Employers across Essex are turning to Mid and North East Essex Mind’s Mental Health Toolkit to help create healthier workplaces. For Dan Garthwaite, Customer Experience Manager at Milbank Concrete, based in Earls Colne, the training has helped his team build confidence, improve communication, and reduce stigma around mental health.
“In the workplace, challenges often show up in subtle ways,” Dan explained. “We see people withdrawing, making more errors, or losing focus. When you talk to them, you find out the stress comes from outside of work. But the problem is, many avoid speaking to their line manager because they don’t feel able to—or they fear the stigma.”
The Toolkit offered Dan and his colleagues something vital: a common framework. He says: “The most useful tool for us has been a mental health language that everyone can understand. Formatting it into the 4-tier system gives us a mutual understanding and removes the fear of being misunderstood. It’s also helped us when planning how to improve aspects of our culture.”
That shift has already made a difference. Dan explains “When someone is struggling, we now think about which needs might not be being met and how our workplace practices could be part of the issue. That means we can respond more effectively in the moment and also prevent problems in the future.”
Perhaps most importantly, the leadership team now feels confident in tackling mental health conversations. Dan added: “We no longer see the need for mental health support as a challenge. With our shared language and common understanding, we know we can overcome the issue together. That confidence helps us be more approachable, which in turn makes our workplace culture stronger and more inclusive.”
To discover more about Mid and North East Essex Mind’s Mental Health Toolkit, visit Mental Health Training & Workshops by MN Essex Mind
