Healing takes time, and asking for help is a courageous step. – Mariska Hargitary
Mental health matters every day, not just during Mental Health Awareness Week. However, this week provides an important opportunity to raise awareness, encourage conversations and remind people that support is always available. At Jacksons, creating a supportive and understanding environment is something we genuinely value, because we know that when people feel supported, they thrive.
I wanted to take some time to discuss this topic, share my personal experiences and look at how Jacksons champion mental health support. Maybe grab a cup of tea and settle in for this one…
Every one of us has mental health, just as we have physical health. From a young age, we are taught how to look after our physical wellbeing: eat well, stay active and seek help when something feels off. I’m sure many of us remember seeing the healthy eating charts at school – and sighing at the lack of sweets!
However, I don’t remember learning about mental health in the same way, let alone how to look after it. Before joining Jacksons, I spent several years working in a primary school, and I am pleased to say that conversations around mental wellbeing are far more common and no longer treated as taboo. But for those of us beyond our school days, that guidance and understanding simply wasn’t something we were taught growing up.
Modern life rarely slows down. The pressures of work, family life, finances and the general demands of everyday life can quickly build up, and with the constant flow of information through social media and news platforms, many of us are left with little opportunity to truly switch off.
It’s not always obvious when someone’s mental wellbeing is poor. People can still show up to work, meet deadlines, laugh during conversations and appear completely fine on the surface, whilst quietly struggling underneath. Stress, anxiety and burnout can build gradually over time, often without us even realising how overwhelmed we have become until we reach a breaking point.
One thing I have learned over the years, as someone with diagnosed anxiety, is just how important it is to have a supportive environment around you. Knowing that you can speak openly, ask for help without judgement and feel listened to can make an enormous difference.
But how is this achieved?
Supportive workplaces aren’t built through policies alone. They are built through culture, leadership and the everyday actions of the people around us. Support can be found in the smallest of things: a manager checking in, a colleague asking how you are really feeling, flexibility during busy periods or simply knowing you can take a break when you need one. We spend so much of our lives at work, so it is vital that we feel supported there.
This is where Jacksons truly shines.
At Jacksons, there is a genuine culture of compassion and understanding. Mental wellbeing is not treated as a weakness or an afterthought, and there is a real effort to ensure people feel valued and supported. In a world where so many people feel pressure to constantly ‘push through,’ that kind of environment matters more than ever.
That support comes from the top down.
Let’s start with Sharon. Firstly, she changed her work title from ‘Office Manager’ to ‘Empowerment and Impact Lead,’ which says a lot in itself. She cares so deeply about supporting people and making them feel their best that she quite literally put it in her job title!
But it goes far beyond a job title. Sharon’s door is always open. Whether you need a quick five-minute catch-up, someone to vent to, or simply a reminder to take a breath, she is always there for us. Sharon genuinely cares about people, and her superpower lies in the way that she leads and supports the team. She checks in on us, listens without judgement, and does everything she can to ensure people feel supported and accommodated when they need it most.
Now, let’s focus on the team. It’s cliché to say this team feels like a family, but it genuinely does. I’m writing this after returning from a few days of annual leave, and several people have already asked how my time away was. Equally, a few weeks ago I was poorly and spent most of the week in bed, and yet I had multiple people message me wishing me well and letting me know they were thinking of me.
They may seem like small gestures, but I think they highlight the main message I am trying to share: this team truly cares.
I was excited to come back to work to chat with my colleagues about my holiday, and during the time I was unwell, I still felt included, supported and thought about.
Those moments might seem minor on their own, but together they create a culture where people genuinely look out for one another, and that can make all the difference.
Mental Health Awareness Week is an important reminder that none of us are expected to carry everything alone. Whether it is checking in on a colleague, reaching out for support, taking time to rest, or simply being a little bit kinder to ourselves, every small action matters.
Conversations around mental health have come a long way, and that is something we should be celebrating! However, creating environments where people feel safe and supported should not just be for one week of the year. It is something we should continue to prioritise every single day.
I feel incredibly grateful to be part of a workplace where compassion, understanding and support are genuinely valued. I hope that more people continue to have open conversations about mental health and wellbeing, because asking for help should never be seen as a weakness - in fact, it is one of the bravest things we can do.
The more openly we talk about mental health, the more we can help others realise they are not alone. Sometimes, one honest conversation can give someone else the confidence to open up too.
So, dear reader, I challenge you! Take every opportunity to check in with those around you, you never know how much someone might need it.
This article was written by Kate Matthew, Marketing and Communications Coordinator.
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