Shantel
Star Refrigeration is once again celebrating Mental Health Awareness Week, this year running from the 15th-21st May, by providing access to a number of training sessions and activities aimed at promoting wellbeing and destigmatising Mental Health issues.
This year the company is focusing on 2023’s Mental Health Awareness Week topic – anxiety – which can have a huge impact both physically and mentally, as well as within the workplace. During this week, Star employees have the chance to take part in numerous activities, including Wellbeing webinars, Coffee and Connect sessions and the Tell Us Something Good initiative, where staff can contribute positive customer and colleague feedback and news, which will then be shared company-wide.
The Wellbeing webinar series includes a number of 30 minute episodes on various anxiety-related topics, including the final webinar, Top Tips for Managing Anxiety, streaming on Friday 19th May at 12pm. In the last webinar of this year’s series, Star employees will be taught effective techniques for overcoming fear and anxiety and will learn how to manage anxiety better by taking part in day to day activities. The Coffee and Connect Sessions will see the company encouraging its employees to take time out during the week, for a coffee break where they connect up with colleagues, whether in the office or online via Teams.
Nadia Rae, Group HR Director at Star Refrigeration, said, “This year, we’re offering a number of activities and events aimed at boosting our employees’ understanding of anxiety, how to take steps to improve their wellbeing and we’ll also be providing them with information on support and resources available.”
Star has long understood the importance of good mental health, both in the workplace and outside of it and has a number of employees who are trained Mental Health First Aiders, to provide support, guidance and reassurance to employees experiencing mental health issues. The company plans to expand the number of Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) it already has, aiming to add to those previously trained to build a network of 38 MHFA’s across the entire company.
To complement Star Refrigeration’s strong support for Mental Health Awareness Week, the company will also be highlighting another important initiative, The Star Community Involvement Programme- a corporate programme designed to encourage Star’s local teams to give back to the community. Through the scheme, Star offers employees funding, or 6 days time away from work, to enable them to donate time or money to a good cause within the local community.
Mrs Rae, said, “We want to do more than improve our own employee’s wellbeing; we also want to empower our staff to be in a position to make a positive contribution to our local communities where possible.” “If employees have identified a local cause they feel would benefit from support, they can share this within their department and put forward a request for support, resources, or funding.”
Star Refrigeration has long been involved in community initiatives to improve wellbeing and alongside these efforts, the organisation is encouraging its own employees to further boost their mental health through participation in May’s National Walking Month. Star are inspiring their staff to commit to walking by making small changes that build up over time and are providing them with helpful resources and podcasts, in an effort to enhance the Mental Health Week Awareness programme and support wellbeing.
Those interested in discovering more about Mental Health Awareness Week 2023 as well as this year’s topic, anxiety, can visit https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/
For more information on Star Refrigeration, visit https://www.star-ref.co.uk
