A Mindful Employer

As the first mental health charity Rethink has signed up to The Charter for Employers who are Positive about Mental Health. The charter is an initiative from the network, Mindful Employer, and is a voluntary agreement for employers, who share a commitment to work with a positive approach towards an increasing awareness of mental health in the workplace.

Mindful employer logoThrough reviews the charter will support employers in the recruitment and retention of people who experience mental ill health/ problems/ issues. As a committed employer who is positive about mental health Rethink has signed up to work towards the following aims:

  • Show a positive and enabling attitude to employers and job applicants with a mental health issues. This will include positive statements in local recruitment literature.
  • Ensure that all staff involved in recruitment and selection are briefed on mental health issues and the DDA – and given appropriate interview skills.
  • Make it clear in any recruitment or occupational health check that people who have experienced mental health issues will not be discriminated against and that disclosure of a mental health issue will enable both the employee and the employer to assess and provide the right level of support or adjustment.
  • Not make assumptions that a person with a mental health issue will be more vulnerable to workplace stress or take more time off than any other employee or job applicant.
  • Provide non-judgemental and proactive support to individual staff who experience mental health issues.
  • Ensure all line managers have information and training about managing mental health in the workplace.

Of course being who we are, Rethink already meets these standards. However, the charter gives us the possibility of regular self-assessments, through which we can constantly progress and develop our positive approach to mental health in the workplace. Finally, but very importantly, the charter offers Rethink a logo to display that we are positively committed to work for an increased awareness of mental health in the workplace.