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How to lead a healthier, happier workforce

How to lead a healthier, happier workforce

Employee wellness isn’t simple, and it’s not a one-step process. Employee wellness is complicated because of all the factors that contribute to health and wellness. While providing fresh fruit in place of donuts for a morning team meeting is a step in the right direction, it doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of employee wellness. Wellness programs need to consider the full continuum of mental, emotional and physical elements of an employee to improve corporate wellness initiatives. Supporting holistic well-being of employees takes into account the diverse wellness needs of employees, rather than just focusing on physical health. It’s essential for employers to recognize that all aspects of wellness are related and influence one another. For example, an employee…
Dr Neil Thompson
June 15, 2017
Charities must put those we help on the board of trustees

Charities must put those we help on the board of trustees

The night before my first trustee meeting as chief executive of Cardiomyopathy UK, the chair gave me a call: “one of the trustees can’t make it – they’ve had a cardiac arrest”. They were fine once their internal defibrillator kicked in, but it was possibly the most convincing excuse I have heard for missing a meeting. It made me think about the advantages of having a board of trustees who are service users. I know that the idea of service user trustees sounds daunting for some, but these are the people who know first-hand the importance of the charity’s mission. It’s easy to see service user involvement as just another box to tick. But I have been lucky enough to…
Dr Neil Thompson
June 15, 2017
Making your workplace safe for grief

Making your workplace safe for grief

Attempting to get her new business off the ground, Anna worked in public services by day and as a startup founder during every other minute she could spare. She was feeling isolated by the extreme schedule and neglectful of her friends and family — typical of startup life — when she learned of her sister’s suicide. It would be the Twitter message, accidentally ignored for a month, that would send Anna reeling. The note asked that they get together. “I miss you,” it read. Anna finally saw it just days after her sister’s death. Grief doesn’t just come with sadness and loss. Grief can also come fully-loaded with guilt, anger, uncertainty, denial, regret, and so much more. Yet many companies lack…
Dr Neil Thompson
June 15, 2017
What makes a dementia-friendly community? Respect, collaboration and support

What makes a dementia-friendly community? Respect, collaboration and support

Our expert panel discussed how citizens and services can come together to recognise and support people with dementia. Questions include: What makes a dementia-friendly community? Do dementia-friendly communities have to grow from the grassroots, or can they be fostered by national government or organisations? What’s the best way of ensuring people with dementia and their carers are part of the conversation on dementia-friendly communities? Click here to read more
Dr Neil Thompson
June 15, 2017
Coping with Cancer ebook

Coping with Cancer ebook

The Cancer Challenge: Coping with Cancer When Someone You Love is Diagnosed by Hannah Mann Learning that someone you love has cancer can be a devastating experience. It can generate a wide range of emotions and leave you quite unsure about what to do. You will want to be supportive, of course. But what will help? What are the things you shouldn’t do in case they are perceived as unhelpful or inappropriate? This practical guide helps you to think through the issues involved.  Click here to read more
Dr Neil Thompson
June 1, 2017
Neil Thompson’s Lesson for Living – Beware of vicious circles

Neil Thompson’s Lesson for Living – Beware of vicious circles

The term ‘vicious circle’ is one that is often used, but its significance is not always appreciated or fully understood. This is a pity, as it is an important and useful concept, and vicious circles are far more common than people generally realise. So, what exactly is a vicious circle? Basically, it is when one thing (let’s call it A) has a negative effect on another (B), and then B has a similar negative effect on A, leading to an exacerbation of A and its negative effect on B. And so it goes on, from bad to worse, the negatives of A and B reinforcing each other. The technical way of putting this is that a ‘feedback loop’ has been…
Dr Neil Thompson
June 1, 2017
Why people fail at conflict resolution

Why people fail at conflict resolution

Conflict in the workplace can happen – particularly when passionate people have opposing ideas. But the approach to resolving conflict, while simple, is often overlooked. During a recent leadership course, the trainer said very matter-of-factly that “an issue isn’t an issue until it is communicated.” He gave the example of an employee sitting in a pod of desks, who was annoyed by the regular sighs of one of his colleagues. Yet instead of raising it with that colleague, he broached the subject with other colleagues sitting nearby.Before long, the entire office was betting on how many times their colleague would sigh in a given day – all while he remained blissfully unaware of the distraction he was creating. Click here…
Dr Neil Thompson
June 1, 2017
Supportive management is key to creating mentally healthy workplaces

Supportive management is key to creating mentally healthy workplaces

Most of us spend on average a third of our adult life at work – unsurprisingly, our relationships at work and our work environment are crucial to our overall wellbeing. A supportive workplace can play a vital role in recovery, and provide security, structure, social connection, and a sense of purpose for an employee. In fact, having a supportive manager or supervisor is the most crucial factor in remaining or returning to work with a mental health condition. Supporting someone in your workplace can be tricky. It can be hard to know what to say or do if a colleague or an employee discloses a mental health condition to you. And it can be daunting for employees thinking about whether…
Dr Neil Thompson
June 1, 2017
Children need to be in the right mental state to learn effectively

Children need to be in the right mental state to learn effectively

There is a crisis in mental health for young people. Services are operating in silos and they are not working for over-tested, overstressed young people. Much emphasis has been placed on teenagers with low self-esteem, with behavioural and emotional issues and how we can support them. At Water Hall primary school in Milton Keynes, we believe in the need to identify and address these issues early to be able to implement intervention strategies as soon as possible. Taking action early enables vulnerable children to rebuild their self-esteem and take responsibility for their emotions, behaviour and learning. The outcome will be that they re-engage with education, perform well and are confident and happy young people. Click here to read more
Dr Neil Thompson
June 1, 2017