The Wellbeing Service joined together with Jarrold Training recently, to host a free business seminar for employers across the region to learn how to tackle stress in the workplace.
With stress being the number one cause of long-term absence in the workplace, it is a serious employment issue that is linked to reduced efficiency and productivity, high staff turnover and can affect profits.
HR managers and employers from companies across Norfolk including; the University of East Anglia, Victory Housing, County Council, SeaJacks and Lovewell Blake gathered together to learn about the importance of managing work-related stress.
The business seminar was delivered by The Wellbeing Service, which provides psychological interventions for those with common mental health problems in Norfolk and Waveney.
At the business seminar delegates learnt about the about the differences between stress and pressure and were able to sample a ‘Wellbeing in the Workplace’ workshop, which can be provided free for employees to learn some helpful techniques to cope with symptoms of stress.
Norman Lamb, Health Minister and Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament (MP) for North Norfolk also spoke at the event about the importance of good mental health within the workplace.
Mr Lamb said: “It is vital we take the time to think about what an impact work can have on our mental health. It is important to remember what ramifications someone’s mental health can have on their physical wellbeing”.
Nesta Reeve, Clinical Service Lead for Wellbeing Service said: “This seminar for managers is designed to raise awareness about workplace stress. Employers clearly have a responsibility to manage stress in the workplace, and take action to tackle these problems and reduce the impact on their staff.
“It is important for businesses to know the difference between stress and pressure and their legal responsibilities for managing stress at work, and to recognise signs of stress and what help we can provide to prevent stress building up in the workplace.”
The venue for this event was kindly provided free of charge by Jarrold Training at it’s premises at St James’ Mill, Norwich. Jarrold Training are a keen supporter of this intitative and are a leading provider of quality IT training, Management Development, Business Skills and Health & Safety training in East Anglia.
For more information about the Wellbeing Service visit: www.readytochange.org.uk. You can follow the Wellbeing Service on Twitter @NHSWellbeing or find us on Facebook facebook.com/NHSWellbeing
Notes
The Wellbeing Service in Norfolk and Waveney was commissioned in April 2011 and is part of a series of services nationally, known as Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT), to ensure people with common mental health problems and are able to access these services quickly and efficiently.
The Norfolk Wellbeing Service is a partnership of NHS and voluntary organisations in Norfolk and Waveney, including Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, Broadland Meridian, MAP charity for young people and mental health charity MIND.
The service is free, and open to anyone aged 16 years and over in Norfolk and Waveney. People are able to self-refer to the Wellbeing Service or through their GP.
