Tarmac promote open discussions on mental health

Company continues to focus on mental well-being with support for World Suicide Prevention Day

TARMAC are continuing their focus on mental well-being by supporting World Suicide Prevention Day. The business has joined leading organizations around the globe in observing a week-long campaign of activities with its employees, aimed at promoting open discussions on mental health.

Tarmac are also one of the founding partners of Mates in Mind – a charity working in the UK construction sector to raise awareness, address poor mental health and improve positive mental well-being in the industry.

Earlier this year the business launched a mental well-being campaign in conjunction with Mates in Mind, to help create a supportive and positive environment towards mental health and break down the old-fashioned stigmas sometimes found within construction.

Sadly, in the construction sector there are thought to be approximately 10 times as many deaths from suicide as there are from fatal accidents, and one area of focus for Tarmac, as part of World Suicide Prevention Day, is to encourage employees to become mental health first-aiders.

Phil Bason, health manager for Tarmac, said: ‘Creating a network of mental health first-aiders is an essential line of support we’re starting to build across the business. We’ve had an amazing response to our call for volunteers and hope to create a network of trained individuals who can offer additional support to colleagues when they might need it most.

‘This network adds to the range of health and well-being services we have in place for people, including our Employee Support Programme.’

Tarmac’s mental health first-aid volunteers will be trained to spot the symptoms of mental health issues, offer initial help, and guide a person towards support. They will be taught how to listen, reassure and respond.