It’s World Mental Health Day

How Pier approaches mental wellbeing from our Operations Manager and Wellbeing Champion, Lisa Smith

We’re proud to champion good mental health every day at Pier. Led by our Operations Manager and Wellbeing Champion Lisa Smith, find out from Lisa how we approach mental wellbeing at Pier…

As a communications agency, we choose our team for their knowledge, their passion, their creative and impactful ideas, and their amazing, individual personalities. Our people make Pier who we are.

Supporting the mental health of our team has been something that has been high on our agenda for some time. Over the last couple of years, how we do this has had to change as we have navigated the pandemic and all the additional challenges that brought with it. Having retained a hybrid working model, it is still crucially important that we check in regularly and look after each other.

Daily team morning check-in calls over a quick cuppa as well as a more involved ‘Wellbeing Wednesday’ chat once a week have ensured that everyone is seeing and speaking to one another every day outside of client meetings. Setting aside time to have conversations on topics such as stress, sleep, overwhelm, and our physical and emotional needs, are really important.

Wellness Action Plans, originally introduced at Pier in 2019, have become an even more useful tool for helping our team manage their mental health at work, especially for those team members working 100% remotely.

When I first took on the role of Wellbeing Champion for Pier in 2019, we wanted to create an environment where the team felt safe to talk about their mental health as freely as they would their physical health. We believed that it should be part and parcel of our Health & Safety policies and woven into the fabric of our organisation. Of course, we still have work to do, but I believe that we have made great progress towards this goal, and our fantastic, individual, powerful, supportive team are a testament to this. I am so proud of every single one of them.

This World Mental Heath Day, we asked the team to share the number one thing that they do to help them manage their mental health, along with the most helpful thing that Pier does. Have a look below to see what they said!

What is the number one thing that you do to help you manage your mental health?

Exercise was a big theme for lots of the Pier team:

Eiléanór: Exercise!

Lucy: Going for a tech-free walk

Abbie: Exercise regularly, it makes me a much happier person!

Lisa: Get some exercise daily, even if it is just a walk

But even more so when it’s at our favourite place – the coast:

Kate: Have a daily walk along the seafront

Rachael: Beach walks and taking myself out on little solo dates when I need some time to recharge

For some, it’s taking the stress out of heads and into the ether:

Caroline:  Talking! So important and free. Grab a friend and give it a go

Becky: I journal as much as I can and always find that getting my thoughts down on paper helps me to understand them more

For others, it’s simply knowing what works for you:

Olivia: Take a break to breathe when things feel a bit too stressful or surrounding myself with things that make me happy

Amy: I try not to sweat the small stuff

What is the most helpful thing that Pier does?

Every day we start our day talking to each other – from what we had for dinner to the big breaking news of the day. For some, that’s the most important thing we do:

Lisa: Daily morning wellbeing team check in calls. Just 15 mins to say good morning and have a chat makes such a difference, especially when working remotely

Eiléanór: Daily wellbeing check-ins

Olivia: Daily check-ins and checking in to see how everyone’s workload is looking to make sure no one is drowning or if anyone else can help

Kate: Morning well-being check-ins everyday – so great to say a quick hello before getting stuck into work

Our Wellness Action Plans help our line managers support their team:

Abbie: Having Wellness Action Plans

Amy: Wellness action plans

Our culture plays a big part in what makes Pier fab:

Lucy: Being such an open and non-judgemental place to work

Caroline: Removing the stigma from mental health conversations. Pier creates a wonderful environment where you know your thoughts and opinions are valued and listened to at all times

Rachael: Having a team of supportive, understanding people who are always happy to help

Lisa Smith, Operations Manager and Wellbeing Champion

Thanks Lisa. We’ll end with Becky’s response to the question ‘What is the most helpful thing that Pier does?’.

Becky: Having an official mental health champion at the heart of our team

We quite agree Becky. We quite agree.

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