Good Mental Health at Work

October 10th is World Mental Health Day , and we wanted to take the opportunity to highlight what prioritising wellbeing for all looks like at Lunio .

At least one in eight of us is directly affected by mental illness.

And according to the World Health Organization (WHO), World Mental Health Day is a chance to “rekindle our efforts to protect and improve mental health ”

As with physical health, some problems will need professional support to deal with, but some can be helped with preventative measures and self-care tactics.

So what does championing better mental health look like in the workplace?

How can you replace well-meaning but ineffectual platitudes with internal policies that actually help mitigate the problems we all face?

In this piece, we want to share some of the approaches and policies we’ve adopted here at Lunio — for potential inspiration at your own company, or simply to put into practice in your day-to-day personal life.

Navigating Anxiety in the Workplace

It’s a priority for us as a company to make sure that everyone who works at Lunio feels safe and comfortable about being themselves. One of the ways we do this is by being open and creating a safe space for colleagues to reach out to each other when dealing with anxiety or low mood, and to look after each other.

We asked the team how they deal with anxiety at work, and here are some of their answers:

I move myself to a more quiet/secluded area, as anxiety for me sometimes comes when I'm surrounded by too many people or there’s too much external activity. If the anxiety is rooted in negative feedback/insecurity, I try to seek advice from trusted colleagues who I know will both calm me down but also provide practical and unbiased advice.

Sara Lima , Partnerships Account Manager

There's a few people in the business who are REALLY good at just spotting when you could do with a friendly check in. Amar and Caitlin being two that spring to mind immediately. I find no matter what's gone on in my day at work it's impossible to have a bad day because someone will make sure there's some good in it, and those two definitely always do that for me.?

Beth Lang , Head of People

I always take time out to reflect. Write a to do list with pen and paper and prioritise tasks. That way my anxiety stays low when I can visually see what I need to spend efforts completing.?

Caitlin Ingham , Talent & Development Lead

First Aiders Aren’t Just for Workplace Accidents Anymore

When things get bigger than a cup of tea and a vent to a trusted colleague can deal with, it’s important to have someone on-hand that knows just how to help.

At Lunio, we have four trained physical First Aiders, who are now complemented by two fully trained Mental Health First Aiders, Amar Chana and Lizzie Holberry . It’s important to us as a company that staff are supported when they need to be, regardless of what form their health issue takes.

Amar Chana— Physical first aid is really encouraged — legally, you need a trained First Aider within your company to help when needed. There’s no legal need yet to have a Mental Health First Aider in your company, but there should be. They’re just as important as each other. If someone falls over and hurts themselves, you would want a First Aider around to help patch them up and triage what to do next. So, why wouldn’t you want someone around to do that if someone was struggling with their mental health?

Lizzie Holberry— It’s more about removing the stigma, and shifting away from the mindset that you need to keep quiet and not tell anyone about how you’re struggling so that you’re not seen as weak or incapable.

We’re actually an open door for you to come and talk about anything at any time.

Amar — A majority of people spend a lot of their waking day at work. So having Mental Health First Aiders around in the workplace, to spot if things are creeping up on someone and to offer them support, is really important. It’s a bit harder now that we’re all working hybrid, as things can be harder to spot on zoom calls and such, but on the course we were trained in how to spot signs that someone is struggling and needs extra support.

Lizzie — There are so many different factors that someone could be facing, that might mean someone doesn’t have anyone to talk to, or they’re not comfortable opening up. It could even be that they’re not fully aware that what’s affecting them actually has to do with their mental health. So we’re that safe space for people to come and talk with full confidentiality, to not feel judged, and to get some practical resources and support.

Our Wellness Budget and Why We Have It

At Lunio, each member of staff has an annual Wellness budget of ￡500 that can be spent on any wellbeing service, no questions asked.

This was put in place so that if anyone was struggling to find extra money for a counselling session, wanted to take a spa day or to see a personal trainer, they could do that without worrying about how to afford it.

Having the wellbeing budget means that I know Lunio has real care for me as an employee. What the budget means to me, could be different to what it means to someone else, as it is used to support us as individuals, and allows us to invest in ourselves the way we know we need to.?

