Workplace Wellbeing tackled for World Mental Health Day

Thursday, 10 October 2024

To mark World Mental Health Day, Jigsaw and M&S have come together to offer all M&S staff in Ireland mental health and wellbeing supports.

M&S and Jigsaw are launching a Workplace Wellbeing Programme to support M&S’s 1,800 colleagues and the young people in their lives. The online voluntary training has been launched as part of the retailer’s recently announced 3-year partnership with youth mental health charity, Jigsaw.

Through the programme, M&S staff will develop skills to support them in having conversations with young people around how they are feeling and help prevent them from reaching the point of crisis. Included in the training are supports for M&S managers (One Good Manager™), practical resources for M&S staff who are parents (Self Care for Parents), as well as introductory courses on mental health and Jigsaw’s Five a Day for Youth Mental Health mental health workshop.

Dr Joseph Duffy

Jigsaw CEO

The theme of this year’s World Mental Health Day is prioritising mental health in the workplace.

And so, it’s really fitting that we are marking this important day with the introduction of our Workplace Wellbeing Programme to M&S staff across the country.

It affords us the opportunity to highlight the vital connection between mental health and work; it offers impactful and trusted support and advice to M&S staff across all areas of the business, and it continues our work in raising awareness of the need for more conversations around how we support, talk about and respond to our collective mental health

Eddie Murphy

Country Director, M&S Ireland and Northern Ireland

This year’s World Mental Health Day focuses on mental health in the workplace – a hugely important area for all of our colleagues at M&S.

Our people are our most valuable asset, and as such, it is hugely important that they are supported in all aspects of their working life.

Our partnership with Jigsaw allows us, not only shine a light on the importance of our collective mental health, but to practically put in place supports and resources available to all our colleagues.”

#whatIdoforme

Alongside today’s launch, M&S spoke with colleagues across their network of stores and asked what they do to support their mental health. The #whatIdoforme initiative asked M&S staff what they do to support their mental health. Responses, ranging from ‘yoga’ to ‘chats with friends’.

Phillip Connolly

Store Support Centre, Franchise Manager

To switch off I like to get out for a run, this is a great way to step out of busy day to day life and clear the head.