It is important to understand how all types of diversity can impact a person’s identity, and to acknowledge the relationship between identity, inclusion and mental health. An article by mental health charity Mind[1] outlines the link between promoting diversity and inclusion (D&I) within the workplace and the positive impact this has on overall employee wellbeing and mental health. At HealthTrust Europe, we are proud to be an organisation that champions mental health and D&I through tangible measures to enable our diverse workforce to feel supported and represented.
This Mental Health Awareness Week focuses on the theme of loneliness, exploring the effect of feeling lonely on our wellbeing and identifying how we can all play a part in reducing loneliness in our communities. At HealthTrust Europe, we believe tackling loneliness can start in the workplace. That is why we are committed to meaningfully supporting our colleagues struggling with mental health by providing a wealth of online wellbeing resources and offering all colleagues access to a private GP and private healthcare service.
To further tackle loneliness and isolation within the workforce, HealthTrust Europe has committed to arranging monthly in-person social activities that provide opportunities for colleagues to connect with individuals from across the company, creating a positive and amiable culture. Covering a range of topics that appeal to a variety of interests, last month’s event involved corporate team building exercises and this month’s activity will involve visiting Birmingham’s botanical gardens. Additionally, HealthTrust Europe endeavours to bring our colleagues together in support of our philanthropic missions. In September, a team from HealthTrust Europe will be competing in a boat race in support of our corporate charity, Birmingham Childrens Hospital.
As part of our commitment to engage meaningfully with our colleagues, we believe that it is paramount to reflect the experiences of all to truly harness an inclusive and representative work environment. We are proud to be a company that recognises the importance of gender representation and equality and, out of our exceptional 116 employees, our team is made up of 54% women and 46% men, with an above average number of women holding management positions. Compared to the national average [2] of 34% of women in management positions in the UK, we are delighted to have 46% of women in our business in management and leadership positions, and to have 50% of our Executive Leadership team made up of females. Our commitment to gender equality at HealthTrust Europe is demonstrated throughout all levels of our organisation, with strong female leaders providing mentorship and coaching to support our colleagues.
In addition to our work on gender equality, we are also proud to be a diverse workforce, representing a range of different cultures, religions and beliefs across our teams, as well as 11 nationalities. Of our 116 colleagues, our team is made up of:
- 29% Asian/ Asian British
- 21% Black/ Black British
- 32% White/ White British
- 7% Mixed/Multiple Ethnic Groups (White and Black Caribbean)
Ensuring that our colleagues from all backgrounds and identities feel appropriately represented and empowered whilst at work is absolutely critical to everything we do. Unfortunately, owing to a range of factors such as underrepresentation, stigma, discrimination and inaccessibility to mental health services, racial/ethnic, gender and sexual identities are often at higher risk[1] of poor mental health outcomes. Too often those suffering with poor mental health can go on to experience feelings of loneliness if the appropriate support networks are not available.
At HealthTrust Europe, we are pleased to have established multiple CSR groups that cover mental health and wellbeing, including a group for social activities. This group focuses on organising events across all levels of the company for co-workers to get involved in, including cinema visits, sports events, and quizzes. Beyond this, HealthTrust Europe is proud to have: an approachable Executive and HR team; an employee advisory group and an employee assistance programme; and a number of mental health first-aiders who are on hand to support co-workers to tackle stigma, and harness inclusion in the workplace.
To strengthen our commitment to D&I and mental health and to mark Mental Health Awareness Week, we are delighted to announce the appointment of Christine Charles as our new Learning and Development Manager. Christine joins HealthTrust Europe on 4th July 2022. In addition to a wealth of learning and development experience, she holds a particular passion for mental health and wellbeing. We are excited to enhance our D&I and mental health offering for colleagues and continue to make HealthTrust Europe an even more positive and inclusive working environment for all.
If you are struggling with mental health, you can find support via the below channels:
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- NHS Mental Health Helplines
- Samaritans (Call 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org)
- Text ‘SHOUT’ to 85258 to contact the Shout Crisis Text Line, or text ‘YM’ if you are under 19
- MIND
