Full day masterclass: Supporting staff with mental ill health

24th November 2009, 10:00am - 4:00pm, Central London

Mental ill health costs business an astonishing £9 billion a year in lost time with up to 30% of the workforce experiencing mental health problems, such as depression, at any one time. However, many employers lack confidence in supporting these employees, with the role of the line manager often being fundamental to the mental well-being of your workforce. This event will equip your staff with the knowledge and practical solutions on how best to manage staff with mental ill health and ensure that you are a more disability confident organisation.

Speakers include:

• Simon Minty, EFD Associate & Director, sminty Ltd.
• Bela Gor, Legal Director, EFD.   
• Kerry Smith, Disability Directions Manager, EFD.
• Case study on an employee's personal experience of managing mental ill health in the workplace.
• Ruth Simmons, Archive Manager, Metropolitan Police - case study.
• Dr Su Wang, Group Head of Health, Royal Mail Group - case study.  

Why attend?

This event enables you to:

• Explore ways of tackling stigma around mental ill health in the workplace.
• Understand the economic impact and social benefits to your business of creating a working environment that promotes mental wellbeing.
• Understand your legal obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act.
• Support line managers who are managing staff with mental health problems, using support systems and internal policies and procedures.
• Influence culture change within your organisation to remove the stigma surrounding mental health problems.
• Make reasonable adjustments that help you to retain staff and maximise their performance, including attendance management.
• Look at how to support line managers who are managing colleagues with mental ill health.
• Share good practice with other colleagues on reducing discrimination and explore scenarios to suggest positive approaches to issues such as managing sickness absence, disciplinary procedures and managing employees' return to work.

Who should attend?

Line managers, occupational health practitioners, human resource managers, diversity and disability practitioners