
On the 11th & 12th of July, Rob & Ivan gave me the opportunity to enrol on an all-expensed Mental Health First Aid Course.
During the two days of training, we covered a wide range of topics but specifically on how to deal with mental health issues within the workplace. Each individual had their own reasoning for wanting to be on the course, but I personally wanted this training to allow me to be a relevant point of contact for people struggling with their mental health here at Impala Search.
Mental health issues can affect one in four people at some point in their lives and have a significant impact on employee wellbeing. It is also reported that only 13% of employees would feel comfortable talking about mental illness at work, which is why I wanted to make a change and break the stigma around mental health within the workplace.
At Impala Search, we genuinely care about our employees and spend the time investing in ways in which we can improve the working environment. For example, every week we host a ‘Wellness Wednesday’ whereby we will organise an activity/day out to boost team morale and offer an escape from the working week. ‘Bring your pet to work day’ allows a healthy work/life balance, reduces stress and nurtures productivity; we have Pepper the French Bulldog that we all love when she’s in :) We also like to encourage employees to make the most of their lunch breaks by getting fresh air, exercising, and even sitting in the sun on our rooftop terrace. These are all great ways to keep a healthy mind at work and just a few of the practices we have implemented here at Impala. I am really excited to put everything that I learned into practice to create a safe, and positive workplace for the employees at Impala Search as well as continue to develop my knowledge and skills in supporting others.