelligence allows businesses to achieve better resourcing insights, save time and money associated with employee absence, and promote excellent employee wellbeing and better health for organisational success.
Website: https://www.e-days.com Twitter: @edayssoftware
Press enquiriesFor all media requests, please contact Rachel Johnstone, rjohnstone@thecommsco.com // 0203 697 6680Source: RealWire
Saturday, April 10, 2021
Stress in Legal Profession Misunderstood; Bellwether Research Paper Reveals
76% of respondents believe it is a major issueLondon, U.K., 17 April, 2019 – The latest Bellwether research paper titled, ‘Stress in the Legal Profession: Problematic or Inevitable’, published today by LexisNexis UK, a leading global provider of information and analytics; highlights that stress is an endemic issue in the legal profession with two thirds of respondents currently experiencing high levels of stress despite the confident ‘business as usual’ industry outlook. Almost 1 in 4 solicitors feel that more could be done to support them in the workplace although 4 in 5 report high levels of job satisfaction and 5 out of 10 consider they have a positive state of mind. Some 39% of respondents feel in control and 30% state that their stress levels are ‘average’, while 37% feel stressed by work and 66% of those experiencing stress cite high levels of it. 1 in 4 respondents noted that they experience extreme or very high levels of stress. 62% of those surveyed believe that small firms are better than larger firms at fostering an environment of support and culture of wellbeing with the greater likelihood of flexible working, better work/life balance and more agile working practices. 92% of respondents believed that small firms offered a range of benefits including: the ability to remain in control; agility; a common ethos; and better client experience.Jon Whittle, Market Development Director, LexisNexis UK said: “We found a robust, optimistic profession which continues to believe that hard work pays off in a bright successful future. Last year the Government positioned the law as a professional occupation with the highest levels of work-related stress, depression and anxiety which we believe is cause for concern. However, our respondents don’t agree on whether size of firm equates to stress levels. 55% of solicitors believe that enough is being done while 75% of our respondents feel that while stress is a major issue there is a sense of confusion and resignation in attitudes to it. It’s important to understand that while the future looks bright there are shadows at work.”To access the report please visit www.lexisnexis.co.uk/stress. -ENDS-Notes to editorsAbout the research‘The Bellwether Research Paper: Stress in the Legal Profession: Problematic or Inevitable’ was compiled using data from online surveys completed by 176 solicitors across England and Wales and supported by eight in-depth interviews with lawyers in small firms and small offices of larger firms. Respondents were from a wide geographical area and represented a broad sample of lawyers in a variety of positions in the firm and areas of expertise. The research fieldwork was conducted by an independent market research agency, Linda Jones & Associates, throughout November and December 2018.About LexisNexis Legal & ProfessionalLexisNexis Legal & Professional is a leading global provider of legal, regulatory and business information and analytics that help customers increase productivity, improve decision-making and outcomes, and advance the rule of law around the world. As a digital pioneer, the company was the first to bring legal and business information online with its Lexis® and Nexis® services. LexisNexis Legal & Professional, which serves customers in more than 130 countries with 10,000 employees worldwide, is part of RELX Group, a global provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries.Media Contact:Vidushi PatelTagus PR+44 7958474632vidushi@taguspr.co.uk Source: RealWire
The rise of ‘drivetime dialogue’: families use car journeys to bond
Parents play an important role as ‘psycarlogist’ helping children find answers to difficult subjects. New ‘What Drives Britain’ research from Alphabet shows that parents spend over 5.5 hours per week on average with the kids in the carCar provides ideal environment for ‘drivetime dialogue’ with kids about issues they’re facing, from worries about school work to body image and mental health Travel time also allows kids’ minds to wander and ask imponderables such as: ‘Why haven’t I got a tail?’ and ‘Are trees waterproof?’ Farnborough, UK – 18 October 2019 – Parents spend on average over 5.5 hours per week in the car with their children, and a quarter of parents spend 10 hours or more in the car with their kids, according to new research by Alphabet (GB) Limited, a global provider of Business Mobility. Car journeys provide a unique space for conversation, away from the distractions of home or school. Parents are using this ‘drivetime dialogue’ to discuss issues affecting their children, from the serious to the strange. Alphabet’s research shows the dialogue focuses on three core issues: Social - School and social life are the most frequent topics of conversation. Parents cover issues around schoolwork and performance and children’s social well-being, with questions about how to handle friendships and bullying Self-esteem - Physical well-being and body image were also a huge topic of conversation for parents and kids. Subjects like exercise, diet and self-confidence were most common, with issues around body image such as appearance, weight, make-up and clothing tackled by nearly a third of all parents Emotional - A quarter of parents have addressed online health concerns, talking with kids about the time they spend on phones, tablets and computers and the content they access there, as well as mental health issues around anxiety, stress and depression Talking about these issues can result in some tricky questions from children too. The ones parents found toughest were ‘Where do babies come from?’ (25%) and a range of sex education questions (17%). But no matter the subject, parents took them on:59% of parents aimed to tackle the question there and then, no matter what the topic 25% of parents thought the best option was to acknowledge the question but find a better time to talk about it laterA few questions proved tricky enough for a few parents (8%) to agree to talk later, but secretly hope the question was forgotten about altogether Dr Richard Woolfson, child psychologist, said of the research: “Family life rarely allows time for open and uninterrupted dialogue between parents and children. So time in the car can be a wonderful opportunity to strengthen the communication channels between parent and child, to build trust and strengthen the emotional bond. But, as the survey shows, children can ask about anything at all, and answering those questions can be very difficult when you’re driving.” To encourage and handle conversations with children, Dr Woolfson recommends: Show your interest - Get children talking by starting off with day to day topics, for instance about school, or friends, or leisure activities. Open questions such as ‘What made you laugh today?’ encourage conversation Reacting to tricky questions - It’s the unexpected questions – about sex, bullying, death – that can knock you for six. Avoid reacting in a way which might make your child feel embarrassed or silly for voicing their ideas. Tell your child you’re glad they have shared their thoughts with you and offer helpful advice if you canProviding appropriate answers - If you can, give an immediate answer, though pitch your words at the right level for your child’s age and understanding. Resist any temptation to duck the question by telling your child to wait until they are older, however, kids are very good at knowing when they’re not getting the full picture If you need more time - If you need time to gather your thoughts because the topic is highly sensitive, simply tell your child ‘That’s an excellent question. Let’s talk about it later tonight when we have more time and I can give you my full attention.’ Then set a few minutes aside that evening for you and your child to have that private chat togetherSimon Carr, Chief Commercial Officer for Alphabet (GB) Limited, comments: “Our ‘What Moves Britain’ report has already shown how important the car remains to work life in the UK. The company car is more than just a ‘perk’ or status symbol, for many Brits it is essential to our jobs. This latest research shows how essential these cars and the journeys we make in them can be to family life too. We know how important safety aspects are to parents and families when choosing their next car but how many of us consider the quality of the time we have together in that vehicle? Parents spend lots of time with kids in the car on school runs, driving them on the weekends and entertaining them over half term. With fewer distractions than home, it’s a great place to get kids talking about questions they have or issues affecting them.” Finally, the research also highlighted some of the more unusual questions that occur while in the car, including: Why haven’t I got a tail? Are trees waterproof? What are those two dogs doing in the park? Why turn left when the satnav said right? EndsResearch was conducted by Walnut Unlimited, using a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults aged 18 and over.About Alphabet (GB) LimitedAlphabet is Europe’s leading provider of Business Mobility services. Helping organisations to meet their changing business travel requirements and enabling their employees to keep moving efficiently and effectively. Innovative mobility products, like the Corporate CarSharing solution AlphaCity, are changing the way UK businesses finance, manage and use company cars. Another pioneering service, AlphaElectric, enables organisations and employees to switch on to the benefits of low and zero emission vehicles.Alphabet’s portfolio of Mobility services comprises a comprehensive suite of vehicle funding solutions and fleet management including: strategic consultancy, corporate and employee car schemes, commercial vehicles, risk management, vehicle rental, accident management, fleet management and maintenance.Supporting brands such as Panasonic, Lyreco, Grundfos Pumps and McDonald’s Restaurants, Alphabet manages a fleet of over 138,000 vehicles in the UK and more than 700,000 vehicles across 28 countries worldwide. For more information, visit www.alphabet.co.uk Contact:Unlimited GroupUnlimited House10 Great Pulteney StreetLondonW1F 9NBT: +44 020 7349 4000E: AlphabetPR@UnlimitedGroup.com Source: RealWire
Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation launches new Mental Health Fund for Young People via The Good Exchange
Newbury, 6th February 2020 – Not-for-profit, charity-owned cloud platform The Good Exchange has today announced that Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation is launching a new dedicated fund in support of local mental health initiatives for children and young people through the platform.
