A petition was taken to Downing Street yesterday, to hopefully make it law, for mental health first-aiders to be in the workplace. It will mean that every company must provide mental health first aid to their employees. The cost to the company for training a first-aider will be £300 for a 2 day course. What a fantastic idea! Although, they will not be professionally trained as therapists, they will have practical skills needed, to support the employees who are in need of assistance. They will have an understanding of what the mental health issues are and with the soaring rate of employees experiencing mental health problems in the workplace, this can be the starting point and only be seen as a good service, that a trained first-aider will be able to listen and direct the employee in the right direction, to receive the help that will be needed for their future recovery.
Better health support in the workplace, can help the company save millions in their businesses.
Although, on the flip side, the company may be thinking purely about profits and that the employee is replaceable. With this in mind, would the employee still feel that they can open up about their mental health issues in the workplace? Employees could fear that they are at risk of losing their jobs? The stigma could still be there.