Oxfordshire Mind were delighted to open the new Westgate Body Shop! At the heart of this opening is a desire for The Body Shop team to all have an open culture on mental health and wellbeing in the Workplace.
Service Manager, Sara Keppie, Locality Manager, Beth Brown-Reid and Wellbeing Worker, Evelina Savickaite, delivered an open workplace wellbeing talk looking at managing stress, the 5 Ways to Wellbeing, Positive Work Practises, Stigma and Discrimination.
- More than half (56%) of workers find work very or fairly stressful
- Despite this high prevalence, 95% of people who took time off sick for stress cited a different reason for their absence, often a physical health problem
- Mental health issues accounted for 19% of all individual protection claims last year, more so than cancer which made up 12%.
It is good to hear that the Body Shop are creating a strong workplace culture which focuses on mental and physical wellbeing. It is so important that employers create an environment where staff can openly talk about stress and poor mental health at work, including any issues they’re facing – whether personal, professional or a combination.
Oxfordshire Mind want employers to see promoting good mental health as more than a legal obligation, but part of being a responsible employer and sending a message to staff that they are valued and appreciated. Changing the negative culture around mental health and tackling the causes of stress and poor mental health at work will benefit all staff at work and home.
The Body Shop will also be receiving workplace wellbeing talks, over the coming months, hosted by Oxfordshire Mind, as part of their extended workplace wellbeing program.