The Foundation’s new Bedfordshire Mental Health Fund for Young People officially opens today and will run for one year with a dual aim of distributing grants between £1,000 and £5,000 to local charitable organisations and growing the fund through collaboration with funders, local businesses and individuals who want to work together and give money to support this worthwhile cause.
According to analysis by the University of Bedfordshire (commissioned by the Foundation), there are an estimated 660 boys and 360 girls aged 5-10 years and 815 boys and 550 girls between the ages of 11-15 with a mental health problem in Bedford Borough. In addition, it has been estimated that one in 10 young people in Luton are likely to have a diagnosable mental health condition (LBC 2015).
Organisations from Bedford and Central Bedfordshire involved in delivering mental health education, promotion and development, including therapy and counselling sessions, are encouraged to submit their applications for funding via the Foundation’s Funder Page on The Good Exchange platform.
Dipak Mistry, Grants Manager, Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation commented: “We’re fully committed to supporting mental health solutions in our local area. Through our new Mental Health Fund for Young People, we hope to be able to support a range of different initiatives, but we really need other grant-giving organisations and individuals throughout the county to join with us to support this hugely worthwhile cause. All local groups who’d benefit from financial support – covering the costs of providing treatments and therapy sessions to general day-to-day overheads and equipment costs should apply via The Good Exchange. We’ve been very impressed by the platform’s single online application form, which significantly streamlines the grant-application process for all concerned.”
Ed Gairdner, COO of The Good Exchange added: “We’re looking forward to working with the Foundation to build a collaborative network of funders to address the complex needs of children and young people with mental health challenges across Bedfordshire through the new Fund for young people.”
Gairdner added: “With mental health conditions particularly challenging for those in their formative years, we look forward to seeing the impact the Fund will have on local initiatives involved in tackling these complex problems at a local grassroots level.”
About the Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation (BLCF) is one of the leading local grantmakers in the county, distributing nearly £9 million pounds locally since our inception and establishing a national reputation for our innovative, community-focussed and strategic approach.
Our aim is to be a catalyst for positive social change in the county by connecting people, ideas, resources and needs to make a lasting difference. We strongly believe that there should be opportunity for all and the lives of the most disadvantaged should be transformed through innovative, community-based solutions.
We are passionate about improving the lives of people in Bedfordshire and Luton and we're known for our ground-breaking initiatives, for our investment in supporting local charities and for our deep relationships with grassroots groups in our area.
www.blcf.org.uk
About The Good ExchangeThe Good Exchange is a transformational, charity-owned, not-for-profit cloud platform specifically designed to match those organisations and individuals who have money to give to good causes with those who need it most; on a local, regional and national basis. As the only platform to bring together grant-making, donations, charitable projects and fundraising in one place, the automated matching system with its simple single on-line application form will revolutionise charitable giving, making it more accessible, transparent and collaborative. For the first time, those seeking to raise money for local good causes will be able to access all sources of funding including charitable trusts, corporate givers, fundraisers and public through a single process.
https://thegoodexchange.com
Media contactsCharlotte Martin/Ella Pryor The Good Exchange team at Finn PartnersTheGoodExchange@finnpartners.com 020 3217 7060
Source: RealWire
Tech Charity Bytes For Heroes Launches #lunchbytes To Feed A Million NHS Keyworkers Across The UK
New Charity initiative Bytes for Heroes asks the tech industry to “do lunch” together virtually every Wednesday to raise funds
London, 12th May 2020 - Today, recently launched UK technology led charity initiative Bytes for Heroes has announced #lunchbytes, a new fundraising campaign bringing working from home and other working separately tech team members for lunch every week.
The Bytes for Heroes team will be kicking this off tomorrow (Wednesday, 13th May) at 1300h by having lunch together on a video call, donating to the funding page and posting the screengrab of their lunch on social media. This will become a regular thing similar to the Thursday night “Clapping for the NHS”.
Teams are invited to do lunch as a Byte (Eight diners), a Nibble (Four diners) or two bits (Two diners), but other numbers are also welcomed of course. #lunchbytes is not only raising money, but helping to reduce isolation and improve mental wellbeing within tech teams encouraging them to stay in touch socially as well as for work.
Peter Rossi, Founder of Bytes for Heroes said, “As tech teams are working remotely, we thought we'd encourage reconnecting as a team for a great cause - our NHS keyworkers. Not just reconnecting for meetings on Teams or Zoom, but to actually break bread together and share lunch. Send a screenshot of the group, post it on social as a #lunchbytes lunch and make a donation. It is as simple as that."
Donations for #lunchbytes: Just decide on the size of your #lunchbytes team from #fullbyte (£40 for up to eight diners) #nibble (£20 for up to four diners) #2bits (£10 for two diners) and go to the Bytes for Heroes GoFundMe page.
Bytes for Heroes is looking for donations from local and national tech firms across the UK to donate by supporting #lunchbytes or by straight donations to fund supporting local caterers and the keyworkers at hospitals across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Donations can be across the UK or specific to local hospitals close to company offices or which have a particular importance. It is also on the lookout for more caterers across the region to work with us to ensure this can see us through the next few and undoubtedly challenging weeks.
#lunchbytes #TogetherWeAreStronger
For more information on getting involved, please visit www.bytesforheroes.com.
- Ends -
ABOUT BYTES FOR HEROESBytes for Heroes is a charity initiative launched in April 2020 with a mission to engage the tech community in feeding over 1,000,000 national heroes focused on NHS and other healthcare workers.
