ERS underlines commitment to employee wellbeing by appointing mental health first-aiders

ERS, the UK’s largest specialist motor insurer, has underlined its commitment to promoting the mental wellbeing of its team by appointing 19 mental health first aiders from among its employees.

ERS provides specialist motor insurance for vehicles that are a bit different, such as classic cars, combine harvesters and even the most exclusive of supercars for unique events like the Gumball 3000 Rally.

The volunteer first aiders have undergone mental health first aid training and are now able to help their fellow employees gain access to the support and services that they need. All ERS mental health first aiders wear green ERS Mental Health First Aider lanyards and Time to Talk pin badges provided by the Time to Change campaign, which aims to fight discrimination around mental health.

Lauren Edwards, HR Director at ERS, said:

“At ERS we believe there should be zero stigma surrounding mental health and we want mental health to be openly discussed and supported. Our mental health first aiders are not therapists or psychiatrists, but they can give initial support and signpost to the appropriate support as required.

“With one in four people in the UK experiencing a mental health issue each year and one in six reporting experiencing a common mental health issue in any given week it’s important that we openly talk about mental health and remove the stigma attached to it. We want to provide a supportive environment for our employees.”

Employees can approach our first aiders to discuss any concerns they may have about their own, or a colleague’s mental wellbeing when they are unsure what to do or say to help. The first aider will have an initial supportive and non-judgmental conversation with the employee; it may be that they simply need someone to talk to.

“Our first-aiders are aware of the support ERS can provide – for example, referral to HR, occupational health or the employee assistance programme,” said Edwards. “They are also well-informed on external sources of help and can help the employee explore this as necessary.”

Our first aiders are also trained to respond to a crisis situation where an employee may be at risk of harm to themselves or, in rare circumstances, others. They are equipped to step in and reassure an employee in distress, while maintaining their own safety and, if necessary, escalating the issue as appropriate, for example, by contacting management or the emergency services.

“The first aiders are also helping to champion our ERS’ wellbeing strategy and are advocates for mental health awareness,” said Edwards. “As well as taking part in formal initiatives, first aiders will be passionate about reducing the stigma that is associated with mental health issues and normalising conversations around mental health.”