ABOUT THE INTERVIEWEE
Dr. Shaun Davis is one of the keynote speakers at the “Mental Health & Wellbeing: Impact on Business” conference taking place in Bacelona, Spain, (8-10 April 2019).
Joining Royal Mail Group in September 2012, Shaun has led a number of improvement programmes across a range of areas – contributing to improvements in accident prevention and a reduction in road traffic collisions. Shaun has led an organisation wide attendance improvement programme as part of a broader wellbeing and health promotion agenda, with particular attention being paid to mental health, musculoskeletal issues and issues affecting an ageing workforce.
Prior to joining Royal Mail Group, Shaun worked in the construction, refurbishment, infrastructure and waste management sectors and led organisations to achieve significant improvements in performance – most notably achieving ISO:9001, ISO:14001 and OHSAS:18001 alongside British Safety Council ‘Five Star Occupational Health and Safety Audit’ across two FTSE listed organisations. Shaun has also led culture change programmes and achieved a variety of awards and accolades for the organisations he has worked in.
THE INTERVIEW
– Why do you think that dealing with mental health is such a different experience for men and women?
Traditionally, the way men and women have been expected to behave in society has influenced the different ways they sometimes manage mental health.
Frequently men have always had expectations of masculinity, being strong and in control, hearing and using phrases like “man up”; whilst women will have been perceived as being more caring, sensitive and open to talk about their feelings and mental health.
The traditional idea of what makes a “real man” can negatively
impact men’s mental health and their ability to talk openly about how they feel
and are therefore less likely to seek support.
– What should be done at a practical
level to make men’s mental health more positive?
A clear mental health strategy and plan, endorsed at senior levels with genuine buy-in from the top levels of the business and communicated throughout the business, to all employees, demonstrates a commitment to mental health. Keep sharing key messages in simple and visual ways so everyone can quickly take-away the important information particularly around support and signposting.
Raising awareness and reducing the stigma around mental health takes time – stay committed and be in it for the ‘long haul’. On-going communications will ‘normalise’ mental health conversations.
Assessing tools and support available, from both inside and outside of the business, filling in any gaps and signpost employees to available support. It is important that when someone is courageous enough to step forward and seek support – that they and others know where and how to get help.
– Why would you say mental health first aid is equally important as physical first aid?
To look after the total health of an individual, both physical and mental health needs to be treated equally. There is often the notion that if we cannot see an illness, that it doesn’t really exist or impact a person on a day to day basis. This simply is not the case and we need to start to look past this attitude.
Being able to spot the signs of poor mental health in people earlier and importantly know how to react, can reduce the suffering and support employees to feel better again much more quickly.
– What measures need to be taken to incorporate better management of mental health into the everyday working environment?
Equipping managers with the tools, knowledge and confidence to approach mental health conversations; to be non-judgemental and consistent in their support of employees is key, but likewise is an awareness of the internal and external support services that exist, both locally and nationally.
– What would you like to achieve by attending the Mental Health & Wellbeing: Impact on Business
No one owns the monopoly on keeping people safe and healthy in the workplace and it is crucial that businesses share best practice where things have gone well, or even not so well. It is also right to acknowledge that you can always improve what you do and how you do things – so I would like to be able to share some of the great work achieved by Royal Mail, but also to learn from others.
THANK YOU SO MUCH DR. SHAUN FOR THIS INTERVIEW
ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
This marcus evans conference will build on our very successful HSE events’ series to discuss mental health and wellbeing in more detail. Integrating all aspects of health and wellbeing with safety management will figure prominently on the agenda.
With an aging population, changing work-life habits, people working 24/7, having much more screen time than before, as well as increasing levels of anxiety and depression across the entire workforce, companies are reassessing their approach, and realise that wellbeing is much more than a healthy diet, and needs to be about being psychologically safe. Our practical case studies and interactive sessions will bring into focus key topics such as how to embed a wellbeing programme into the operating model of the organisation, what the right organisational structure is, and how to approach specific topics such as mental first aid.