A recent move by the UK’s largest specialist motor insurer has underlined it commitment to promoting the mental wellbeing of its staff.
ERS has announced the appointment of 19 mental health first aiders to help its employees with any concerns they may have about their own, or a colleague’s, mental wellbeing.
The volunteer first aiders have undergone mental health first aid training and are able to help employees gain access to the support and services that they need. The first aiders will also wear green ERS Mental Health First Aider lanyards and Time to Talk pin badges provided by the Time to Change campaign, which aims to fight discrimination around mental health.
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Lauren Edwards, HR director at ERS, said that the firm believes there should be zero stigma surrounding mental health.
“We want mental health to be openly discussed and supported,” said Edwards. “Our mental health first aiders are not therapists or psychiatrists, but they can give initial support and signpost to the appropriate support as required.”
Edwards also said that the first-aiders are well-informed on external sources of assistance and can help the employee explore this as necessary.
“Our first aiders are also trained to respond to a crisis situation where an employee may be at risk of harm to themselves or, in rare circumstances, others,” said Edwards. “They are equipped to step in and reassure an employee in distress, while maintaining their own safety and, if necessary, escalating the issue as appropriate, for example, by contacting management or the emergency services.”
