The unspoken downside of mental health champions
While I have done a day’s training in first aid, I am not a paramedic. Equally, firms mustn't expect colleagues to be therapists.
Every year around World Mental Health Day and "Blue Monday" organisations share how they’re supporting their staff’s mental health - often by inundating me with press releases. This year, the words “mental health champion” have been rampant in my inbox.
If you’re unfamiliar with the role, the purpose of a mental health champion is to raise awareness around mental health in the workplace and act as a confidante if an employee is struggling with their mental health.
You may welcome any tool that normalises conversations around mental health in the workplace, and I agree, but there are problems with this approach.