Bytes for Heroes is the brainchild of Peter Rossi, co-founder of InfoSaaS, and it connects tech companies that want to have a direct impact on the front line with catering companies, ready to serve hearty meals to NHS heroes at their local hospitals. Bytes for Heroes was inspired by a project at Bristol Southmead hospital in partnership with The Jolly Hog Group handing out over hot meals to front line staff which was running out of funding.
It is bringing together two completely different industries; catering companies, that have the capability to provide food to our hard working NHS workers but are unable to due to lack of funding and technology companies, that want to help the NHS in a direct and tangible way, but don’t have an outlet to do so.
UK technology companies and individuals and teams in tech donate to Bytes for Heroes who will manage the logistics of getting Britain’s over-worked heroes fed.
For more information on getting involved, please visit www.bytesforheroes.com.
Get social with Bytes for HeroesHashtag: #lunchbytesTwitter: @bytesforheroesLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/bytesforheroesFacebook: facebook.com/bytesforheroesInstagram: @bytesforheroes
Media contact: Rose RossHead of PR Liaison07976 154 597press@bytesforheroes.com
Source: RealWire
London, 12th May 2020 - Today, recently launched UK technology led charity initiative Bytes for Heroes has announced #lunchbytes, a new fundraising campaign bringing working from home and other working separately tech team members for lunch every week.
The Bytes for Heroes team will be kicking this off tomorrow (Wednesday, 13th May) at 1300h by having lunch together on a video call, donating to the funding page and posting the screengrab of their lunch on social media. This will become a regular thing similar to the Thursday night “Clapping for the NHS”.
Teams are invited to do lunch as a Byte (Eight diners), a Nibble (Four diners) or two bits (Two diners), but other numbers are also welcomed of course. #lunchbytes is not only raising money, but helping to reduce isolation and improve mental wellbeing within tech teams encouraging them to stay in touch socially as well as for work.
Peter Rossi, Founder of Bytes for Heroes said, “As tech teams are working remotely, we thought we'd encourage reconnecting as a team for a great cause - our NHS keyworkers. Not just reconnecting for meetings on Teams or Zoom, but to actually break bread together and share lunch. Send a screenshot of the group, post it on social as a #lunchbytes lunch and make a donation. It is as simple as that."
Donations for #lunchbytes: Just decide on the size of your #lunchbytes team from #fullbyte (£40 for up to eight diners) #nibble (£20 for up to four diners) #2bits (£10 for two diners) and go to the Bytes for Heroes GoFundMe page.
Bytes for Heroes is looking for donations from local and national tech firms across the UK to donate by supporting #lunchbytes or by straight donations to fund supporting local caterers and the keyworkers at hospitals across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Donations can be across the UK or specific to local hospitals close to company offices or which have a particular importance. It is also on the lookout for more caterers across the region to work with us to ensure this can see us through the next few and undoubtedly challenging weeks.
#lunchbytes #TogetherWeAreStronger
For more information on getting involved, please visit www.bytesforheroes.com.
- Ends -
ABOUT BYTES FOR HEROESBytes for Heroes is a charity initiative launched in April 2020 with a mission to engage the tech community in feeding over 1,000,000 national heroes focused on NHS and other healthcare workers.
Bytes for Heroes is the brainchild of Peter Rossi, co-founder of InfoSaaS, and it connects tech companies that want to have a direct impact on the front line with catering companies, ready to serve hearty meals to NHS heroes at their local hospitals. Bytes for Heroes was inspired by a project at Bristol Southmead hospital in partnership with The Jolly Hog Group handing out over hot meals to front line staff which was running out of funding.
It is bringing together two completely different industries; catering companies, that have the capability to provide food to our hard working NHS workers but are unable to due to lack of funding and technology companies, that want to help the NHS in a direct and tangible way, but don’t have an outlet to do so.
UK technology companies and individuals and teams in tech donate to Bytes for Heroes who will manage the logistics of getting Britain’s over-worked heroes fed.
For more information on getting involved, please visit www.bytesforheroes.com.
Get social with Bytes for HeroesHashtag: #lunchbytesTwitter: @bytesforheroesLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/bytesforheroesFacebook: facebook.com/bytesforheroesInstagram: @bytesforheroes
Media contact: Rose RossHead of PR Liaison07976 154 597press@bytesforheroes.com
Source: RealWire
Berkshire Youth partners with Greenham Trust to support young people through lockdown
19th May 2020 – Berkshire Youth and funding partner Greenham Trust have partnered to launch a youth support hub to assist young people, families and agencies through the COVID-19 lockdown. The West Berkshire Youth Hub will be a virtual and telephone-based support platform with resources and opportunities designed around connecting, listening to and providing solutions for young people as they grapple with the impact of the pandemic.
Whilst the young are least susceptible to COVID-19, concerns are rapidly growing around youth mental health, compounded by the lack of social engagement, the closing down of sports and social activities and the impact on their education and employment opportunities. In a UCL study, the young reported the lowest levels of wellbeing and life satisfaction in lockdown, whilst almost 30 per cent have thought about death recently. UK Youth and the National Youth Agency have also voiced concerns that young people have not been identified as a specific group in need of support at this time.
Funded by Greenham Trust and established by Berkshire Youth, the West Berkshire Youth Hub online and telephone-based support service will be staffed from 9am to 5pm with access to out of hours support. Young people will be encouraged to get in touch, and will be informed about local activities, such as local youth groups sports clubs, drama, art groups and activity sessions that have gone online but may not be known to all. They will also be linked with appropriate, relevant and safe networks for the foreseeable future through lockdown and as restrictions are lifted.
While this service will not replace any other emergency service or out of hours team, where appropriate, young people will also be able to be referred to one of Berkshire Youth’s youth workers and other specialist agencies for specific support, while any request of need identified for this level of intervention will be referred or reported to appropriate safeguarding teams.
The service will be piloted in West Berkshire with a goal of rolling it out across the county in June. Greenham Trust also plans to use its network, history and experience of running charitable funding campaigns in the local area to engage with other charities across the UK, aiming to develop a national network of services and resources for young people impacted by the lockdown.
“At times like this we need to remember to look after the most vulnerable, but in the meantime we must not forget the young people and children that are part of our community and families. The old saying that it takes a village to raise a child is so true, but we have removed the village and taken away that choice”, commented David Seward, CEO of Berkshire Youth. “We need to find ways to encourage young people to still get together (virtually), to get good safe advice and support, to have fun, laugh and joke. For too long the voice of young people has been unheard, so let’s share what resources we know about, and find support and kindness where we can. Our youth hub is not the solution for good quality face to face youth work, but is a collaboration of resources to get as close as we can.”
“At a time when young people are experiencing unprecedented upheaval, anxiety and loss, many youth workers have been furloughed, whilst traditional youth projects are unable to continue within social distancing guidelines,” said Chris Boulton, CEO of Greenham Trust. “We want to encourage organisations not to forget about the resources required to cultivate the mental health and wellbeing of young people. Our support for Berkshire Youth will not only provide funds towards running the Youth Hub, we are also pleased to be providing access to a wider network of funders and other key contacts across the local area, in order to reach as many young people as possible.”
