One of our inclusive employers, Pfizer, shares some of their initiatives to support staff wellbeing in the workplace such as Mental Health First Aiders and their partnership with The Boy in the Blue. Read on to find out more.
Mental Health Awareness Week
Pfizer UK celebrated Mental Health Awareness Week in May 2023; the focus was anxiety. Three of Pfizer’s Mental Health First Aiders spoke to colleagues about defining and managing anxiety, and provided links to internal and external support resources. The Mental Health First Aiders released a series of short videos throughout the week that provided guidance on everything from defining anxiety and recognising symptoms in oneself and others through to the plethora of resources available to Pfizer colleagues. Pfizer have over 50 MHFAs across their 4 UK sites who work very hard to ensure colleagues have a safe space to talk should they need it.
The Boy in the Blue
During Mental Health Awareness Week, Pfizer also partnered with the Boy in the Blue charity, to raise awareness internally via personal videos of support. Pfizer has been a proud sponsor of the Superhero Series – The UK’s only disability sport series event – since 2019. At one of the events, Pfizer supported Ethan’s team (AKA The Boy In The Blue), and they have kept in touch ever since, following his journey and perseverance with his rare medical condition called MPS VI. When Ethan contacted Pfizer ahead of Mental Health Awareness Week, Pfizer were more than happy to share his story, competition and new website with their colleagues across the globe. In return, Ethan recorded some personalised videos for Pfizer colleagues, giving advice on how he manages his mental health and encouraging them to seek support when needed.
Supporting Wellbeing
Pfizer provides many benefits that support wellbeing, from health insurance policies to improvements in the working environment. The Pfizer UK Headquarters have a meditation room and a “quiet finger”; a silent working area where colleagues can work without disruption or background noise, allowing neurodiverse colleagues to have a more welcoming environment to work in should they need it. The meditation room allows colleagues to take timeout through the working day, helping to promote mental health.
Pfizer commented “We introduced Mental Health First Aiders just over 2 years ago, across all of our UK sites. We are really proud of the service our trained colleagues provide as another source of support for our wellbeing at work. Nonetheless, we are always looking for ways to improve and hope to launch new initiatives in the second part of this year”.
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