Pharmafile Logo

Looking for a job head first

During Health Information Week, we reflected on mental health and wellbeing within the workplace. Cuttsy+Cuttsy’s mental health first aider and HR Manager, Kate McCabe, shared some thoughts on what mental health features to consider that a potential new employer may offer.

It’s Health Information Week, and today’s theme is mental health and wellbeing. With Mind reporting that 1 in 4 people experience mental health problems each year, finding a work environment and culture that can support you and your mental health has never been more important.

If you’re considering a career move, Cuttsy+Cuttsy’s mental health first aider and HR Manager, Kate McCabe, shares some thoughts on what mental health features to consider that a potential new employer may offer.

health insurance – many organisations offer health insurance as a benefit. Most private healthcare providers include mental health support, such as counselling services and access to wellbeing apps.  Check out eligibility for your dependents too, so that all of your family can be supported in maintaining good mental health.

mental health first aider – not an in-house therapist, but a team or individual trained to identify signs of mental health issues in the workplace. They’ll be able to support you and access further help or resources, should you ever need them.

flexible working or hybrid working policies – we all have our preferred way of working and our own out-of-work commitments, so discuss your preferred working patterns at the interview stage. An interviewer not open to such discussions may indicate the organisation isn’t as flexible as they might say they are.

⏰no long hours policies – the marketing agency environment can be renowned for intense projects and long hours. Ask questions about what a typical work day looks like, meet the team and find out how work-life balance is supported. Some agencies will have specific ‘no long hours’ policies in place (including here at Cuttsy+Cuttsy).

accreditations – look for companies that are members of professional bodies or have been accredited via schemes such as Investors in People or Best Places to Work. These are often subject to strict criteria on workplace policies and incorporate feedback from people already working at the company.

exercise – proven to be as effective as antidepressants for mild depression, exercise is a vital part of maintaining your mental health. Fitting it in can be tricky though, so ask about flexibility to incorporate exercise into your working day, if there are showering facilities at the office, and find out about schemes such as cycle to work or incentivised gym membership (or in our case, the annual free trainer giveaway).

culture – check out company social channels, ask the team and anyone you know who may already work there, to find out more about the culture. Company social events and team lunches help build personal connections at work, while perks such as annual holiday on your birthday let you celebrate in whatever style works for you!

When it comes to mental health, one size doesn’t fit all, but the right workplace will take it as seriously as your physical health. After all, why should it be treated any differently?

At Cuttsy+Cuttsy, we walk-the-walk when it comes to mental health and are proud to offer all of the features listed and many more. In fact, we’re always looking for other ways to support our amazing team.

This content was provided by Cuttsy + Cuttsy

Company Details

 Latest Content from  Cuttsy + Cuttsy 

Patient Engagement for the Life Sciences

Patient Engagement for the Life Sciences, written by Guy Yeoman and Mitchell Silva with editorial and design support from Cuttsy+Cuttsy, explains the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ of patient engagement. It...

Moving away from pharma’s paternalistic approach

New handbook makes the case for greater patient engagement in the development of new medicines

Why patient education isn’t simple

The terms patient education, patient activation and patient engagement are increasingly popular as healthcare becomes more patient-centric. In this article, Clare Mariconda discusses how the concepts link together and shares...

Empowered patients improve outcomes

This white paper co-authored by our own Caroline Benson and Guy Yeoman, MediPaCe, discusses why non-adherence is occurring, how patients’ can be better engaged with their conditions and treatments and...

It’s nice, but it’s not an infographic

If you want to know if you’ve created an infographic, you can have a go with our flow diagram

Emotional Intelligence and Blended Learning in Healthcare

EI and emotional selling are rising up the agenda when it comes to healthcare training. This article outlines how blended learning approaches can help put them into action.

Patient engagement changes people’s lives…

Find out how one family’s experience of CF led to the development of a game which made essential physio a positive experience for everyone involved.

Health literacy… it’s not just plain English

In this day and age, you would think that clear communication would be second nature to us all, but this is not so. In our digital world misunderstanding and confusion...

Health Literacy Explained

Hear from Dr Elizabeth Walder, author of a series of patient-focused e-books in plain english and why health literacy is so important.

So how do you really engage with patients?

The most valuable insights from patient engagement are the most unexpected ones. Simple things, which may seem unimportant to you, may be the key to making patients’ lives easier and...