Find out more about the West Berkshire Youth Hub here https://wbyh.co.uk
Donate to West Berkshire Youth’s Coronavirus fundraising appeal on The Good Exchange here: https://app.thegoodexchange.com/project/18148/berkshire-youth/west-berkshire-youth-hub-sharing-resources-supporting-young-people-through-the-covid-19-pandemic
About Greenham Trust Greenham Trust Ltd was founded in 1997 to purchase the former Greenham Common Airbase, and to create and manage the new 150-acre Greenham Business Park. The Trust’s principal objective is to use income from commercial property to provide charitable funding for the benefit of the local communities in West Berkshire and North Hampshire. Since its inception, the Trust has supported over 1,000 local organisations, donating over £58 million over the last 20 years. Groups seeking funding can apply online at The Good Exchange: www.thegoodexchange.com.
www.greenhamtrust.com
About Berkshire YouthBerkshire Youth has been serving the young people of Berkshire, delivering excellent and efficient youth support services for over 75 years. Berkshire Youth supports clubs and groups in providing safe environments in which young people can explore new ideas, activities and opportunities. We do this by building on local agendas, responding to the needs of young people and local communities, offering support to local partners and direct provision as appropriate. We are proud of our track record and committed to building on it over the coming years to support young people make successful transitions to adulthood.
Here are five tips from Berkshire Youth on how to help young people through this period of uncertainty:
Despite being locked down, advocate for young people to have the courage to try and learn new things. The fear of stepping out of one’s comfort zone may seem quite daunting, but with the right help and guidance to just try something once is the start to a changing mindset and improving mental health.
Encourage them to fill a jar with all the things they want to do. As restrictions ease, they can work their way through them. It’s a good way to capture life and look forward to hope at the moment.
Try to help them keep a routine. Get up, washed, change out of pyjamas and carry out different tasks each day with goals and achievements. This could be small like school/college work, sorting the garden, helpful contribution to your household and others in it. At the minimum, try to have a structured sleeping pattern.
Young people’s views are more important than ever, but they are only known if shared. We need to show that it’s OK to not be OK – asking for help is not a weakness, it’s a strength. Encourage them to speak to friends, family or a youth worker whatever they may be feeling.
Find ways to encourage young people to still get together (safely, virtually), to still have fun, laugh and joke with people their own age.
https://www.berkshireyouth.co.uk/ https://wbyh.co.uk Source: RealWire
Whilst the young are least susceptible to COVID-19, concerns are rapidly growing around youth mental health, compounded by the lack of social engagement, the closing down of sports and social activities and the impact on their education and employment opportunities. In a UCL study, the young reported the lowest levels of wellbeing and life satisfaction in lockdown, whilst almost 30 per cent have thought about death recently. UK Youth and the National Youth Agency have also voiced concerns that young people have not been identified as a specific group in need of support at this time.
Funded by Greenham Trust and established by Berkshire Youth, the West Berkshire Youth Hub online and telephone-based support service will be staffed from 9am to 5pm with access to out of hours support. Young people will be encouraged to get in touch, and will be informed about local activities, such as local youth groups sports clubs, drama, art groups and activity sessions that have gone online but may not be known to all. They will also be linked with appropriate, relevant and safe networks for the foreseeable future through lockdown and as restrictions are lifted.
While this service will not replace any other emergency service or out of hours team, where appropriate, young people will also be able to be referred to one of Berkshire Youth’s youth workers and other specialist agencies for specific support, while any request of need identified for this level of intervention will be referred or reported to appropriate safeguarding teams.
The service will be piloted in West Berkshire with a goal of rolling it out across the county in June. Greenham Trust also plans to use its network, history and experience of running charitable funding campaigns in the local area to engage with other charities across the UK, aiming to develop a national network of services and resources for young people impacted by the lockdown.
“At times like this we need to remember to look after the most vulnerable, but in the meantime we must not forget the young people and children that are part of our community and families. The old saying that it takes a village to raise a child is so true, but we have removed the village and taken away that choice”, commented David Seward, CEO of Berkshire Youth. “We need to find ways to encourage young people to still get together (virtually), to get good safe advice and support, to have fun, laugh and joke. For too long the voice of young people has been unheard, so let’s share what resources we know about, and find support and kindness where we can. Our youth hub is not the solution for good quality face to face youth work, but is a collaboration of resources to get as close as we can.”
“At a time when young people are experiencing unprecedented upheaval, anxiety and loss, many youth workers have been furloughed, whilst traditional youth projects are unable to continue within social distancing guidelines,” said Chris Boulton, CEO of Greenham Trust. “We want to encourage organisations not to forget about the resources required to cultivate the mental health and wellbeing of young people. Our support for Berkshire Youth will not only provide funds towards running the Youth Hub, we are also pleased to be providing access to a wider network of funders and other key contacts across the local area, in order to reach as many young people as possible.”
Find out more about the West Berkshire Youth Hub here https://wbyh.co.uk
Donate to West Berkshire Youth’s Coronavirus fundraising appeal on The Good Exchange here: https://app.thegoodexchange.com/project/18148/berkshire-youth/west-berkshire-youth-hub-sharing-resources-supporting-young-people-through-the-covid-19-pandemic
About Greenham Trust Greenham Trust Ltd was founded in 1997 to purchase the former Greenham Common Airbase, and to create and manage the new 150-acre Greenham Business Park. The Trust’s principal objective is to use income from commercial property to provide charitable funding for the benefit of the local communities in West Berkshire and North Hampshire. Since its inception, the Trust has supported over 1,000 local organisations, donating over £58 million over the last 20 years. Groups seeking funding can apply online at The Good Exchange: www.thegoodexchange.com.
www.greenhamtrust.com
About Berkshire YouthBerkshire Youth has been serving the young people of Berkshire, delivering excellent and efficient youth support services for over 75 years. Berkshire Youth supports clubs and groups in providing safe environments in which young people can explore new ideas, activities and opportunities. We do this by building on local agendas, responding to the needs of young people and local communities, offering support to local partners and direct provision as appropriate. We are proud of our track record and committed to building on it over the coming years to support young people make successful transitions to adulthood.
Here are five tips from Berkshire Youth on how to help young people through this period of uncertainty:
Despite being locked down, advocate for young people to have the courage to try and learn new things. The fear of stepping out of one’s comfort zone may seem quite daunting, but with the right help and guidance to just try something once is the start to a changing mindset and improving mental health.
Encourage them to fill a jar with all the things they want to do. As restrictions ease, they can work their way through them. It’s a good way to capture life and look forward to hope at the moment.
Try to help them keep a routine. Get up, washed, change out of pyjamas and carry out different tasks each day with goals and achievements. This could be small like school/college work, sorting the garden, helpful contribution to your household and others in it. At the minimum, try to have a structured sleeping pattern.
Young people’s views are more important than ever, but they are only known if shared. We need to show that it’s OK to not be OK – asking for help is not a weakness, it’s a strength. Encourage them to speak to friends, family or a youth worker whatever they may be feeling.
Find ways to encourage young people to still get together (safely, virtually), to still have fun, laugh and joke with people their own age.
https://www.berkshireyouth.co.uk/ https://wbyh.co.uk Source: RealWire
Free Online Coaching Cards from Making Business Matter, Managers are Still Telling and Need to Coach
Google created Project Oxygen. Its purpose was to identify what would make managers better at what they do. After trawling over 10,000 documents, such as appraisals, they concluded with two startling facts:
The skill that would help managers most – Coaching.The skill that managers lacked most – Coaching.
