Each year, the 10th of October is recognised as World Mental Health Day. Although it is important to look after your mental health every day, World Mental Health Day aims to spread awareness and gradually break down the stigma associated with mental health. The success that this has had over the past few years has been exceptional, and with more and more people speaking up about their experiences with mental health, the stigma is far smaller than it once was.
Approximately 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year. These figures alone should remind you why it is so important to look after yourself and check up on those around you – we all need a helping hand from time to time!
Last year, the government issued a Thriving at Work report which found that many employees with mental health problems feel stigmatised at work. This report was made to ensure employees get the support they need in their communities and continue to thrive.
Every employer has a responsibility to support employees with mental health problems and promote the mental wellbeing of their entire workforce. – Emma Mamo, Mind
In light of World Mental Health Day, we have decided to focus on the positives and celebrate our uplifting culture. Here at Bulldog, we care like a family and help each other out when needed. We have plenty of schemes in place to ensure we are supported, and most importantly, happy. Companies with happy employees outperform the competition by 20%, and happy salespeople close 37% more deals, which is an incredible bonus.
Here are some things that we do at Bulldog in order to ensure we stay uplifted. If you’re wondering how to improve mental health in your workplace, then this will be a great place to start.
☀️ Days Out ☀️
Stress is an entirely normal factor of any job. While it’s sometimes unavoidable, it’s important to know when to step back and reward yourself for the hard work you’ve already achieved! Here at Bulldog, we have regular team outings to ensure that we’re connecting over matters which aren’t work-related. These outings are always fun-orientated and keep us laughing for hours. Our most recent outing was a trip to the bowling alley, where us Bulldog Bowlers showed off in full swing.
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Past days out have included go-karting, BBQ’s, parties, Go Ape, and meals. These outings always give us something to look forward too at the end of the working week and remind us that we are not just co-workers; we are friends, too. You can keep up to date with our outings over at our YouTube.
🐶 Doggy Days 🐶
It has been found that dogs have a positive impact on those who suffer from anxiety, depression, and/or stress. Dogs are so much more than adorable fluffy creatures, and considering our company is named after a dog breed, it’s safe to say we are a bit obsessed.
Every Friday at Bulldog HQ, you will be greeted by a furry friend! Many dogs have visited the office and always get warm welcomes with lots of cuddles, smiles and treats. It’s a win-win! You don’t stay stressed for long when there is a dog in the office – look how happy Olly is here.
👂🏼 Listening to each other 👂🏼
Feeling valued in the workplace is incredibly important. If you have room to grow and learn new skills while doing what you love, then you’ll find yourself in a very positive environment – an environment that you actually want to be in 5 days a week! At the end of the day, your business isn’t going to run well if you have unhappy employees, so investing in teams should be a top priority.
At Bulldog, frequent meetings are held with each employee to understand personal goals, likes, and dislikes. Not only this, but these meetings give everyone the chance to make suggestions on plans moving forward. Everyone is valued in the business, and that is what keeps things moving forward so smoothly and positively.
🤓 Training 🤓
Every single member of the Bulldog team is encouraged to strive for greatness; through training programmes, chatting to more experienced team members, seminars and much more. Not only this but our apprenticeship programme means that those who want to get in the industry but have little experience get a fair chance. Tedious job searching can have a huge impact on your mental health, and apprenticeship programmes certainly do take a lot of stress away.
“I knew I wanted to work in digital marketing, but all job vacancies required experience which I didn’t have at the time. I felt like giving up, until I saw that apprenticeships could get my foot in the door. That was 3 years ago – now I’m employed full time and couldn’t be happier!” – Ellis, Outreach Executive
Our PPC team recently came back from a Google Partner training day and said that they felt so much more confident and comfortable in their roles since gaining more of an insight into the industry. If you’re constantly learning, then you’re constantly building on confidence! Take time out of your busy schedules to attend training days when possible; look after your mind and feed it with knowledge.
Of course, other factors can contribute to mental health problems, but step by step, we can all make a huge difference. Enjoy the rest of your day, and, look after yourself! ✌️
Sign the Time to Change employer pledge here.
If you are looking for further information regarding mental health or need to speak to someone, here are some organisations: Mind, Time To Change, Samaritans, NHS.