A little bit of stress can be a good thing, helping us to remain focused and meet new challenges. However, when stress exceeds our ability to cope, it can have a detrimental effect on our health and wellbeing.

Recognising the warning signs and learning to build resilience is crucial to helping manage stress.

Stress Awareness Training

Earlier this year, we invited Steve McCluskie from Focus & Fly to run a series of Stress Awareness workshops for all Vernacare employees.

Training was mandatory for managers to ensure good practice in line management, and all other sessions were encouraged, but optional for other employees.

Steve hosted 22 different sessions at our four UK manufacturing sites; Bolton, Chorley, Worksop, and Blackwood.

In total, almost 90 managers and over 130 non-managerial employees received their Stress Awareness training.

The sessions focused on identifying the sources of stress, understanding the effect on our health, and how to address stress effectively in the workplace.

Karen Pilkington, Head of Human Resources at Vernacare, said, "Employers have a duty of care to their staff, both for their physical and mental health. We take this responsibility very seriously at Vernacare. The company has gone through a huge transformation in the past couple of years and it's important that we don't lose sight of the potential impact these changes can have on our people.

"As part of Vernacare's commitment to champioining mental health in the workplace, we have introduced Mental Health First Aiders across our sites. The scheme has trained 13 mental health first aiders so far.

"Although we encourage openness, not everyone feels comfortable speaking to their boss when they have a problem. By extending the support network, the scheme ensures that there's always someone to turn to."

Access support

If you need some support, or someone to talk to, there are organisations waiting for your call:

• Mind - the mental health charity 
• The Stress Management Society