Tag: People and Culture

Being Heard at Work

“Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change” is this year’s theme for World Mental Health Day, and there is something about the word heard that feels especially important at work. Because being heard is not always about having an answer or fixing a problem. Sometimes, it is simply knowing that you can say, “I’m not doing great today,” and someone will listen.

Mental health at work can look like many things. It can be access to therapy, a wellness programme, a day off when you need it, or simply knowing that your workplace will make room for you when life gets a little difficult. These things matter, and as HR, a big part of our responsibility is making sure people have access to that support when they need it. But I also think mental health at work is built in the smaller moments that happen every day.

It is being able to say, “I don’t think I have the bandwidth for this today,” and knowing you won’t be judged for it. It is having the flexibility to log off early when you genuinely don’t have the capacity to push through another meeting. It is having compassionate leave when something in your personal life needs your attention, because sometimes you simply cannot separate being a person from being an employee. It is having someone on the other end of a call ask, “How is your child doing?” and wanting to know the answer too.

How We Support Mental Health at Rock Paper Scissors

And in Rock Paper Scissors, these are some of the things we are trying to build into the way we work. After a survey with our employees, mental health support was something we knew we wanted to prioritise. Today, all our full-time employees have access to Plum’s mental healthcare support, and that support extends to their parents, spouse and siblings too. Because mental health doesn’t start and end when you open your laptop, and the people we care about outside of work are a part of the lives we bring into work with us.

Our compassionate leave policy is another small but meaningful part of this. It comes from understanding that there are moments in life when personal wellbeing needs to come before work. Whether someone is dealing with a difficult situation at home, a personal loss, or simply needs time to be there for their loved ones, we want them to have that space without feeling guilty about stepping away. Because valuing our people also means recognising that their lives and responsibilities extend far beyond their work.

And sometimes, it is not even about taking an entire day off. It is about having the freedom to step away in the middle of one. At Rock Paper Scissors, employees can call out an “Away From Keyboard” (AFK) break for their stated personal reasons when they need some time during the day. It could be to attend to something at home, take a breather, or simply deal with a day that feels a little heavier than usual. We don’t want people to feel they must sit through every difficult moment just because it falls within working hours. Sometimes, a little time away is all someone needs to come back feeling better.

Why It Matters More When You Work Remotely

I think this becomes even more important when you work remotely. When you sit beside someone every day, you might notice that they look tired, that they are quieter than usual, or that something just seems a little off. When you work through a screen, you might only see their name on a call and a green dot beside it. There is so much of someone’s life that we simply don’t get to see.

That is why I think mental health at work is also about paying attention to the little things. Noticing changes in someone’s behaviour. Checking in without immediately asking about a deadline. Giving someone some room when they need it. And sometimes, being honest about our own difficult days. Vulnerability has a funny way of making space for other people to be vulnerable too. When someone sees that they can say, “I’m struggling,” without being treated differently, it makes it a little easier for the next person to say it too.

Making Room for Everyday Stories

For me, that is what this year’s theme is really about. Not just hearing the big stories, but making room for the everyday ones too. The colleague who is having a difficult week. The manager who is quietly overwhelmed. The person who needs to log off a little early. The employee who finally decides to book that therapy session. The person who just needs someone to listen for five minutes.

Mental Health Day isn’t just about the post we put up on one day of the year. It is a day to pause, recognise it and remind ourselves to carry that awareness into the rest of the year.

We will never know everything the person on the other side of our screen is carrying. But we can make sure they know there is someone they can go to.

Because sometimes mental health support is a policy or a benefit. Sometimes it is simply noticing, listening and making someone feel seen.

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