Wirral-headquartered tax relief specialist Access2Funding has appointed mental health first aiders to support employee wellbeing in the business.
Three employees were selected as mental health first aiders following an internal application process whereby applicants had to answer scenarios and express why they would be suited to the role.
The first aiders will now undergo accredited training and upon completion will help colleagues by providing an understanding ear and listening without judgement, as well as signposting available support accessible via professional organisations.
Aimee Ashworth, HR & administration manager at Access2Funding, said: “Our mental health first aiders will be an invaluable asset to the business, providing an additional avenue for employees to reach out for support.
The business has coincided the launch of its first aiders with Mental Health Awareness Week, as an opportunity to highlight the importance of mental health in the workplace.
Aimee continued: “This year’s theme is loneliness, which strikes a chord with many people in the business that were forced to work from home during the pandemic, heightening those feelings of isolation and loneliness.
“Communication is so important, especially when it comes to mental health. We have our HR function that our employees know they can turn to for support, but we wanted to provide a peer-to-peer option, too, to broaden those communication channels.”
Research shows that the financial service sector in the UK has the highest percentage of mental health-related absences of any sector, whilst a survey in 2021 revealed that at the onset of Covid-19, almost 86% of UK finance organisations experienced an increase in demand for mental health services.
Mental Health Awareness Week is running this year from 9 – 15 May, with the theme of loneliness as its focus.