We all intuitively know that telling does not help our people to do things by themselves. We didn’t need google to tell us. Yet, we still tell. Why? Because it’s easy. Then we moan that we are busy because all our staff come to us and can’t seem to do anything for themselves.
What’s the answer?
Use a tool that will prompt us. Our Coaching cards have been designed by a leading coach, tested and refined. There are 5 packs to choose from:
GROW model coaching cards.
Leadership coaching cards.
Mental health coaching cards.
Time Management coaching cards.
Category Management coaching cards.
Each deck is available in the printed version and an on-line cut-down free version.
As an example; The Grow model coaching cards are just under 100 cards. Following John Whitmore’s famous G.R.O.W. coaching model, split into 4 sections, prompting the coach to ask the right questions of their coachee. Whereas the Category Management coaching cards follow our unique 7-Layer Funnel, which is taught in our Category Management training course.
Plus, each printed deck has a bonus taking the coach to a wealth of extensive additional resources to help them to become the best coach that they can be.
About us:MBM is the soft skills training provider to leading UK Manufacturing and Retailing companies partnering with them to increase their sales and profits. They choose them because of our money-back guarantee, our relevant experience, and that we make their learning stick.
https://www.makingbusinessmatter.co.uk
Links:On ‘Category Management training’ to: https://www.makingbusinessmatter.co.uk/training/category-management-training/
Resources:
Buy coaching cards: https://www.makingbusinessmatter.co.uk/shop/
Use the free online tools: https://www.makingbusinessmatter.co.uk/coaching-cards-online-free-tool/
Google’s Project Oxygen: https://www.impraise.com/blog/project-oxygen-8-ways-google-resuscitated-management
Source: RealWire
The skill that would help managers most – Coaching.The skill that managers lacked most – Coaching.
We all intuitively know that telling does not help our people to do things by themselves. We didn’t need google to tell us. Yet, we still tell. Why? Because it’s easy. Then we moan that we are busy because all our staff come to us and can’t seem to do anything for themselves.
What’s the answer?
Use a tool that will prompt us. Our Coaching cards have been designed by a leading coach, tested and refined. There are 5 packs to choose from:
GROW model coaching cards.
Leadership coaching cards.
Mental health coaching cards.
Time Management coaching cards.
Category Management coaching cards.
Each deck is available in the printed version and an on-line cut-down free version.
As an example; The Grow model coaching cards are just under 100 cards. Following John Whitmore’s famous G.R.O.W. coaching model, split into 4 sections, prompting the coach to ask the right questions of their coachee. Whereas the Category Management coaching cards follow our unique 7-Layer Funnel, which is taught in our Category Management training course.
Plus, each printed deck has a bonus taking the coach to a wealth of extensive additional resources to help them to become the best coach that they can be.
About us:MBM is the soft skills training provider to leading UK Manufacturing and Retailing companies partnering with them to increase their sales and profits. They choose them because of our money-back guarantee, our relevant experience, and that we make their learning stick.
https://www.makingbusinessmatter.co.uk
Links:On ‘Category Management training’ to: https://www.makingbusinessmatter.co.uk/training/category-management-training/
Resources:
Buy coaching cards: https://www.makingbusinessmatter.co.uk/shop/
Use the free online tools: https://www.makingbusinessmatter.co.uk/coaching-cards-online-free-tool/
Google’s Project Oxygen: https://www.impraise.com/blog/project-oxygen-8-ways-google-resuscitated-management
Source: RealWire
Too busy with nowhere to go: Third of employees have no time to take a holiday
A third of employees are too busy to take time off, and 63% state “having nowhere to go”
During International Stress Awareness Week, e-days warns of wellbeing and burnout issues in businesses with reports of a 32% rise in anxiety-related issues since March
Nottingham, UK. 4th November: A third of employees are too busy to take holiday, with another 63% stating “there’s nowhere to go” when asked why so many had the majority of their holiday left to take.
Recent poll results gathered by e-days, the absence intelligence company found that 28% of people felt too busy at work to take holiday, and another 63% chose not to because COVID-19 restrictions had impacted their travel plans. This comes after data gathered from 50,000 of their users found that 37% of workers had more than 14 days of holiday left to take before the end of the year.
At the same time, e-days partner Doctor Care Anywhere, a private online GP service, released data that highlighted a worrying trend since March with a rise in anxiety-related bookings as a proportion to overall appointments made. This 32% rise, alongside many employees choosing not to take annual leave this year, suggests business leaders will face both wellbeing and burnout challenges within their workforce.
Steve Arnold, CEO of e-days commented: “With International Stress Awareness week taking place between the 2nd and 6th November it is important that organisations realise the impact of these issues. Work-life balance is key to employee wellbeing and helping to avoid any potential burnout. Providing services that support workforces during stressful periods will lead to a stronger, happier, and more positive workforce. With days growing shorter it is vital that organisations acknowledge the potential impact to employee wellbeing and encourage staff to take time out to prioritise their mental health.”
Dr Kate Bunyan, Chief Medical Officer at Doctor Care Anywhere, added: “Providing workforces with wellbeing and mental health support has never been more important, and COVID-19 has unfortunately highlighted this. There is no denying that the pandemic has challenged organisations, but ensuring that employees are taking the time to rest, relax and recuperate, while offering them online services during stressful times is so important as we move into winter.”
ENDS
About e-daysFounded by CEO Steve Arnold and CTO Chris Moseley, e-days is an award-winning, cloud-based absence management system that makes holiday and absence tracking easy and accurate for organisations of all sizes, anywhere in the world. e-days delivers for more than 1,500 customers across 120 countries, including brands such as Canon, ASOS, AXA, Monster Energy, Barclays, and Sony.
The e-days mission is to provide organisations with a global solution that saves time and money associated with processing employee absence. The company enables its customers to achieve better resourcing insight for planning purposes, and also plays a key role in helping organisations to improve employee wellbeing - both for the good of the employee and for the wider health implications this has on organisational success.
Website: https://www.e-days.com
Twitter: @edayssoftware
About Doctor Care AnywhereDoctor Care Anywhere is a doctor-founded digital healthcare company. From anytime appointments, fast and convenient prescriptions, to safe and secure patient records, Doctor Care Anywhere is a complete virtual GP service that simplifies healthcare for patients, clinicians and businesses that can be used anywhere in the world.
Website: https://doctorcareanywhere.com/
Twitter: @DrCareAnywhere
--
Press enquiriesFor all media requests, please contact Rachel Johnstonerjohnstone@thecommsco.com // 0203 697 6680
Source: RealWire
Aetna International introduces new mental health benefits to its core offering
Updates to Summit and Pioneer plans include enhanced mental health and well-being cover and support to help address the ongoing mental health crisis
02 February 2021: Aetna International, a leading provider of global health benefits, has today announced new updates to its Summit and Pioneer plans that will enhance the mental health and well-being support available to its global members. A part of the ‘Building better mental health together’ programme, the updates are proof of the company’s wider commitment to addressing the growing mental health challenges associated with the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. They are designed to provide members with an easy, accessible way to look after their mental well-being on a day-to-day basis.
