MHFA England joins Keep Britain Working as a Vanguard employer
MHFA England® has joined the Government’s Keep Britain Working programme as a Vanguard employer, committing our own workforce to the same standards we champion for organisations across the nation.
Sir Charlie Mayfield leads the initiative, which brings together 150 employers representing 1.5 million workers across 24 sectors. Their goal is to help shape a new national standard for healthy working, developed in partnership with the British Standards Institution.
For MHFA England, joining the programme is about more than adding a name to the list. It’s about making sure mental health is central when we talk about healthy work.
Mental health must be at the heart of the solution
The UK is facing a growing economic inactivity challenge, with 2.8 million people currently out of work due to long-term health conditions – 800,000 more than in 2019. Poor mental health plays a significant role in that, and remains one of the biggest challenges facing employers today.
Deloitte estimates poor mental health costs UK employers £51 billion a year. Through our work with more than 20,000 organisations and over one million learners, we know mentally healthy workplaces can make a real difference to people’s wellbeing and ability to stay in work.
Sarah McIntosh, Chief Executive of MHFA England and the Association of Mental Health First Aiders®, said:
“We’re proud to join Keep Britain Working as a Vanguard employer because we know poor mental health is one of the biggest factors affecting whether people can stay in work.
“Creating healthier workplaces is a shared responsibility, and employers have an important role to play. At MHFA England, we believe a whole-organisation approach to workplace mental health helps create environments where people feel psychologically safe, and able to contribute.
“We’re excited to keep working alongside employers and partners as the programme develops.”
Supporting healthier working lives
Keep Britain Working brings employers, government, and local leaders together to improve workplace health and tackle economic inactivity across the UK.