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Pod 6, The Engine Rooms, Station Road
Chepstow
Monmouthshire

01633 730907

For more than 10 years we have provided companies of all sizes and in a variety of sectors with uncomplicated, innovative and affordable human resources advice and on-site support ensuring that your people are an asset to your company and not a liability.

News

With the National Minimum Wage (NMW) now almost fifteen years old, and with another increase pending on 1st April 2017 HMRC have issued a list of the most elaborate excuses they've been given by employers for not paying the appropriate rates:

Suicide Prevention Month

Alan Kitto

As you may know, September is Suicide Prevention Month, and we wanted to take the opportunity to share some practical guidance you might find useful to pass on to your team, whether that's through a team meeting, an internal email, or simply keeping it in mind in day-to-day conversations.

Checking in on friends and colleagues

One of the simplest and most effective things any of us can do is check in properly with family, friends and colleagues. If someone doesn't seem quite themselves, ask how they're doing, and if the answer is “fine” but something still feels off, ask again. A second “are you sure? You don't seem quite yourself” can make the difference between someone brushing past a difficult moment and someone actually opening up.

You don't need to have the right words or a solution ready. Being genuinely willing to listen, without judgement and without rushing to fix things, is often what matters most.

The short U Can Cope film can also be a helpful prompt for discussing the power of talking. A conversation does not have to solve everything in one go; putting difficult thoughts into words and being heard can reduce isolation and make it easier to reach further support. Watch U Can Cope.

If you're worried about someone but you're not in a good place yourself right now, it's okay to not be the one who has that conversation. Trying to support someone else while you're struggling can be too much to carry alone, and it doesn't help either of you if you're running on empty. In that case, ask someone else to check in on them instead, a manager, a mental health first-aider, a mutual friend, HR, or another colleague who has the capacity right now. Flagging the concern to someone else isn't passing the buck; it's making sure the person gets support from someone who's in a position to give it properly. If your organisation has an employee assistance programme (EAP), you could also remind them that it may offer a confidential route to practical and emotional support.

Helping a stranger

Not every act of support has to begin with knowing someone is struggling. Reasons to Stay is a global suicide prevention project that shares anonymous letters of hope, written by volunteers and delivered at random to people who may need them.

You can help by writing a short letter to someone you've never met. It doesn't need to contain advice or a perfect answer - just warmth, honesty and a reminder that difficult moments can pass and that someone, somewhere, cares. Letters are reviewed before they are shared. To write one, visit reasonstostay.org and select "Write a letter".

If you're worried someone might be suicidal

If you're concerned that a colleague, friend, or family member might be having thoughts of suicide, it's safe, and important, to ask them directly. Asking someone if they're thinking about suicide does not put the idea in their head or increase the risk; in fact, it often brings real relief to be asked plainly.

A few principles that can help:

  • Ask directly and calmly: “Are you thinking about suicide?”

  • Listen without trying to argue them out of how they feel

  • Avoid leaving them alone if you believe they're at immediate risk

  • Help them access appropriate support, such as their GP, NHS 111 or a crisis line. Where the risk is not immediate, their employee assistance programme (EAP) may be another option; contact emergency services if the danger is immediate

  • Follow up afterwards; a single conversation isn't the end of it

The Campaign Against Living Miserable (CALM) website has clear, practical guidance on how to start these conversations and support someone through them: thecalmzone.net. Their helpline (0800 58 58 58) and webchat are free and confidential.

If you're the one struggling

If you're reading this and things aren't okay for you at the moment, please don't sit with it alone. Reaching out is not a weakness or a burden on anyone, it's the first step toward things feeling more manageable.

  • Samaritans - 116 123, free, 24/7, or jo@samaritans.org

  • Your GP, or your organisation's employee assistance programme (EAP), if available, for confidential, non-emergency support

  • NHS 111 (select the mental health option), or A+E / 999 in an emergency

Alongside these services, don't underestimate the value of talking to people who already know you, a friend, a family member, a neighbour, or a colleague you trust. You don't need to have it all figured out or explain everything perfectly; even a simple "I'm not doing great at the moment" can open the door. People who care about you would generally much rather be told and be able to help than find out later that you were struggling alone.

We're sharing this not because we expect anything to be wrong, but because a workplace culture where people feel able to check in on each other, and ask for help themselves, is one of the most protective things any of us can build.

If it would help to talk through how to raise this with your own team, or to build wellbeing check-ins into your people processes, we're always happy to help.

You can download a copy of this document here.