25 May The professional approach to engaging employees in mental health conversation
Some hard facts
In our experience anything up to two thirds of the people attending a talk on mental wellbeing will have intimate experience of mental ill health! Some people will ‘open up’, so you must be prepared, as they will be at their most vulnerable.
Introducing ‘open’ mental health conversation into an organisation is therefore sensitive and needs to be approached, delivered and managed strategically. Risks need to be assessed and appropriate mitigation planned for to ensure a safe environment for all.
There are demonstrable employee and business benefits for ‘open’ mental health conversation and we recommend utilising an authentic and strategic approach:
How do we do this?
We will run an agreed ‘fireside chat’ or ‘lunch and learn’ employee talk, which will be delivered by one of our authentic and approved speakers, but success is in the planning.
We surround each talk with comprehensive discovery, objective setting, risk mitigation, measurement and follow up activity.
This ensures the right content, and experience, is delivered in a safe, controlled and targeted manner leading to a professional, repeatable and globally scalable template for any future sessions.
Why APeopleBusiness?
APeopleBusiness is run by individuals with long term intimate mental ill health experience and a combination of 50+ years’ group level global HR and business leadership success.
I have recently asked Colin to speak at two meetings of DRIVE, the social enterprise that I chair which focuses on diversity and inclusion in the private, public and voluntary sector. Each meeting was attended by experts working at the highest level in major companies as well as in government and Colin was superb. He has great knowledge and speaks with a combination of passion and reason that informs and engages. His professional but relaxed delivery inspires confidence and provokes informed discussion. Colin is a powerful advocate on the hugely important subject of mental difference.
Janet Royall, Baroness Royall of Blaisdon
“Colin’s personable manner paved the way for a thoroughly engaging and insightful talk on mental health. The session began with an interactive task that put the audience at ease and led to numerous contributions from attendees throughout the evening. Colin’s blend of senior experience and refreshing honesty about his personal battles with OCD captivated and inspired our audience. For a specialist speaker on mental health, we couldn’t have asked for anything more.”
Koray Camgoz, Public Relations Manager, Chartered Institute of Public Relations
I have heard Colin Minto speak about mental difference on several occasions and find Colin’s approach to be authentic and inspiring. Colin is very knowledgeable and speaks about his own experience in an honest and open way. Colin’s style is very personable and straight forward Colin will engage an audience and make them think about mental difference in a total different way to when they first entered the room. I have no hesitation in recommending Colin. Colin will definitely open your eyes to the benefits of having a mental health strategy for your workplace ensuring that people can be themselves at work.
Wincie Knight, Viacom Office of Global Inclusion
Colin is a compelling speaker on the subject of mental difference. I’ve engaged him as a speaker for an audience that ranged from those well-versed in the issues to those for whom it was all new, and he was able to present cogent arguments that awakened interest in a challenging area. He is warm and genuine in his presentation style, and has unparalleled knowledge of the subject. He is approachable and energetic, and brings his personal experience to bear in a way that is both authentic and inspiring.
Caroline Roberts, Global Head of People and Talent, Zaha Hadid Architects
Book a session or seminar programme
+44 (0)7887 480142 / colin.minto@apeoplebusiness.com / www.apeoplebusiness.com
@colinminto and @apeoplebusiness / www.linkedin.com/in/colinminto