Encouraging employees to bring their whole self to work can be a challenge, but could have a transformational effect on their mental health and team productivity. Mark Wilson explains how the Ford Motor Company is helping staff open up.
The last few years have been a challenge for all of us. With March marking three years since the first lockdown, and inflation and stagnating wages still driving a cost-of-living crisis, a focus on employees’ mental health and wellbeing is more important than ever in order to boost productivity and maintain performance.
Research by Benenden Health found that nearly half of workers (49%) in the manufacturing sector say their job has become even more stressful than before the pandemic. But, fortunately, more organisations are realising the importance of giving all employees tools to help protect their mental health.
Committing to employee wellbeing is not about the size of a company or the HR budget; it is about creating psychologically safe spaces where people feel they can be honest about how they are feeling so that teams can thrive.
Employee wellbeing
UK managers see rise in mental health issues
A company is nothing without its people. This is why we aim to build a strong sense of belonging at Ford. We want everyone to have the confidence to open up about their wellbeing and have people they can turn to should they need support.
Changing our culture
We believe that My Whole Self, the campaign for workplace culture change from Mental Health First Aid England, underpins our core values of respect and collaboration at Ford. We first joined the campaign in 2021, when we had around twelve mental health first aiders (MHFAiders). Fast forward two years and we now have over 300 MHFAiders across the European organisation, with more people consistently signing up for mental health training.
We started with smaller initiatives that could have a big impact, like signposting half-hour walking routes around the external grounds of Ford’s Dunton campus to encourage employees to take a break while keeping active. Now, we also encourage outdoor meetings for traditional 1:1s so people can reap the benefits of nature and fresh air, while having a safe space to discuss any issues they may be experiencing.
Having the right work culture which values respect and collaboration, and challenges the stigma around mental health, can have a hugely positive impact on your team’s productivity.”
More recently we scaled up these initiatives by appointing a European senior leader as our mental health champion to work with all MHFAiders at Ford. We’ve also implemented the Team Mood tool, an employee sentiment tool that helps teams to understand any ups and downs in working together and to proactively identify opportunities for improvement.
Whilst MHFAiders are vital in supporting our employees, they need to be introduced alongside a whole strategy for organisation wellbeing that focuses on building a positive working culture. Having the right work culture which values respect and collaboration, and challenges the stigma around mental health, can have a hugely positive impact on your team’s productivity. Ford takes this seriously, which is why I’ve been appointed to this role to tackle these issues sensitively.
Bringing our whole selves to work
My Whole Self Day on Tuesday 14 March 2023 called on employers to create environments where everyone felt safe to bring their true selves to work. By bringing together diversity and inclusion with health and wellbeing, employers can drive positive transformation in mental health and performance.
At Ford we see the campaign as a powerful tool to get people to open up about who they are. This year we encouraged leaders to lead by example, to share their life experiences, strengths and vulnerabilities, and to encourage everyone to talk about their true selves. We asked all 250 senior managers to encourage all employees to do a “My Whole Selfie” over the coming weeks.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
All employees will be facing a unique combination of pressures in their lives, and for some people this may contribute to high levels of stress, anxiety, and other mental health difficulties. The workplace must be an environment where people feel able to share their challenges, confide in colleagues and seek support whether that be from a manager or a trained MHFAider. The post-pandemic working world brought a lot of change, but it also brought opportunities for us to evaluate how our organisations run and build effective workplaces where wellbeing is always a priority.
Performance and Engagement opportunities on Personnel Today
Browse more performance and engagement jobs
