Going Beyond Blue Monday
To mark Blue Monday, Personal Assistant Beth Smith talks all things mental health at Accurx, from counselling sessions and wellbeing bonuses to office massages and beating the January blues.
Today’s the third Monday of January, which means one thing: it’s Blue Monday. Besides being a catchy synth-pop hit from the 80s, Blue Monday is meant to be the most depressing day of the year. (That is, according to the PR team at UK travel company Sky Travel who coined the term to sell holiday bookings!)
While the equations that calculated Blue Monday are a little sketchy, there’s no denying that the idea behind it strikes a chord. Why? Because come mid-January, we’re all cold, sun-deprived and still processing the fact we blew our whole December paycheck on Christmas decorations, mulled wine and food. So. much. food.
For me, Blue Monday has always been a handy prompt to check in with my own wellbeing, to take stock of how I’m doing and feeling. But in the last couple of years I’ve come to realise that these check-ins actually need to be far more regular, which is difficult to do with a full time job and a busy life.
In previous years, I’ve gone through tricky periods of mental health, sometimes exasperated by the job I had at the time. To help me regain a healthy work-life balance, I decided I needed to work for a company that would look after me and take an active — and genuine — interest in my mental wellbeing.
Keeping accuFolk happy and well
In the five months I’ve been at Accurx, the company has been incredible when it comes to supporting the mental wellbeing of its staff. Not only does Accurx offer plenty of perks to that end (see some of these below!), but people here show a refreshing openness to the conversation of mental health, which has already had a tremendous impact on me.
Below I’ve pulled out four ways Accurx supports mental wellbeing. But before I jump into these, it’s worth saying that nobody at the company has asked me to share this post — I’m writing it simply because I value Accurx’s attention to mental wellbeing and think it’s really worth shouting about. :)
4 things Accurx does to support mental wellbeing:
- Encouraging a healthy work-life balance
We all talk about regaining more ‘balance’ in our life. It’s not always easy to make this happen, but it’s made somewhat easier by the fact that one of Accurx’s core values is balance itself. These values aren’t just things we stick up on a wall (in fact we don’t stick them on walls at all) but principles the company really lives by.
That’s why I have complete autonomy to decide how to find the right work-life balance. For me, this can mean a mid-afternoon walk or run when working from home to get that much-needed screen break, or can include guilt-free coffees with colleagues to discuss life or enjoying one of the many social experiences Accurx has to offer like a team dinner or an Accurx club.
2. Giving wellbeing bonuses
Accurx’s commitment to mental wellbeing can also be seen in pounds and pennies. Every six months, Accurx offers staff a £250 bonus to spend on anything which improves our wellbeing. I think it’s often hard to spend money on wellness — especially when many of those things aren’t material items but on, say, a counselling session or a wellness app. But having an excuse to book those gym classes, or subscribe to that app without feeling like you’re splurging your own money away was a really positive experience for me.
3. Offering counselling sessions
Something which I found amazing when joining Accurx was the 30-minute therapist appointments that staff can receive twice every week. These sessions enable staff to share whatever is on their mind with trained professionals, free from judgement. Depending on your preference, these are offered face to face or remotely with one of two brilliant therapists.
On top of that, we get access to Spill, a therapy app which provides six one-hour counselling sessions a year, with communication either via phone, text or video. It’s another option to reach out for any support you need and lets you dictate the communication style that suits you best.
4. Training Mental Health First Aiders
This year, Accurx is also turning its attention to Mental Health First Aid. With the help of St. John Ambulance, we plan to train a number of staff as Mental Health First Aiders who can help to spot the signs of mental health in the workplace and assist people in finding the right support.
Going beyond Blue Monday
Mental health matters to all aspects of life and not just on Blue Monday, or your first 30 days at Accurx, but all the other days of the year as well. Having that support in the workplace — somewhere we spend so much time and energy and where stresses and anxieties can easily arise — is so important. It’s one of the reasons I joined Accurx in the first place. Five months on, I’m really proud to work for a company that values and understands the importance of mental wellbeing.
One last thing…
To help relieve stress, Accurx also has trained masseuses come in to give free massages. The only trouble? Being quick enough to nab one of the slots!
If you’re interested in working at Accurx, and helping healthcare teams and patients communicate with each other, check out our careers page.
