The theme of this year's World Mental Health Day is, "make mental health and wellbeing for all a global priority". According to the Mental Health Foundation, 1 in 6 people experience mental health problems in the workplace. However, many workplaces aren't doing enough to support their staff.

Here at Good-Loop, we strive to create an environment - be it in-person and remotely - whereby people can thrive professionally and personally.

These aren't empty promises, they are embedded in everything we do.

Here are some examples of what we do:

Making services accessible and affordable

It's time to do some myth-busting around wellbeing services - and what we can do if and when our employees need us.

The biggest step we can do to provide an effective support network is normalise talking about mental health and the wellbeing services that are available to stop problems building up.

Here are some of the services we offer at Good-Loop:

• Time off is important, so offering generous holiday entitlement is crucial to making sure our team can stay well rested and prevent burnout
• You know what they say about all work and no play? That's why we organise regular socials for our team;
• You don't have to leave Fido at home anymore. All our offices are dog-friendly so you can bring your best friend to work with you;
• We've all envied the life of digital nomads, but now you don't have to. We offer the option to work abroad so you're in control where you work.
• Flexible hours: 9-5 not your bag? That's totally fine, it doesn't work for everyone and that's why we offer flexible working.
• It wouldn't be Good-Loop without putting charity at the heart of our offering. Everyone who works for us is entitled 1 day a month to volunteer with the charity of their choice.
• Wellbeing services should be accessible to all our team, regardless of their pay bracket. That's why we offer everyone a £100 wellness budget per month to improve their mental, physical, financial and cultural wellbeing.

Championing Our Team

With the opportunity to develop using their L&D budget - and being recognised and celebrated for doing well - our team at Good-Loop can be their authentic selves. We recognise that mental health and DE&I are closely connected.

With guidance from a committed Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Group, we are able to champion inclusion, freedom of expression, and a culture that encourages individuality.

Listening To Feedback

We take feedback very seriously - and act on it quickly. For example, we recently created our Intimate Health Policy, outlining how we support employees undergoing IVF, women going through the menopause or struggling with their periods. For employees in the US, we cover the cost of travel to a reputable facility for pregnancy terminations.

Providing A Support Network Of Trained Individuals:

It's vital that we all have someone to talk to, who can listen, support and signpost, so that's why we have five trained Mental Health First Aiders on hand.

"Being a MHFA means understanding the tool box; not using those tools but supporting colleagues to understand where to find them and making them comfortable enough to ask where they are" Alexandra Chrysanthou, Mental Health First Aider, Commercial Operations Executive.

In addition, we also have a compulsory Mental Health Awareness training programme that is completed by every new team member.

We are all responsible for the environment we foster, whether that's acknowledging and appreciating each other's work to being mindful of each other when we communicate with each other.

Every workplace is different. However, we all have a responsibility to make mental health and wellbeing a priority. We must do everything in our power to prevent mental ill health - as individuals and as companies.