Working To Wellbeing has released further details of its line manager assistance programme (LMAP) which supports and equips line managers to help with their teams’ mental and physical wellbeing at work.
Last week Health & Protection revealed the return-to-work rehabilitation specialist had set up the helpline as a resource for employers and line managers for advice and guidance.
The firm said the helpline was launched in response to guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) which emphasise the importance of upskilling line managers in talking about mental health so they feel supported and skilled to perform their line management duties.
This includes how to have a conversation about mental wellbeing with an employee at times of crisis, how to identify early warning signs of poor mental wellbeing and knowing where to go for further help or support in complex situations.
Working To Wellbeing’s team of clinicians will help provide guidance and training for line managers to have conversations about their teams’ wellbeing at work. The programme aims to provide:
- Guidance on how to support their colleagues’ wellbeing
- Access to experts to discuss their concerns and worries about having difficult conversations
- Understanding the return-to-work process for employees with a long-term condition, including long Covid
- Assistance to the manager in creating flexible and sustainable return to work and wellbeing action plans
- Signposting to other support for the employee
It includes access to the firm’s dedicated line manager helpline and tailored wellbeing sessions to ensure managers are looking after their own physical and mental health needs.
It is available to new and existing clients with fixed or bespoke solutions available.
Dr Julie Denning, chartered health psychologist and managing director of Working To Wellbeing and chairwoman of the Vocational Rehabilitation Association, (pictured) noted that almost 19 million people in the UK have a long-term health condition, while there has been a rise of 200,000 people not working or job-seeking because of long-term ill health since the start of the pandemic.
In addition, a quarter of UK companies said long Covid was one of the main causes of long-term staff absence.
“The challenge to address is that many of those affected by a long-term health condition want to either remain in or return to work when ready, and employers – in particular, line managers at the coalface whose role is pivotal to supporting their colleagues at work – need to be equipped and ready to best support their workforce,” she said.
“Our services aim to minimise the considerable burden that sits now upon a line manager’s shoulders and give them the personalised and specialist support they need.
“Wellbeing in the workplace is a top agenda item for many firms big and small and yet often the responsibility and real implementation of it sits with line managers, adding further pressure to this often over-worked and burdened group.
“The guidelines from NICE emphasise the importance in upskilling line managers in talking about mental health, but we also believe the same thinking should be applied to physical health conditions too. Yet very little support exists at present to ensure line managers are skilled to do this.”