Opinion: Simon Cooter on mental wellbeing

Mental ‘illness’ is often referred to as mental ‘health’. There’s stigma attached even to the words we use to describe it. The lack of visual symptoms, make it a silent disease, yet it has a huge impact in the workplace. It affects our ability to handle stress, pressure and other challenges. Without support it can lead to a complete inability to cope with work and daily life. It’s estimated that 91m work days per year are lost due to mental health problems.

Leading the conversation, Time to Change is a growing social movement led by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, seeking to change the way we think about mental health. Their website tells us that “one in four of us will fight a mental health problem in any one year” which is hard enough, “without having to face the judgement, shame and isolation that surrounds them”.

For too long, health has been seen as simply physical, and mental health as something you just got over. Historically, employers may have offered helplines providing information and advice, but it was generally left to the employee to access support, often covertly. We have to be able to talk openly about these issues so that we can ensure there is a support network in place to help employees. Acting early with small issues can also avoid them from escalating into larger ones.

At Covéa Insurance, early last year a team from across our business created Covéa Minds, an action group advocating the mantra ‘it’s good to talk’. The energy behind it comes from the team and the passion they have to encourage change.

On the back of this, Covéa signed up to the ‘Time to Change Pledge’ making a commitment to challenge negative attitudes towards mental health. Part of this is ensuring that we create a more inclusive culture, both in the workplace, and outside of it.

Time to talk
Last year we held an inclusivity event, inviting a range of speakers to talk about the ways we can become a more inclusive organisation. One of the speakers, Luke Ambler, talked about Andy’s Man Club, an organisation he founded after the suicide of his brother-in-law. He was refreshingly candid about why he wanted to create a space for men to talk about their problems, without judgement or feeling like a burden. The modest support group he founded in Halifax has since ballooned, with thousands more clubs set up, and the associated campaign, #itsokaytotalk, has drawn support from celebrities including Danny Cipriani and Ricky Gervais.

Committed to the cause
We may not be celebrities, but as managers and leaders we can use our position to demonstrate our commitment to creating a positive, supportive workplace, where everyone understands the importance of good mental health.

As mangers and leaders we can use our position to demonstrate our commitment to creating a positive, supportive workplace, where everyone understands the importance of good mental health

At Covéa we’ve now got a team of 20 mental health first aiders trained to have effective conversations with employees experiencing difficulties. Having an open and inclusive culture is already helping our employees affected by mental ill health and giving them the confidence to speak openly about their situation so they can get the help and support they need.

Mind UK have delivered sessions for our people sharing experiences of mental health and we’ve had sessions on the importance of pet and dog therapy from the RSPCA. These complement a whole series of internal initiatives designed to promote mental wellbeing, ranging from yoga and increased use of flexible working, to the creation of a relaxation room.

Mental health is high on our agenda and we will continue to mark the importance of days like Mental Health Awareness Day, International Stress Awareness Week and It’s Time To Talk Day.

It is incumbent on all of us to be aware of what our people are going through and create a positive, caring work environment.

For me personally, Time to Change has encouraged me to think and behave differently, and I see that as a good thing. It is the right thing to do but it makes sound business sense too.

As Michelle Obama says: “Whether an illness affects your heart, your leg or your brain, it’s still an illness and there should be no distinction.” 

Simon Cooter is commercial lines and high net worth director at Covéa

ia debates

The 91m work days lost due to mental illness is a stark reminder of how debilitating these conditions can be. In an industry that has a strong stake in risk prevention it makes perfect sense to help the workforce foster good mental health and work to prevent illness taking hold.

Leave a comment below or join the debate at www.twitter.com/hashtag/insagedebates