How we support Goodlordian mental health

Addressing mental health in a business context can be difficult. It can be a sensitive subject, and yet it's important to discuss so that everyone understands the importance of maintaining mental health and wellbeing, and what tools and support are out there.

One of Goodlord's employee benefits is monthly Sanctus sessions, where Goodlordians can sign up for a regular chat with a qualified coach, to proactively work on our mental health and wellbeing, and get the support we all need to navigate life’s everyday challenges.

We can also take a flexible approach to work, with unlimited leave and a generous parental leave policy. Thanks to these different initiatives, Goodlord was recently ranked 23 in the list of UK's Best Workplaces™ for Wellbeing 2022, in the large category - as well as 10th in the overall list for the UK's Best Workplaces 2022.

But it's not all about the extra perks. Sometimes it's good to address mental health directly. For Mental Health Awareness Week 2022, I helped set up two drop-in sessions for our Goodlordians.

One was informational, with some tangible suggestions on how to build strong mental health.

The second was more interactive and community-building, around Mental Health Awareness Week's theme of loneliness and how to combat it.

An online mental health talk and Q&A

Data shows that many of us in today's Western world are becoming increasingly unhappy. In the first of the two sessions, we delved into the reasons why, from the recent causes - such as warped priorities - to the ancient - how our brains have evolved for survival rather than wellbeing.

We then outlined concepts and practical tools from the fields of life coaching, CBT, and psychotherapy that Goodlordians can use to take their mental wellbeing into their own hands.

A Wine & Cheese tasting evening

We also partnered with Mouse&Grape to organise an in-person Italian Wine & Cheese tasting session, for about 15 people. After two years spending a lot of time in isolation, it's especially important to celebrate the community and culture we have at Goodlord.

We thought that an evening of wine and cheese tasting would help us to cultivate deeper connections - and it worked.

The tasting was scheduled to last for an hour but many were still deep in conversation after two hours, and they ended up in a pub afterwards.

People first chatted about the wine and the cheese, and that transitioned to deeper and more personal conversations.

It's powerful for team members to meet outside working hours for a creative activity - a shared experience that can help to start those conversations.

This strengthens work collaboration as well as improving everyone's mental health. I am sure no one felt lonely at the end of the night.

Our aim at Goodlord is to make sure that feeling lasts for everyone working here, as they get to know their colleagues and the culture we all share.

Interested in joining Goodlord? Check out the jobs we have available.