Our #GlobalGoal of the month for May: Good Health and Wellbeing.

For many of us, the Coronavirus pandemic and lockdown will have had a dramatic effect on our physical and mental health. If it hasn’t on yourself, then guaranteed you will know someone who has struggled. Good Health and Well-being should be a priority in our day-to-day lives, but sometimes we forget.

More than ever physical and mental health has moved up to near the top of the world’s agenda. Businesses too are beginning to recognise that they have some responsibility in looking after their employees. Every employee exists somewhere on the mental health continuum, from surviving to thriving, it’s important to recognise both ends of the spectrum.

Today marks the start of Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK, and now more than ever is so important to be looking after your mental health. As lockdown is gradually lifted, anxiety and stress levels are rising too. By being aware of this, you are already helping your own mental health.  

This starts in the workplace too. Every employee exists somewhere on the mental health continuum, from surviving to thriving. It’s normal for their position on this continuum to fluctuate. However, evidence now indicates that there is a mental health epidemic occurring.

Data taken from Champion Health shows that 26% of workers experienced moderate-to-severe symptoms of depression in 2020, and 69% experienced moderate-to-high levels of stress.

It has therefore never been more important to prioritise mental health alongside the physical health of our workforce.

Harry Bliss, founder of Champion Health says:

“Over the past year, we’ve been thrown into one of the world’s largest social experiments in working from home. I think it’s fair to say, the jury is still out as to whether it’s been successful. Every individual within any organisation has their own unique strengths and challenges, some of which suit home working, some of which don’t. Leading a team through this period will not have been easy for anyone, but those leaders that are empathic and are willing to listen to their team will be the ones that drive positive outcomes in the immediate and long-term future.

There is not a ‘one size fits all approach or one piece of advice that I’d recommend, as every business and every individual is in their own unique boat. It’s how we understand and support them that’s important.”

Clarity has chosen to invest in their team’s health (both mental and physical) through joining Champion Health, giving each employee free access to the platform, which focuses on physical and mental health both within the workplace and beyond.