Zip World proudly supports Mental Health Awareness Week 2022

Help and resources

Mental Health is something we all have. When it’s good, we feel like we can take over the world. But when it’s bad, it can affect our everyday life significantly. Similar to our physical health, our mental health can fluctuate and go through its ups and downs.

The days of not talking about mental health are long gone. Or, at least they should be. We believe encouraging positive mental health is important because we recognise that, like any workplace, working at Zip World comes with its challenges and some days may be more difficult than others. Positive mental health at work helps us cope with difficult setbacks, helps us take on new responsibilities with ease and boost our resilience. By encouraging positive mental health here at Zip World, we hope to ensure every member of our team can reach their highest potential.

Mental Health Awareness Week: Loneliness

Here at Zip World, we’re proud to be supporting Mental Health Awareness Week. According to the mental health charity Mind, at any one time, at least one in six workers are experiencing common mental health problems, including anxiety and depression. Mental Health Awareness Week aims to bring attention to the importance of mental health and to encourage those suffering to reach out.

The theme for Mental Health Awareness Week 2022 is loneliness. Loneliness affects many of us at one time or another and we know that it can be both the driver of and a product of poor mental health. At Zip World, many of our team will express that the best thing about working at Zip World is the people they’re surrounded by. With many workplaces shifting towards home and hybrid working, we’re very lucky to be able to work alongside many amazing people each day. Nevertheless, we recognise that no matter how many people you have around you, you can still feel the effects of loneliness. This year, Mental Health Awareness Week aims to help tackle loneliness and the barrios to connection by encouraging people to create more meaningful connections with their friends, family, colleagues and communities.

Mental Health Awareness Week is our chance to talk about loneliness, how it affects our mental health and to break the stigma that surrounds it. Loneliness can sometimes be undervalued in young people. Having lots of friends and people around you, but no one to talk to about your worries can lead to feelings of loneliness. Talking about loneliness is hard

and you may feel a bit silly or ashamed at first, but starting these conversations is super important and the first step to combating the damaging effects.

To learn more about Mental Health Awareness Week and to access many helpful recourses click here.

What are we doing at Zip World for our staff?

The health and well-being of our staff is a top priority, and mental health is no exception. At Zip World, the conversation is always ready to be had. This is why at the beginning of the year we introduced 14 Mental Health First Aiders, who successfully completed a Mental Health First Aid Awareness course. Each Zip World site now has allocated team members who are trained to offer help, support and advice when needed. We’d like to thank these amazing staff members for volunteering their time to complete the course and to Vanessa at Glad 2 Training. Our MHFA team will be presenting talks, raising awareness and conducting mental health sessions throughout 2022.

Not only this, but we also have an internal service run by a company called Validium. They offer brilliant mental health services to our staff, completely free of charge. Validim’s Employee Assistance Programme provides confidential help and information for issues at home or at work, with qualified counsellors and specialist teams of lawyers, wellbeing specialists, and financial and debt counsellors fully accessible via their telephone helpline or online service. All Zip World staff can use the Validium service for a range of issues, including stress-related, work or personal matters.

Aviva is also offering a 1-hour Mental Health Awareness webinar, available to all Zip World employees to attend. The session is taking place on Tuesday 17th May at 10.00 am and aims to improve mental health in the workplace. Suitable for all employees of all levels, the session will introduce common mental health conditions and how they may present in the workplace. Attendees will gain an understanding of mental health issues and how to take suitable steps to remove the stigma attached.

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