The expanded range of mental health and well-being benefits are designed to support members on their health journey, from discovery and growth to mental health treatment and support. They are applicable to Summit plans, a flexible IPMI solution created for businesses, as well as Pioneer plans, IPMI designed for individuals and their families.
The new updates include access to Aetna Mind: a holistic approach to supporting members with evidence-based tools and support, from an award winning conversational chatbot app (Wysa) to Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) counsellors. EAP telephony and face-to-face counselling is now also included across all Summit plan levels and for Individual members as a new Member Assistance Programme (MAP). Additionally, co-pays no longer apply to psychiatric treatment and inpatient psychiatric treatment will now be included on all Summit and Pioneer plans as a standard benefit.
Derek Goldberg, Managing Director, Asia Pacific at Aetna International said: “As we come to terms with the ‘new normal’, we remain committed to prioritising our members’ mental wellness alongside their physical health. We’re confident these updates will ensure that businesses and individuals continue to have the mental health support they require during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.”
“Through this ‘Building better mental health together’ programme we are launching, we hope to ensure our members and employees alike have access to the care and help they need - wherever they are on their mental health journey. We will continue to refine the support we offer to help meet the short- and long-term mental health needs of our members.”
The updated offering continues to include benefits such as:
Free access to Wysa, a mental well-being app that provides anonymous chat support, self-guided exercises and in app coaching – now including Covid anxiety modules, an enhanced therapist led coaching programme and access to over 13s for adolescent mental well-being support
Access to Aetna International’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
Free access to myStrength, an interactive and personalised app that helps address stress, anxiety, chronic pain and more
Access to Health Hub for further well-being support, member offers on Mind and Body self-care solutions, expert content and links to Aetna International’s Care and Response Excellence (CARE) team for 24/7 health and well-being clinical support
About Aetna InternationalAetna International is committed to helping create a stronger, healthier global community by delivering comprehensive health care benefits and population health solutions worldwide. One of the largest providers of international private medical insurance, Aetna International serves almost 900,000 members worldwide, including expatriates, local nationals and business travelers. Its global benefits include medical, dental, vision and emergency assistance and, in some regions, life and disability. Aetna International also offers customised technological and health management solutions for health care systems, government entities and large employers to improve people’s health, enhance quality of care and contain costs. Aetna International is a subsidiary of Aetna, a CVS Health company, which serves an estimated 34 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. For more information, see www.aetnainternational.com or LinkedIn.
Media enquiries for Aetna International: aetna@kaizo.co.ukSource: RealWire
02 February 2021: Aetna International, a leading provider of global health benefits, has today announced new updates to its Summit and Pioneer plans that will enhance the mental health and well-being support available to its global members. A part of the ‘Building better mental health together’ programme, the updates are proof of the company’s wider commitment to addressing the growing mental health challenges associated with the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. They are designed to provide members with an easy, accessible way to look after their mental well-being on a day-to-day basis.
The expanded range of mental health and well-being benefits are designed to support members on their health journey, from discovery and growth to mental health treatment and support. They are applicable to Summit plans, a flexible IPMI solution created for businesses, as well as Pioneer plans, IPMI designed for individuals and their families.
The new updates include access to Aetna Mind: a holistic approach to supporting members with evidence-based tools and support, from an award winning conversational chatbot app (Wysa) to Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) counsellors. EAP telephony and face-to-face counselling is now also included across all Summit plan levels and for Individual members as a new Member Assistance Programme (MAP). Additionally, co-pays no longer apply to psychiatric treatment and inpatient psychiatric treatment will now be included on all Summit and Pioneer plans as a standard benefit.
Derek Goldberg, Managing Director, Asia Pacific at Aetna International said: “As we come to terms with the ‘new normal’, we remain committed to prioritising our members’ mental wellness alongside their physical health. We’re confident these updates will ensure that businesses and individuals continue to have the mental health support they require during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.”
“Through this ‘Building better mental health together’ programme we are launching, we hope to ensure our members and employees alike have access to the care and help they need - wherever they are on their mental health journey. We will continue to refine the support we offer to help meet the short- and long-term mental health needs of our members.”
The updated offering continues to include benefits such as:
Free access to Wysa, a mental well-being app that provides anonymous chat support, self-guided exercises and in app coaching – now including Covid anxiety modules, an enhanced therapist led coaching programme and access to over 13s for adolescent mental well-being support
Access to Aetna International’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
Free access to myStrength, an interactive and personalised app that helps address stress, anxiety, chronic pain and more
Access to Health Hub for further well-being support, member offers on Mind and Body self-care solutions, expert content and links to Aetna International’s Care and Response Excellence (CARE) team for 24/7 health and well-being clinical support
About Aetna InternationalAetna International is committed to helping create a stronger, healthier global community by delivering comprehensive health care benefits and population health solutions worldwide. One of the largest providers of international private medical insurance, Aetna International serves almost 900,000 members worldwide, including expatriates, local nationals and business travelers. Its global benefits include medical, dental, vision and emergency assistance and, in some regions, life and disability. Aetna International also offers customised technological and health management solutions for health care systems, government entities and large employers to improve people’s health, enhance quality of care and contain costs. Aetna International is a subsidiary of Aetna, a CVS Health company, which serves an estimated 34 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. For more information, see www.aetnainternational.com or LinkedIn.
Media enquiries for Aetna International: aetna@kaizo.co.ukSource: RealWire
Half of companies ill-equipped to support employee mental health
Half of companies report lack of resources to support mental health issues in their business
45% of businesses report rise in mental health issues for workforce during lockdown
1 in 5 companies have zero oversight of employee mental health issues
London, UK. 19th May 2020. Half of all companies don’t have the resources to properly support employee mental health, according to a new survey from workforce intelligence platform e-days.
Released during Mental Health Awareness Week (18th-24th May), the survey results from more than 100 HR leaders found that over 53% of businesses felt that they had inadequate resources to support mental health issues in their business.
On a webinar co-hosted by e-days and Doctor Care Anywhere, the digital healthcare company, 100 HR leaders and decision makers shared their preparedness for tackling the growing issue of poor mental health in the workplace, which is reported to cost the UK economy £99 billion each year. 45% of respondents confirmed that they had seen a rise in mental health-related illness in their business in the last month. Only 15% said that there had been no rise.
With the impact of lockdown on employee mental health well-documented, over half of businesses still lack the capability to see which of their staff has been affected by Covid-19 either mentally or physically. Worryingly, one in every five companies are completely blind to issues with employee mental health, and 40% of respondents only receive updates monthly or even more rarely.
As UK businesses begin preparations to return to ‘business as usual’, e-days’ survey reinforces the importance of tracking who might be suffering from poor mental health as a result of the UK’s lockdown measures. The findings show that occupational health and extensive support should be a prerequisite for any business looking to re-open their place of work.
Steve Arnold, CEO of e-days, commented: “It’s never been more important for employees and employers to be having open and honest conversations about mental health in the workplace. Poor mental health is a growing problem, and many businesses find themselves without adequate resources to help their staff. Promoting good employee mental health now will also offer wider benefits that outlast the Covid-19 crisis. If relationships are strong and there is a strong sense of trust between employer and employee, then businesses will be far more resilient to whatever the future holds.”
