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The Importance of Physical Health and Mental Well-being
The uncertainty that Covid-19 has brought into our lives can at times make us feel worried or anxious. Recent surveys have indicated that around one in every four adults has shown symptoms of anxiety or depression because of the pandemic. At PMC, we believe that family comes first. Our core values focus on doing the right thing for each other, our customers, and our families.
Being co-located in India and the UK, we have seen first-hand that our teams in the UK and India are facing different challenges. It’s therefore important to ensure that our employees get the right guidance and support when they need it, by providing a range of initiatives to look after the health and wellbeing of our teams.
Focus on overall well-being
‘Wellbeing Wednesdays’ have been a regular feature at PMC since August 2020. The sessions focus on the overall health and well-being of our PMC family and last for 15 to 30 minutes. These brief sessions help our employees to think differently and allow them to take time out of their busy schedules to concentrate on themselves and their personal well-being.
So far, these sessions have covered multiple topics, including regular yoga and stretch sessions, workstation set-up whilst working from home, winter lockdown tips, thinking differently about ways to be grateful and to be kind, and tips to help improve mental health and well-being both at work and at home.
Talking about these session, Sonia Lyford, Assistant Accountant at PMC UK office shares, ”I look forward to the well-being sessions that have been run by Julia. They are very informative and have provided me with the tools to help me cope with the current situation. It is great to hear other people’s ideas on their coping strategies and to feel that I'm not alone."
Connecting with Nature to improve mental health
According to the Mental Health Foundation, since the pandemic and lockdowns began, millions of us have turned to nature. The Mental Health Foundation has said that nature is our ‘greatest untapped resource for a mentally healthy future’.
To recognise Mental Health Awareness Week, from 10th to 16th May 2021, PMC has run five sessions which explore different aspects of mental health and wellbeing, including this year’s mental health awareness theme ‘Nature’. We have raised awareness of the Mental Health Foundation’s ‘Take Action, Get Active’ challenge, and held a practical exercise in mindfulness, as well as hosting sessions run by our UK and our India EAP providers and having a physical 'get active and stretch session' with a personal trainer.
Talking about this year’s theme, Julia Munro, HR Manager at PMC UK office shares, “Mental health and wellbeing has always been and continues to be a key focus for us here at PMC. We are keen to encourage all employees to participate in this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week as much as they can. We want our employees to experience nature, to talk about it, and to share it – not just this week, but always! We have asked them to take a moment to notice and celebrate nature in their daily lives, and to share their photos, videos, sound recordings and stories about nature and mental health and wellbeing, to help inspire others.”
PMC is investing in training for a number of employees to become Mental Health First Aiders. These Mental Health First Aiders will be able to support their colleagues in both locations and, where necessary, signpost them to any additional help and support that they might need.
Good mental health and wellbeing have an immense impact on the quality of our lives, and it’s vital to focus on this at every stage of life. With these initiatives, we not only aim to create a comfortable and safe environment for our PMC family, but we also want to normalise the need for regular positive conversations around our mental health and wellbeing.