We understand that many people struggle in January with isolation, our focus is to bring our people together to connect and have meaningful conversations.

At CloudNC, we are passionate about the wellbeing of our people, our blog from Rosie Hadley, Senior Executive Assistant brings to life the value of our forum.

Where does your passion for well-being at work stem from?

Having had my struggles with my own mental health, I have a passion for letting the people around me know they do not have to handle mental health challenges on their own. It took me a while to realise it myself. There are so many ways to get support, and what that looks like will differ for all. Having someone to talk to and help you on that journey is invaluable. 

We spend a huge amount of our life at work therefore it is only right that it is a priority for any employer, and has become a personal goal of mine to support CloudNC.

Why do you think well-being initiatives at work are important?

Having been in work environments where I needed support with my mental health and very little was available to employees, it is important to me that all of the CloudNC team have resources and help available to them. Having an employer that cares about all aspects of your well-being is a huge comfort.

From a business perspective, having these initiatives in place promotes a positive and healthy work culture, reduces sickness, positively impacts staff retention and creates an open and judgement-free environment.

How do you create a work/life balance?

I have key pillars of my life that are of importance to me and I have worked hard, through coaching and self-reflection to identify what these pillars are and set healthy boundaries that allow me to show up in all of them. I don’t think of it too much as work/life balance anymore, but rather just a life balance and all that it encompasses. Sometimes that requires flex, which I am comfortable with. And being able to say no, which people often find challenging.

What initiatives have been implemented at CloudNC?

Over the past year, we have grown to 8 Mental Health First Aiders, a Mental Health & Wellbeing forum of 8 employees to represent all areas of our business, a bank of resources, webinars, awareness training for all and various campaign activities. From the get-go, there has always been a focus on awareness and education to equip the CloudNC team and foster a positive open environment. 

The majority of the initiatives we roll out are preventive so that employees understand the importance of looking after their well-being and mental health every day and understand the needs of others, to hopefully stop anyone from being in a position where it presents too much of a challenge for them, however, we also have resources for those in crisis.

How do you measure the success of the Wellness forum?

It is the conversation around the workplace that is continually increasing. It genuinely makes me incredibly proud of all the efforts of those in the business who support our forum. Our people feel more comfortable sharing, and our Mental Health First Aiders are utilised as a resource for those who need support.  

We also measure the forum through our engagement surveys, which have shown a positive response to our mental health and wellbeing initiatives and we receive valuable commentary on how we can continue to add value.

What are the plans for the forum in the future?

Having had our first year in action and learning where our focus is most valuable, we will continue on the journey of awareness, refreshing resources, sharing stories and listening to what our employees need by way of support. 

We are also continuing to equip our managers with different ways in which they can discuss mental health and well-being with their team to ensure that positive well-being is ingrained as part of our culture.  And of course, reducing the stigma. Everyone’s Mental Health Matters ❣️