The Samaritans charity has launched a training course to help its managers cope better with stress and emotional issues in the workplace.
Its ‘WorkLife’ training includes aspects of the charity’s ‘active listening skills’, which are used by trained volunteers and have been adapted for use within the workplace.
The courses use a series of fictional characters to enable participants to explore challenging work situations without having to disclose their own experiences.
Research released to coincide with the launch shows that one-third of UK employees have trouble sleeping because of anxiety, and three-quarters cannot switch off when they leave the office.
The survey questioned 1,500 employed people over the age of 16.
Jonathan Moran, the Samaritans’ project co-ordinator, said: “The Samaritans is already an established provider of communication skills training in the workplace, and WorkLife is a natural extension of the training we provide to external organisations.”
