Dear all,
We are celebrating Mental Health Awareness Week and this year's theme is focusing on kindness.
Did you know that kindness can be beneficial for our mental health?
People who are kind and compassionate see clear benefits to their wellbeing and happiness. Kindness can also help reduce stress and improve our emotional wellbeing. We all have so much going on in our lives - including competing strains and stresses – not to mention the current coronavirus pandemic. This can see kindness pushed to one side. If we take the time to be kind to other people it can really make a difference, especially for people who are vulnerable or struggling.
We ask that you stay connected and maintain your social networks, try as much as possible to keep your daily routines or create new routines in changing situations. While seeing friends and family in person may not be possible during the coronavirus outbreak, it’s important to stay connected – whether it’s by phone, video call, email, text or social media. You may want to agree regular check-in times with family, friends and colleagues, especially if you or they are self-isolating or away from the workplace.
View the mental health awareness week kindness matters video here.
Please remember we also have an Employee Assistance Programme or similar, and Mental Health First Aiders who are on hand whether that be in person or over the phone, you can get in touch with them to talk. The role of a Mental Health First Aider at ASCO is to be a point of contact for an employee who is experiencing a mental health issue or emotional distress. This interaction could range from having an initial conversation through to supporting the person to get appropriate help. Mental Health First Aiders will also take an active part in raising awareness of mental health in the workplace, and helping to reduce the stigma around mental health issues.
For more information on mental health and for the First Aiders contact details, visit ASCO's dedicated mental health site on Connect, which provides information and support resources.
Kind regards,
The HR Team