Mental Health at Work

Why we grieve

Why we grieve

Anyone who has had to manage the impact of grief understands how profound it can be. As a society, we don’t always make room for grief, and this can be especially true in our workplaces. After bereavement leave (a time often swamped by administrative tasks and funeral planning), we are expected to return to work and carry on - but this is easier said than done. 

In fact, managing our emotions in the weeks and months after bereavement can be so difficult that dealing with our everyday responsibilities seems nearly impossible, leading many to wonder why we feel loss so acutely.

In this week’s guest blog, the team at Harold Wood Funeral Services share their perspective on understanding why we grieve, and why it is a necessary readjustment in order to accept life as it is after experiencing deep loss.

How to build a workplace culture of wellbeing in a new business

How to build a workplace culture of wellbeing in a new business

If you are an entrepreneur and have just started a new business, there are many things to consider, such as establishing your company’s finances and promoting your services. While tending to these matters, it is easy to overlook the importance of wellbeing for both yourself and your staff, even though it is one of the most significant factors that play a role in your business' success.

By ensuring both you and your team are at your best while working, you can maximise productivity, improve work quality, and boost your overall business outcomes. In fact, Elite Business Magazine reported that small businesses who invested more than £1,000 in mental health experienced improved revenue growth and employee retention between 2020 and 2022.

This week, guest writer Megan Lance shares her top tips on how to start building a workplace culture of wellbeing in your new business.

Balancing people and profit: The importance of workplace sustainability and wellbeing

Balancing people and profit: The importance of workplace sustainability and wellbeing

Emails, smartphones, and video communications evolved to increase productivity and make our working lives easier. Inside and outside of the office, over the years we’ve been presented with ways to be more connected than ever; though this can come at a cost to our health, happiness and productivity. In large, technological advances around work have encouraged unsustainable working practices, leaving many professionals vulnerable to stress and burnout as the boundaries between work and life dissolves.

What if technology like mental health apps for employees could be used to improve sustainability and wellbeing in the workplace? The demand for virtual mental healthcare is certainly there, with an analysis of over 1 million health plan members revealing that telemedicine health visits increased from 0 to 39 per thousand health scheme members between 2019 and 2021.

This week, guest writer Remy Daroowala explores the benefits of healthy workplaces, how mental health and sustainability are connected and how mental health apps for employees can improve sustainability and wellbeing.

How to deal with stress at work

How to deal with stress at work

Are you struggling to cope with stress?

With April marking Stress Awareness Month, we wanted to share our expertise on managing stress at work. Stress is common in work, and many people who take Calmer’s masterclasses and training courses come to us reporting everything from high-intensity pressure, to long-term, unresolved episodes of stress that lead to burnout.

The reality is that burnout has hit record levels in recent years, and there’s never been a more significant time to educate ourselves on the impact of unresolved stress and explore evidence-based ways to prevent burnout from escalating. In this article, we explore the common signs of stress, how stress manifests, and ways to cope with stress at work.

15 Ideas for Random Acts of Kindness at Work

15 Ideas for Random Acts of Kindness at Work

This year, Random Acts of Kindness Day lands on 17th February, a key time of year to encourage us all to celebrate the many ways we can be kind to ourselves and influence positivity in the lives of others.

Life can sometimes feel weighed down with challenges, though there’s also immense beauty to recognise - particularly during these times of global economic uncertainty, it’s more important than ever to remind ourselves to be kind to one another and to give others hope. A small, random act of kindness really can go a long way, and make a big impact in someone’s day.

In the lead up to this awareness day, and in recognition of all the work we do at Calmer to support entrepreneurs, freelancers and business teams, guest writer Rebecca Leigh shares 15 ideas for random acts of kindness at work.