Dr Lia Ali, head of mental health strategy at Doctor Care Anywhere, commented: “Unfortunately, when it comes to mental health, there is still a stigma around discussions. People are not sure whether they should be addressing issues when they see them. We don’t have these thoughts when we consider physical health, so why would any employer allow mental health to impact an employee’s performance?
“Early intervention can make all the difference- and as we adjust to life after lockdown, we can do this by looking at patterns in data and understanding our employees. When we know our employees well, then we can spot warning signs sooner.”
ENDS
About e-daysFounded by CEO Steve Arnold and CTO Chris Moseley, e-days is an award-winning, cloud-based absence management and intelligence platform that makes holiday and absence management easy and accurate for organisations of all sizes, anywhere in the world. e-days delivers for more than 1,500 customers across 120 countries, including brands such as Canon, ASOS, AXA, Monster Energy, Barclays, and Sony.
The e-days mission is to provide organisations with key intelligence regarding staff absence - enabling them to build better staff management and wellbeing strategies. Absence intelligence allows businesses to achieve better resourcing insights, save time and money associated with employee absence, and promote excellent employee wellbeing and better health for organisational success.
Website: https://www.e-days.com Twitter: @edayssoftware
About DCADoctor Care Anywhere is a doctor-founded digital healthcare company. From anytime appointments, fast and convenient prescriptions, to safe and secure patient records, Doctor Care Anywhere is a complete virtual GP service that simplifies healthcare for patients, clinicians and businesses that can be used anywhere in the world.
Patients are empowered through easy access to their medical records, virtual consultations, repeat prescription management, personalised health tracking and medication reminders.
Website: https://doctorcareanywhere.com/ Twitter: @DrCareAnywhere
Media enquiriesFor all media requests, please contact Edward Clark:eclark@thecommsco.com // 0203 697 6680Source: RealWire
45% of businesses report rise in mental health issues for workforce during lockdown
1 in 5 companies have zero oversight of employee mental health issues
London, UK. 19th May 2020. Half of all companies don’t have the resources to properly support employee mental health, according to a new survey from workforce intelligence platform e-days.
Released during Mental Health Awareness Week (18th-24th May), the survey results from more than 100 HR leaders found that over 53% of businesses felt that they had inadequate resources to support mental health issues in their business.
On a webinar co-hosted by e-days and Doctor Care Anywhere, the digital healthcare company, 100 HR leaders and decision makers shared their preparedness for tackling the growing issue of poor mental health in the workplace, which is reported to cost the UK economy £99 billion each year. 45% of respondents confirmed that they had seen a rise in mental health-related illness in their business in the last month. Only 15% said that there had been no rise.
With the impact of lockdown on employee mental health well-documented, over half of businesses still lack the capability to see which of their staff has been affected by Covid-19 either mentally or physically. Worryingly, one in every five companies are completely blind to issues with employee mental health, and 40% of respondents only receive updates monthly or even more rarely.
As UK businesses begin preparations to return to ‘business as usual’, e-days’ survey reinforces the importance of tracking who might be suffering from poor mental health as a result of the UK’s lockdown measures. The findings show that occupational health and extensive support should be a prerequisite for any business looking to re-open their place of work.
Steve Arnold, CEO of e-days, commented: “It’s never been more important for employees and employers to be having open and honest conversations about mental health in the workplace. Poor mental health is a growing problem, and many businesses find themselves without adequate resources to help their staff. Promoting good employee mental health now will also offer wider benefits that outlast the Covid-19 crisis. If relationships are strong and there is a strong sense of trust between employer and employee, then businesses will be far more resilient to whatever the future holds.”
Dr Lia Ali, head of mental health strategy at Doctor Care Anywhere, commented: “Unfortunately, when it comes to mental health, there is still a stigma around discussions. People are not sure whether they should be addressing issues when they see them. We don’t have these thoughts when we consider physical health, so why would any employer allow mental health to impact an employee’s performance?
“Early intervention can make all the difference- and as we adjust to life after lockdown, we can do this by looking at patterns in data and understanding our employees. When we know our employees well, then we can spot warning signs sooner.”
ENDS
About e-daysFounded by CEO Steve Arnold and CTO Chris Moseley, e-days is an award-winning, cloud-based absence management and intelligence platform that makes holiday and absence management easy and accurate for organisations of all sizes, anywhere in the world. e-days delivers for more than 1,500 customers across 120 countries, including brands such as Canon, ASOS, AXA, Monster Energy, Barclays, and Sony.
The e-days mission is to provide organisations with key intelligence regarding staff absence - enabling them to build better staff management and wellbeing strategies. Absence intelligence allows businesses to achieve better resourcing insights, save time and money associated with employee absence, and promote excellent employee wellbeing and better health for organisational success.
Website: https://www.e-days.com Twitter: @edayssoftware
About DCADoctor Care Anywhere is a doctor-founded digital healthcare company. From anytime appointments, fast and convenient prescriptions, to safe and secure patient records, Doctor Care Anywhere is a complete virtual GP service that simplifies healthcare for patients, clinicians and businesses that can be used anywhere in the world.
Patients are empowered through easy access to their medical records, virtual consultations, repeat prescription management, personalised health tracking and medication reminders.
Website: https://doctorcareanywhere.com/ Twitter: @DrCareAnywhere
Media enquiriesFor all media requests, please contact Edward Clark:eclark@thecommsco.com // 0203 697 6680Source: RealWire
https://www.realwire.com/releases/Half-of-companies-ill-equipped-to-support-employee-mental-health
Stress-related absence up 64% in 2020 as COVID-19 exacerbates the UK's mental health crisis
Healthcare tops the charts with a 145% increase in the amount of stress-related absence over 2019
Effects of Brexit uncertainty also felt in Government and International Affairs, ranking second in sector report for stress-related appointments
Presenteeism continues to plague businesses with almost two thirds of employees revealing they’ve worked whilst ill during the pandemic
Nottingham, 2nd February UK 2021: ‘Stress by Sector’ data released by e-days today reveals concerning statistics that stress-related appointments are up generally in business by 64% over 2019. The data shows that the sectors struggling most with stress-related sickness are unsurprisingly healthcare (0.64 days of stress related absence on average per employee), followed by Government and International Affairs (0.57 days on average per employee) and Human Resources and staffing (0.39 days on average per employee).
Unfortunately, the industries topping the charts for stress-related absences are those that have been particularly affected by the events of the past few months. With a 146% increase in days of stress related absence per user year on year, healthcare has of course been at the frontline of the pandemic and faced a continued and evermore pressured working environment.
Similarly, those working in Government and International affairs have navigated a tumultuous few months. In addition to the global health pandemic, dealing with Brexit planning in an already highly pressurised environment has seen an increase of 39% in stress-related leave year on year.
An additional area of concern highlighted in this report is the surprisingly high placing on this list for HR and Staffing professionals. This is an industry with a key focus on promoting wellbeing amongst the workforce but had the third highest rating and a 70% increase in stress-related leave per user year on year. It’s an industry that saw a huge increase in workload throughout 2020 as it navigated the implications of multiple lockdowns on the worldwide workforce.
