Mental Health Awareness Week, now in its 23rd year, runs from 15-21 May and is hosted by the charity, Mental Health Foundation. 

With 8.2 million workdays in England being lost due mental health and stress related matters (Get Britain Standing), the country is facing a mental health crises, making it more important than ever to raise awareness of mental health and build a culture that supports staff wellbeing.   

This year, the theme of Mental Health Week is ‘anxiety’. Anxiety is a common feeling for many of us, and the Mental Health Foundation aim to use this week to break down barriers around experiences of anxiety and help normalised conversations about anxiety and mental health.

At Arrow, we believe our employee's mental health is as important as their physical wellbeing. Our values-driven approach – focusing on our key values of recognition, respect and honesty – goes beyond physical health and wellbeing, and ensures we are focused on providing a positive working environment for all staff.    

Supporting our people is at the heart of approach, and we invest in our employees wellbeing in a variety of ways – taking steps to celebrate our employees, encourage personal growth and embrace collaborative working to break down barriers and remove the stigma surrounding mental health.

Our approach includes:

 

    • Introducing and continuously developing our Employee Wellbeing Policy to support a positive work-life balance, including a pioneering employee benefits package.
    • Encouraging conversations on mental health and wellbeing via weekly OfficeVibe surveys, asking questions focusing on four key areas of mental wellbeing.
    • Continuously engaging with staff about their mental wellbeing, and encouraging conversations on mental health through regular manager 1-2-1s and team meetings.
    • Keeping our employees engaged and informed through ‘Weekly Pulse’ bulletins, involvement in campaigns such as #WearItGreen, and employee wellness activities such as team escape rooms.

 

Get involved in Mental Health Week 2023 by sharing your experience of anxiety and the things that can help with the hashtag #ToHelpMyAnxiety to help normalised conversations about anxiety and mental health.