Daikin UK
Content warning: Mentions of suicide
Daikin UK is an eco-heating technology brand, providing indoor climate management solutions to reduce environmental impact. Their products are used in homes, businesses and industrial applications worldwide. Daikin has already installed over 1 million heat pumps across Europe, helping homeowners to reduce their personal carbon footprint.
The journey so far
In April 2023, Daikin UK decided to roll out Suicide First Aid (SFA) training to their MHFAider(s)®. Gerry Walsh, HR Specialist for Daikin, didn’t want to mandate the training for MHFAiders as she felt that “it is such a sensitive subject, and many people might be nervous about taking part.” However, her fears were unfounded as Daikin’s MHFAiders were only too happy to step forward and take the training.
Gerry reflected that there was no “one thing” that prompted her to seek the training for her team of MHFAiders, rather it was about extending their mental health first aid skills, which Gerry was also keen for them to use not only in the workplace, but also in their local communities.
Gerry continued, “Whilst our industry is changing and there are more women, we are still fairly male-dominated. We know that men often don’t want to talk about their mental health and suicide is an even bigger taboo".
"We want people to know that it is ok to ask for help, and that our MHFAiders are fully equipped to provide support, should they find themselves or someone they know in a suicide crisis".
As well as ensuring that their employees are well looked after, Daikin is also aware of how their MHFAiders might be affected by their work and the support they offer.
“All our MHFAiders complete an anonymous conversation log, where they are regularly asked if they need additional practical training or if they need support.
“The MHFAiders team also have a monthly catch-up via Microsoft Teams for best practice sharing and use the channel as a support platform. We also encourage the team to reach out to HR or utilise our employee assistance programme if they need it.”
How did you implement mental health conversations?
Daikin offers virtual Cuppa and a Conversation session and has also trialled a 1-2-1 booking system for employees to book a conversation with a member of the MHFAider team and are looking to roll this out on a more regular basis. Reflecting, Gerry emphasises this importance, “It sounds clichéd, but if we have one person reach out to an MHFAider, then it’s a success from a wellbeing perspective.”
An MHFAider's journey with suicide first aid training
Paul Heather, one of Daikin’s team of MHFAiders, undertook the SFA training to learn more about the subject. Paul is keenly aware that his generation is not always open to talking about mental health, and he wanted to help change that.
“I learned a lot especially the importance of asking the right questions and looking for signs. Asking whether someone has made a list or noticing whether they were getting things in order was something that I had never thought about in relation to suicide. Also, knowing that it was okay to ask the question, ‘Are you suicidal?’ was really important. It’s not going to make someone act on their feelings - in fact, it's more likely to prevent them from doing anything."
When asked whether he would encourage others to do the training, he says:
“You have to be pretty resilient to do the training and be aware that it can be hard on your mind, but it does open your mind up to all sorts of things that are vital in helping people in times of difficulty. Sometimes, just the smallest gesture of help and support can go a long way, and you can’t put a price on that.”
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Suicide is preventable through education and intervention. We will build on the work you have already done to support your people’s wellbeing and help you embed suicide prevention into your mental health and wellbeing strategy. Click below to learn more.