Additional e-days data indicates that cancelled leave due to postponed holidays and cancelled engagements doubled in 2020. This in itself has increased administration and presented logistical challenges for HR and Staffing.
“Whilst the rapid rise in stress-related appointments is alarming it is sadly not surprising, but with HR leaders also struggling, we must recognise there is a perfect storm going on,” said Steve Arnold, CEO of e-days. “What we do have within our control is looking after people when they do need to book absence but are working remotely. We have to build a company culture which shouts ‘Absence Matters’ and do away with the fear of appearing lazy or unable to cope. The truth is during this pandemic the majority are probably working more than ever, and HRs themselves need to call in support services to help.”
Dr Kate Bunyan, Chief Medical Officer, Doctor Care Anywhere added: “Businesses need to ask themselves what they can do to support their employees through stress or sickness and ensure employees know that it is no longer is it a badge of honour to work whilst sick. There should be a clear procedure in place to support employees and fast track them to the necessary support services before the situation worsens. Employees who choose to work when unwell are negatively impacting their own health, and in turn their colleagues and the business will suffer too. Without direction staff will be unsure as to how best proceed when sick and continue working. Especially during current circumstances business leaders need to be wise to this, and properly support their workforce.”
Of further concern, data also shows that almost two thirds of workers worked from home during the pandemic whilst sick – showing that presenteeism remains a huge issue. The combination of anxiety and stress and risk of burnout of working whilst ill presents huge issues for businesses trying to maintain employee wellbeing. This is supported by further research that highlights the impact to the wider team when individuals choose to work whilst unwell, with data showing that in 2019, 35 productive days were lost per employee to presenteeism.
In comparison to illness-related absenteeism, presenteeism is far more costly to business. Studies have found that presenteeism productivity loss resulting from depression and pain are about three times more than absenteeism productivity loss. This highlights that employees who choose to work through illness are less focused, productive, and efficient at their jobs, than those that choose to take a day or two off to rest.
END
About e-daysFounded by CEO Steve Arnold and CTO Chris Moseley, e-days is an award-winning, cloud-based absence management and intelligence platform that makes holiday and absence management easy and accurate for organisations of all sizes, anywhere in the world. e-days delivers for more than 1,500 customers across 120 countries, including brands such as Canon, ASOS, AXA, Monster Energy, Barclays and Sony.
The e-days mission is to provide organisations with key intelligence regarding staff absence - enabling them to build better staff management and wellbeing strategies. Absence intelligence allows businesses to achieve better resourcing insights, save time and money associated with employee absence, and promote excellent employee wellbeing and better health for organisational success.
Website: https://www.e-days.com Twitter: @edayssoftware
Press enquiriesFor all media requests, please contact Rachel Johnstonerjohnstone@thecommsco.com // 0203 697 6680Source: RealWire
Effects of Brexit uncertainty also felt in Government and International Affairs, ranking second in sector report for stress-related appointments
Presenteeism continues to plague businesses with almost two thirds of employees revealing they’ve worked whilst ill during the pandemic
Nottingham, 2nd February UK 2021: ‘Stress by Sector’ data released by e-days today reveals concerning statistics that stress-related appointments are up generally in business by 64% over 2019. The data shows that the sectors struggling most with stress-related sickness are unsurprisingly healthcare (0.64 days of stress related absence on average per employee), followed by Government and International Affairs (0.57 days on average per employee) and Human Resources and staffing (0.39 days on average per employee).
Unfortunately, the industries topping the charts for stress-related absences are those that have been particularly affected by the events of the past few months. With a 146% increase in days of stress related absence per user year on year, healthcare has of course been at the frontline of the pandemic and faced a continued and evermore pressured working environment.
Similarly, those working in Government and International affairs have navigated a tumultuous few months. In addition to the global health pandemic, dealing with Brexit planning in an already highly pressurised environment has seen an increase of 39% in stress-related leave year on year.
An additional area of concern highlighted in this report is the surprisingly high placing on this list for HR and Staffing professionals. This is an industry with a key focus on promoting wellbeing amongst the workforce but had the third highest rating and a 70% increase in stress-related leave per user year on year. It’s an industry that saw a huge increase in workload throughout 2020 as it navigated the implications of multiple lockdowns on the worldwide workforce.
Additional e-days data indicates that cancelled leave due to postponed holidays and cancelled engagements doubled in 2020. This in itself has increased administration and presented logistical challenges for HR and Staffing.
“Whilst the rapid rise in stress-related appointments is alarming it is sadly not surprising, but with HR leaders also struggling, we must recognise there is a perfect storm going on,” said Steve Arnold, CEO of e-days. “What we do have within our control is looking after people when they do need to book absence but are working remotely. We have to build a company culture which shouts ‘Absence Matters’ and do away with the fear of appearing lazy or unable to cope. The truth is during this pandemic the majority are probably working more than ever, and HRs themselves need to call in support services to help.”
Dr Kate Bunyan, Chief Medical Officer, Doctor Care Anywhere added: “Businesses need to ask themselves what they can do to support their employees through stress or sickness and ensure employees know that it is no longer is it a badge of honour to work whilst sick. There should be a clear procedure in place to support employees and fast track them to the necessary support services before the situation worsens. Employees who choose to work when unwell are negatively impacting their own health, and in turn their colleagues and the business will suffer too. Without direction staff will be unsure as to how best proceed when sick and continue working. Especially during current circumstances business leaders need to be wise to this, and properly support their workforce.”
Of further concern, data also shows that almost two thirds of workers worked from home during the pandemic whilst sick – showing that presenteeism remains a huge issue. The combination of anxiety and stress and risk of burnout of working whilst ill presents huge issues for businesses trying to maintain employee wellbeing. This is supported by further research that highlights the impact to the wider team when individuals choose to work whilst unwell, with data showing that in 2019, 35 productive days were lost per employee to presenteeism.
In comparison to illness-related absenteeism, presenteeism is far more costly to business. Studies have found that presenteeism productivity loss resulting from depression and pain are about three times more than absenteeism productivity loss. This highlights that employees who choose to work through illness are less focused, productive, and efficient at their jobs, than those that choose to take a day or two off to rest.
END
About e-daysFounded by CEO Steve Arnold and CTO Chris Moseley, e-days is an award-winning, cloud-based absence management and intelligence platform that makes holiday and absence management easy and accurate for organisations of all sizes, anywhere in the world. e-days delivers for more than 1,500 customers across 120 countries, including brands such as Canon, ASOS, AXA, Monster Energy, Barclays and Sony.
The e-days mission is to provide organisations with key intelligence regarding staff absence - enabling them to build better staff management and wellbeing strategies. Absence intelligence allows businesses to achieve better resourcing insights, save time and money associated with employee absence, and promote excellent employee wellbeing and better health for organisational success.
Website: https://www.e-days.com Twitter: @edayssoftware
Press enquiriesFor all media requests, please contact Rachel Johnstonerjohnstone@thecommsco.com // 0203 697 6680Source: RealWire
https://www.realwire.com/releases/Stress-related-absence-up-64-in-2020
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