Emily Spear , Sales Development Representative

When I started working at Lunio, I was a bit of a basketcase - too much isolation during COVID will do that to you. And so I took advantage of the Wellness budget to get some proper therapy booked in. I never would have thought to do that if the budget wasn’t there, because I would have thought it was too much money to spend, and tried to just whiteknuckle through. But honestly, it made such a huge difference to me; I went from hating being on camera, or being hugged, to something like my old self again. The first few months of working here, I would panic so much about being around people that my fitbit confused every meeting with a HIIT workout, and that’s all calmed down now too. But more important than just having the budget, I work with friends who are ready to listen, for a boss that wouldn’t bat an eyelid if I needed to take a duvet day, and with a team that genuinely cares about each other. It’s not throwing money at a problem as part of a tick-box exercise, it’s an indicator of how the company wants people to feel treated here.

Riven Alyx Buckley , Social Media Manager

What Self-Care Means to Us

Beyond the policies and support we have in place at work, it is important to us to spotlight individual approaches to supporting mental health wellbeing, as everyone is different and has different needs. Here’s what some of the team shared:

As much as possible, I try to do 20 minutes of meditation in the morning before starting work. I’ve done it for quite a few years now and find it really helps set me up for the day. Things inevitably go wrong from time to time, but having a regular meditation practice helps me keep things in perspective, and lessens my tendency to create mountains out of molehills. I’m a big fan of the Waking Up meditation app created by Sam Harris, and that’s the tool I’d recommend to anyone interested in trying out meditation. Headspace is great for beginners too.

James Deeney, Content Manager

Self care is asking 'what do I need'. We spend so much of our time doing things for others, problems come up and we often put the actions that will give others a better situation first. Sometimes we need to ask 'what do I really need', that can result in little things like a hug, or a nice bath, other things it's harder decisions like I need to change jobs, leave a partner or move house.?These are choices we make that can often be swayed but external people, true self care is doing what's best for you and your mental health at the time, even if it's hard for others to accept.

Jasmine Collins , Customer Success Manager

Self-care to me means making time to switch off and relax from responsibilities and just doing things I enjoy that are purely for me — whether that’s going for a walk, having a bath, or watching some reality tv. Lunio are great at prioritising mental health in the team and since joining I’ve definitely put more of a focus on my own. With my wellness budget, I was able to sign up for personal training sessions and I’ve also started seeing a therapist which I’d recommend to anyone.

Ellen Maulder , Brand Communications & Event Manager

Self-Care Tips from the Lunio Team

Here are some practical recommendations from our team on what to do when you just aren’t feeling yourself (some tips were from contributors who wanted their input to remain anonymous).

Everyone is different, so it usually takes a bit of trial and error to land on a self-care routine that feels like it really works when it matters.

And remember, if you’re really struggling, one of the best things you can do is reach out and talk to someone you trust.

Teach Others How to Treat You — If there are specific things that will make you feel safer, or help you if you’re struggling, then choose someone you trust and share that info with them. If you explain these things on a good mental health day, when you are more able to articulate things clearly, it will be easier for that person to support you on a day when you’re finding it more difficult to communicate your feelings or needs.

Be Your Own Best Friend — Some of us have an internal monologue that can get really mean sometimes. While this is easier said than done, try to break that feedback loop of self-criticism by defending yourself against any statements you would defend someone else against. Would you let a loved one be told that they were ugly, stupid, useless? Think about what you would say in defence of another, and repeat it back to yourself.

You Cannot Pour From an Empty Cup — Prioritising your own mental health is not being selfish, it’s a necessity. Don’t be afraid to be clear about what you need, or to take a step back to recharge when you need to.

Plan for Sad Days — If you are someone who has foreseeable dips, think about what would help you on a bad day. It could be working from home to counter stress or anxiety, needing a daylight bulb and vitamin D to combat Seasonal Affective Disorder , or just something that will cheer you up if you’re having a blue day.

This is something I’ve been doing for a few years now: on a good day, stock up your food supplies for those bad brain days, so that no matter your energy levels, there is nutritious, comforting, favourite food to be had with little effort. Similarly, prep a hobby box: imagine you’re making a little kit box for someone as a gift, except it’s for Sad Day You. Put in something to do, something to drink, a snack, something that will make you feel cosy. My box usually contains sewing supplies, chai teabags, a scented candle and some schmancy chocolate. Planning things out in this way helps you to look after yourself the way you would look after someone else having a bad day.

Riven Alyx Buckley, Social Media Manager

Resources and Further Reading:

How to Become a Mental Health First Aider : course info and resources

Setting up a Wellness Budget For Your Company (and how to get it approved)

Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World by Mark Williams and Danny Penman