Thrive at Work West of England

Encouraging and supporting businesses to improve employees' mental health and wellbeing

The West of England Combined Authority has developed the Thrive at Work programme in collaboration with employers and partners to give small to medium enterprises (SMEs) like you the interactive tools and training resources needed to help you embed good mental health practice in your business and support your employees.

Graphic depicting people and icons to illustrate the Thrive at Work programme

Help your employees stay mentally and physically well during and beyond the coronavirus outbreak

Changing working conditions, societal, economic and environmental factors can all have a huge impact on your employees’ mental health, and in turn, significantly impact performance and productivity. The West of England Combined Authority recognises the effect that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on businesses and their people and has developed the Thrive at Work West of England programme in response.

Mental Health at Work Commitment

Make a genuine, long-term impact on your staff's wellbeing by signing the Mental health at Work Commitment today. Join hundreds of businesses who have made a positive change.

Mental Health at Work Standards

You can also implement the Mental Health at Work Standards - a simple framework and set of 6 standards that any business can follow to improve and support the mental health of your people.

Support for SMEs

The Federation of Small Businesses provides lots of advice and guidance for small businesses and the self-employed.

Free mental health e-Learning

Complete our e-Learning module and equip yourself with the confidence and skills to have supportive conversations with your direct reports about mental health and wellbeing. And then you and your staff can start using Wellness Action Plans.

'This course has been funded by WECA to support SMEs of 0-250 staff.

Wellness Action Plans

Wellness Actions Plans (WAPs) are an easy, practical way of helping your colleagues and direct reports to support their own mental health at work. Click through to our guides and templates.

Suicide awareness training

This training gives you a better understanding of the signs to look out for and skills are required to approach someone you think is struggling. Take it today, it can take as little as 5 minutes and you could save a life.

COVID-19 Psychological First Aid

Get psychological first aid training and help people with different needs to cope with the emotional impact of COVID-19.

Mental Health at Work

Mental Health at Work provides lots of resources and tools, including support for line managers, colleagues and staff, ideas on how to improve workplace culture and help to develop policy and practice.

'How to' guides

‘How to’ guides for workplace mental health and wellbeing, shared by local employers. This section includes a framework for a health and wellbeing policy and examples of interventions to support mental health in the workplace.

Time to change

Here you'll get guidance for having safe and supportive conversations, how to start a conversation about mental health and suggestions that help you demonstrate appreciation for your staff.

Happiness Pulse

The Happiness Pulse helps you measure, understand and improve wellbeing with a simple online survey. It's a practical wellbeing measurement for thriving people, teams, organisations, communities.

Taking care of yourself at work

Mind supply information, advice and simple steps to taking care of yourself at work.

Talk Club

The Talk Club is a talking and listening community for men. It's a support network to keep mentally fit and healthy. Talk Club is now meeting virtually - join now and start sharing.

Building your resilience

South Gloucestershire Council has produced an on-demand webinar about building resilience. Click to view the slides and listen here.

Understanding responses to change

South Gloucestershire Council have produced an on-demand webinar about understanding different responses to change. Click to view the slides and listen here.

Managing remote teams

Local authorities and the public's mental health

Centre for Mental Health article, August 2020

Mental health and employers; refreshing the case for investment

Deloitte report, January 2020

Mental health at work

Business in the Community report, September 2019

Image showing Thrive at Work providing mental health and wellbeing support for businesses and employees

Thrive at Work West of England survey

We're encouraging SMEs to take our survey to help us understand what mental health in the workplace looks like across our region. Help us build a better picture by completing our questions.

You can access the survey through this clickable link.

Infographic showing that mental ill health remains the most common cause of long-term absence* Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development

Infographic showing 35% of line managers reported a wish for basic training in common mental health conditions* Business in the Community

Infographic showing every year it costs business £1300 per employee whose mental health needs are unsupported* Centre for Mental Health

Infographic showing stress, depression or anxiety were responsible for 54% of all working days lost* Health and Safety Executive

Click on the links below for national help and advice

Click on the links below for regional help and advice

Infographic showing 69% of UK line managers say that supporting employee wellbeing is a core skill, but only 13% have received mental health training* Business in the Community

Maintaining mental wellbeing

A change in routine and being forced to work in isolation during these unprecedented times can have a negative impact on mental wellbeing. Support and guidance for supporting your employees’ mental wellbeing is available here, or visit these resources:

Click through to the Mental Health Foundation which has information on how you can support yourself and colleagues.
Mind has published some useful advice and guidance available here suggesting some simple things individuals can do to look after their mental health and wellbeing at this time.
Visit the Health and Safety Executive Guidance on working from home
The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy has produced a list of great desk-based exercises which you can find on this live link.
You can also find information on supporting your staff to stay active here. Visit the NHS One You website for home exercises and an app to download for advice on physical activity and healthy lifestyles.

Our partners

The Thrive at Work West of England programme is delivered by the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) in partnership with Bristol City Council, North Somerset Council, South Gloucestershire Council and Bath & North East Somerset Council. Thanks also to the contribution from the businesses involved in the Thriving at Work Bristol programme and the Covid-19 Mental Health and Wellbeing Workforce Group.