Strategies to help employers manage issues relating to mental health in the workplace and fulfil their responsibilities to their employees will be under discussion at a forthcoming free event.
Hosted by Hay & Kilner Law Firm’s specialist employment law team, the seminar will provide advice on the pro-active steps that employers can take to support employees with mental health needs, as well as highlight the obligations that employers have towards their staff in this respect.
The event, which takes place on Thursday 26 September at the Centre for Life in Newcastle, will also include interactive sessions which look at how to manage difficult situations in the workplace which may impact on other employees.
Research by mental health charity Mind found that more than half (56%) of the employers they talked to said they would like to do more to improve staff well-being, but didn’t feel they had the right training or guidance to help them do so, while more than one in five employees (21 per cent) said they had called in sick as a result of workplace stress.
Sarah Hall, partner in the employment law team at Hay & Kilner Law Firm, says: “Mental health in the workplace has inevitably begun to receive greater attention in recent years, and with this change has come a greater focus on employers’ responsibilities towards any staff facing mental health challenges and their wider workforce.
“Mental health issues are acknowledged as one of the biggest causes of workplace absence, yet the definition is so wide, it can be hard for employers to know how to prepare for and respond to individual situations, as well as to fully understand their responsibilities towards their employees.
“Our seminar is designed to give clear practical guidance on creating the right sort of working environment, supporting employees, resolving any problems as they arise and fulfilling their legal responsibilities around mental health.
“Making sure an appropriate workplace strategy is in place well in advance is absolutely crucial, and the interactive approach we take allows attendees to experience the benefits of taking this sort of planned approach.”
Places at Hay & Kilner’s mental health seminar for employers are free, but must be booked in advance. For further information, please contact Jack Birks on 0191 232 8345 or visit www.hay-kilner.co.uk/events
Established in 1946, Hay & Kilner is one of North East England’s leading independent law firms and provides a full range of legal services to businesses and individuals from both within and outside the region.