This week, Lucinda is joined by Adelle Shaw-Flach, a trained public health nurse, academic, performance coach, and Director of The Sweet Potato Consultancy, which is dedicated to improving employee wellbeing within organisations, and by doing so, enhancing the organisation itself.
With over thirty years’ experience in wellbeing, health, and education, Adelle has made it her personal mission to help companies to achieve a more compassionate and informed approach to the wellbeing of their staff. During this episode, Lucinda and Adelle discuss Mental Health First Aid and look at the different ways in which HR can support people within the workplace to help improve employee wellbeing.
KEY TAKEAWAYS

Most people these days are working more hours, but getting less done due to fatigue. There are optimal times in the day when we are at our peak, but many ignore this and push on, losing sleep, and becoming far less productive as a result.


Almost 40% of young people between 16 and 25 are being diagnosed with mental health issues.


Social media and an “always-on” lifestyle, along with the new and constant testing at schools, are adding to the issues arising in young people.


Certainly, it is essential that we encourage a culture where discussing or raising mental health issues in the workplace and employee wellbeing is acceptable and comfortable.
Adelle recommends the practice of confidential sharing between HR professionals, so as to share the issues they’ve been facing amongst themselves. This can have a relieving effect, and also can point the way towards methods in which we can solve problems in a different way.
Mental Health First Aid was first devised in Australia, created by a nurse who worked with a professor to design a system of achieving parity between mental and physical health.
Those with long-term physical health issues are more at risk of developing mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression.
Above all, it’s important for the people at the top of any business to lead by example; to not overwork themselves. This can, therefore, lead to a belief that any kind of success will only be achieved by doing the same.

BEST MOMENTS

"I decided to focus on what was happening in the workplace because we spend so much time there"
"The trajectory is that this will get worse and worse"
"When we talk about mental health, often what we’re referring to is mental ill-health"
"You need to start with putting your oxygen mask on"
"The environment has got to support that"
"We need to start by leading from the top"   

VALUABLE RESOURCES

Listen to The HR Uprising Podcast | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher|HR Uprising


Sweet Potato Consultancy brochure: Sweet Potato Consultancy
Sweet Potato Consultancy website: https://thesweetpotatoconsultancy.com/about/
You can access additional free HR Resources via the Actus Software website link below. Lucinda Carney is the founder and CEO of Actus Software: https://actus.co.uk/free-performance-management-resources/
One resource of particular relevance to this topic is the worksheet: How to Prioritise Self-Care

ABOUT THE GUEST
Broken minds, broken bodies, and broken organisations! Adelle Shaw-Flach founded The Sweet Potato Consultancy to bridge the gap between wellbeing and the workplace. To show leaders that there is another way. That by understanding people, their minds, bodies, and behaviours you can, consequently, create workplaces where people thrive.
 
Adelle has spent over 20 years working in health and education, and also as an academic and in research creating strategies to stop burn out for health professionals. She’s worked with and within organisations to implement strategies for change and facilitating programmes for senior management and frontline staff.
She brings a unique blend of skills, knowledge, and experience to the working environment. As a result, her passion is helping large and small companies tackle high turnover, absenteeism, presenteeism, poor morale and performance caus