Episode 4 – Mental Health

Mental Health Awareness: Insights from OCU Group

Welcome to another insightful post from the OCU Group’s In The Pipeline series. Today, we venture into an essential and sensitive topic: mental health and stress awareness. Our very own Emma White from the marketing team guides us through the conversation, featuring valuable insights from Andy Lacks, our Group Talent Acquisition Manager, and Bethany Crook, our Junior Bid Manager, who are both Mental Health First Aiders at OCU Group.

Importance of Mental Health Awareness

Emma sets the stage by emphasizing the significance of understanding and addressing mental health issues. Mental health conditions such as stress, anxiety, and depression affect one in six British workers, with 15% experiencing symptoms at work. Astonishingly, 74% of people report that stress leaves them feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope. It’s a pervasive issue that affects real people in profound ways.

Emma shares a personal touch, encouraging everyone to find activities they enjoy to de-stress. Whether it’s putting on a good face mask, watching a favourite TV series like Grey’s Anatomy, or locating other individualised coping methods, the goal is to find what works for you.

A Conversation with Our Mental Health First Aiders

To delve deeper into this crucial topic, Emma sat down with Andy Lacks and Bethany Crook, who shed light on the importance of mental health support within the workplace.

Andy Lacks: “I look after the recruitment for the group. We recognize that some employees may find it uncomfortable to speak to a colleague or a manager about their mental health concerns. That’s why we have independent helplines and various support avenues in place.”

Bethany Crook: “We’ve implemented several schemes, including a robust network of mental health first aiders and the Employee Assistance Programme, which offers free and confidential advice 24/7. Additionally, we utilize the Mates in Mind service.”

Recognising the Signs

Andy and Bethany discuss how to spot signs of mental health issues in others:

• Bethany: “A change in behaviour is often a key sign. Since we spend so much time with our colleagues, we can usually tell when something is amiss.”
• Andy: “These changes can manifest in various ways, not just through visible distress but sometimes through overly confident or excessively happy behaviour, masking underlying issues.”

Coping Mechanisms

The duo highlights the importance of personalised coping mechanisms:

• Andy: “It’s crucial to find what fits for you, whether it’s a walk, a long soak in the bath, hitting the gym, or any other activity that helps you manage stress.”

Seeking Help

When it comes to seeking help, Andy advises: “Depending on your circumstances and mental state, we might talk through your situation to offer a different perspective or point you toward professional services like helplines or Samaritans for more structured support.”

Recent News and Achievements at OCU Group

Following the enlightening discussion, Emma shares exciting updates from OCU Group:

• Sports Achievement: Pennybont Women’s Football Club clinched the Champions Cup for the South Wales Women’s and Girls League for the second consecutive season. Special congratulations to Izzy Lewis, whose stellar performance earned her the Player of the Match title.
• Halloween Celebration: The team enjoyed a fun-filled Halloween, complete with creative costumes and impressive pumpkin carvings. Check out our Instagram for some spooky photos.
• EV Charging Course: Jonathan Amore and the OCU Academy team welcomed new students to an EAL-accredited EV charging course.
• London EV Show Sponsorship: We proudly announced our platinum sponsorship of the London EV Show, taking place from November 28 to 30. Emma will be attending and will capture exciting moments for everyone.
• Movember Challenge: Our HDD design engineer, Andy Smith, shaved off his beard to raise money and awareness for men’s mental health and is participating in the 60km for 60 lives running challenge. We wish him all the best in his endeavors.

Stay Tuned!

That wraps up this blog post. We are grateful for the candid conversation around mental health and the thriving activities within our team. Our next episode will spotlight our project in Blackpool at the 132kV Peel substation. Stay tuned for more updates, and remember to take care of your mental health!

See you in the next one!