Work-life Balance & Mental Health What are the connections?

What is WLB Work Life Balance is about seeing employment differently Supporting employees Looking at business needs Meeting customer/patient/service user needs

Work Life Balance Flexible Working When We Work How Much We Work Where we Work Other Initiatives Childcare & Caring Responsibilities Breaks from Work Full Time Part Time Job Share Term Time Overtime Flexitime Compressed Hours Annualised Hours Shifts Extra Hours Employee Premises Home Remotely Maternity/Paternity Special Leave Parental Leave Career Breaks Sabbaticals Study Leave Compassionate Leave Formal Informal Childcare Vouchers Emergency Back Up Employee Assistance Programme Stress/ Sickness scheme Childcare & Respite Subsidy

Benefits to WLB Happy & Supported Employee Simple fact, if you can help remove or ease the pressures around childcare, caring responsibilities and commitments. The member of staff feels valued and is more productive.

Benefits continued Lower Absenteeism Fewer grievances and arbitrations Fewer accidents Lower staff turnover Links into corporate initiatives like Corporate Health Standard

What we did….. Introduced Childcare vouchers –Parents save money via tax incentives –Trust saved money too The cost savings were held in a fund for further WLB initiatives such as Employee Assistance Programme Stress & Sickness Absence Scheme Childcare & Respite Subsidy

Employee Assistance Programme Practical information Face-to-face/telephone counselling Support on work and personal issues Accessed through an 0800 telephone number, and website Available 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year Available to staff PLUS their partners, family members and significant others

What they provide Telephone information Leaflets & Factsheets Information packs Practical help e.g. form-filling and letter-writing Debt counselling & support (re-payment plan / debtor communications etc) One session of telephone career coaching 45 mins free general discussion with an IFA Referrals to external specialists – Relate / GP / IFA etc

Areas Covered Personal IssuesFinancial Issues Job StressTrauma Relationship Issues (eg marital)Workplace violence prevention Balancing work and family eg eldercare, childcare, parenting Retirement concerns HarassmentWork environment issues UnderemploymentDownsizing/redundancy concerns Substance AbuseStress - extended business travel Legal IssuesFamily violence Separation and Loss

Stress & Sickness Absence Currently Cardiff / South Wales based Year long pilot with Coleg Morgannwg Aim to reduce sickness absence and support staff –Long term sick leave –Rehabilitation –Identify staff that will benefit

How will it work? Staff will be invited to join pilot and offered up to 4 vouchers for complementary therapies Therapies such as: –Sports Massage, reflexology, reiki and Dry floatation. -Doctor/ Occupational Health needs to be aware and agree to treatments* where applicable

Childcare & Respite Subsidy Started June 08 Up to 75% of holiday childcare / Respite cost - £300 limit – paid through payroll 31 staff applied for Childcare & 1 for respite. Total of £5228 paid out

So how does this fit into mental health? Removal of stressful factors Financial worries Provide advice & assistance on childcare & caring responsibilities Provide a wraparound counselling service Acknowledge the need for initiatives Develop policies & procedures that protect the employee.

Next? Entering a period of change Need to look at how we manage staff and stress Look at existing resources

Questions? Contact details Ceri Harris Tel no: ext Thank you.