"I think reminders are therefore very important not only do they reinforce what we all probably know but also they serve to make us think about what is going on in our own worlds, whether we should be making any changes or what part we can play to support others", she says.
Mental wellbeing
Peter Hamilton is government disability and accessibility ambassador for the insurance industry, as well as head of market engagement at Zurich.
On preventing and mitigating work place stress, Hamilton advocates: “We know that our mental wellbeing is just as important as our physical wellbeing, yet it's something that is less talked about and be seen as a ‘taboo’ subject.
"At Zurich, we're trying to change that and normalise conversations about mental health. There’s no one type of support or intervention that works for everyone, but we want to build a culture of safety, support and openness.
The company has webinars and mentoring programmes where colleagues and others share their mental health stories in order to break down stigma and create greater trust.
“Colleagues at every level have shared their mental health stories in webinars and through our mentoring programmes, for example, focusing on the importance of speaking about issues and seeking help, whether from a manager, a colleague, or one of our specially trained mental health first-aiders,” says Hamilton.
Echoing the advice of Generali's Needle, Hamilton also advocates corporate volunteering programmes as great opportunities to relieve stress, and develop greater positive interaction between staff and the community.
He adds: “All our employees can also take up to three ’business’ days a year to volunteer to help others.
"Through our well-established volunteering programme, we create and broker volunteering opportunities between our Zurich colleagues and our charity partners right across the country. It’s a non stressful, effective and enjoyable way to develop themselves and their skills.
"In a world where we're all increasingly time poor, the fact that Zurich UK employees have volunteered more than 4,000 days in a year is, we believe, worth celebrating.”
