The mia encourages workplace wellbeing in Mental Health Awareness Week

The Meetings Industry Association (mia) is highlighting the importance of looking after employee mental health and wellbeing during Mental Health Awareness Week (13-19 May).

Raising awareness of mental health, compassion and resilience in the events and hospitality sector is an ongoing mission for the mia, which launched a campaign in 2017 to help support improvements in mental health care across the industry.

Research undertaken in partnership with internationally-renowned leadership and organisational development expert Roffey Park Institute, found that 75% of people working in the events and hospitality industry had been managed by someone who, in their view, lacked compassion. A similar number had witnessed others miss opportunities to be compassionate because it wasn’t seen as part of their job.

While the mia is providing ongoing support to members through dedicated workshops designed to help create environments to foster improved wellbeing, Mental Health Awareness Week provides added impetus to focus on this important area.

Jane Longhurst, chief executive of the mia, said: “Since launching our campaign in 2017, we have seen many businesses and organisations improve their support of employees’ mental health and wellbeing to create more compassionate workplaces. However, Mental Health Awareness Week is a welcome reminder that mental health is everyone’s business and that work is ongoing in the quest to create an open and compassionate environment to live and work in.”

Continuing its drive to support members in creating compassionate workplaces, the mia will hold a workshop – Stealth, Wealth and Mental Health – at The Tower Hotel, London on Thursday 20 June.

The workshop, led by James Lee, will give delegates an understanding of how wellbeing and performance at work are connected, inform them of the signs to look out for among peers and colleagues and arm them with an action plan to improve all areas of workplace wellbeing. To book tickets click here.

Mental Health Awareness Week takes place from Monday 13 to Sunday 19 May. The theme this year is body image and how it impacts the way we think and feel about ourselves.