We know that the wellbeing of people doesn’t stop at physical health. Over the past year, we have piloted Wellbeing Days, an initiative intended to support staff with their mental health. Wellbeing days are designated time-off work which employees can use to take care of their mental health.
During the pilot, staff were able to take a maximum of two Wellbeing Days off work if required.
Future Wellbeing Days
During the pilot, Wellbeing Days were positively received and recognised as a valuable part of the support available to staff. Therefore, we have decided to implement Wellbeing Days on an ongoing basis.
Our Wellbeing Days year will run between 1 October and 30 September. We have provided full guidance for staff and line managers.
As was the case during the pilot, staff can use up to two days Wellbeing Days during the year to take care of their mental health. The two days do not require approval, but you must notify your line-manager on the day if you need to use one. Wellbeing Days are intended to be used at the point of need and for this reason, shouldn’t be planned or put into the Horizon system in advance.
Mental health, wellbeing and support at the university
In addition to our Wellbeing Days, the university has other support in place for mental health and wellbeing. You can access a wide range of wellbeing services and resources to support them both in the workplace and outside of work. These include Mental Health First Aid training, mental health champions, the Staff Wellbeing Network and an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).
Employee Assistance Programme
All staff have access to our Employee Assistance Programme that is an independent, free and completely confidential advice service where you can find support including counsellors, psychotherapists, solicitors and financial experts. For full details and access information visit our Wellbeing support page.
Report and Support
Report and Support is our online platform where you can disclose if you have been affected by different forms of harassment including bullying, discrimination, hate incident/crime and sexual misconduct. You can report anonymously or speak to an advisor.
Staff Networks
Our Staff Networks are an integral part of our support at the university. Staff Networks provide a safe, supportive and confidential forum for sharing experiences, networking and discussing identified issues that affect you as an individual. You can find out more about the networks at the university on the Staff Portal.
