Complimentary Mental Health Training
Earlier in the summer at the launch of the Thriving at Oxford Action Plan 2024-25, Professor Irene Tracey, Vice-Chancellor, commented that ‘everyone has a part to play in staff wellbeing and the concept of empowering staff to support themselves and their colleagues will be central to the strategy going forward’.
Mental health is central to the overall wellbeing of our employees. The University of Oxford takes the mental health seriously. When it comes to mental health issues, prevention is absolutely key. In the 2023 Staff Experience Survey, 20% of total respondents reported mental ill-health, 67% of these said that their mental health difficulties were caused by work.
The University has taken this feedback seriously, which is why we are delighted to announce that, as a result of a newly formed collaboration with Student Welfare and Support Services, Mental Health Awareness training is now available to all University staff including specific training aimed at line managers and staff supporting students. The training includes identifying indicators of common mental health difficulties, how to have a wellbeing conversation with a colleague and where to find support, as well as strategies for maintaining good mental health.
You can access the training here.
Previously, this training has been available at a cost – but as part of the Pay & Conditions Programme we are able to offer the foundational mental health awareness training on a complimentary basis going forward.
Medium-term strategy
In July 2024 we launched the Thriving at Oxford Action Plan 2024-25. Developed in collaboration with the Wellbeing Delivery Group, which includes representatives from each division, the action plan:
- sets out the direction for the Wellbeing Programme over the next year; and
- creates a mandate for the development of a medium-term strategy to take effect in May 2025.
Work on the medium-term strategy began straight after the launch of the 12-month action plan. The first action of the Wellbeing Programme Team was to review all the data available through the Pay & Conditions Review, the Strategic Review of Professional Services, the Researcher Concordat Action Plan, the People Strategy development project and many more University-wide or local projects.
The greatest need identified was around mental health support for staff experiencing stress and anxiety. A correlation was noted between this need and institutional issues such as workload, psychological safety, bullying and harassment and staff development. In addition, specific staff groups were identified at highest risk of poor mental health and wellbeing. These include line managers, male staff, parents and carers and other minoritised groups.
This data review has led to the development of a targeted consultation exercise to take place over Michaelmas Term 2024 including asking for input on the draft medium-term wellbeing strategy at divisional leadership meetings.
