Association Voice
A
lthough Christmas can sometimes
feel like a race, I encourage you
to pause for a break in the midst of all
the parties, planning and last-minute
shopping.
The spirit of the season is about
togetherness; looking out for the people
around us – friends, family or your old
aged neighbour who’s alone this year.
So, when was the last time you
checked in on the people you spend so
much of your time with - your ‘event
family’?
As event professionals, we go the extra
mile because we care. But many of us
have also become accustomed to long
hours – one report suggested that on
average, event professionals were likely
to work more than “25, 809 hours longer
than the average person over an average
working life span”. *
We are also working at a pace perhaps
unknown to many other industries.
Of course, it’s not without reward but
there’s no denying our work has the
potential to consume us.
These factors, among others, can take
their toll on our wellbeing.
In recent times, mental health and
wellbeing have rocketed up the events
agenda, with some organisers sending
members of staff on Mental Health First
Aid (MHFA) courses or some level of
mental health awareness training.
At Angus Montgomery, human
resources director Zinnia Angus is
leading the way on mental health
initiatives, with a primary focus on
raising awareness among managers.
Most of their managers have been given
mental health training, with a view to
rolling it out to all staff.
Managers reported the training
had helped them support employees
suffering from more ‘mild’ mental
health conditions. It also increased
awareness of their own wellbeing
and the importance of looking
after themselves.
But how do we cultivate
environments where
employees feel they can talk
openly about mental
38 — December
Merry
Christmas?
Have yourself a mindful
little Christmas: promoting
wellbeing during the
festive season and beyond
By Carmen Searle,
marketing manager, AEO
“The spirit of the
season is about
togetherness;
looking out
for the people
around us”
health?
Zinnia suggested that honesty and
transparency among more senior
members of staff was a good starting
point, having suffered from anxiety and
burn-out in the past herself.
One of their managing directors has
also shared their experiences of panic
attacks.
It’s important for that understanding
to come from the top down to reaffirm
how common – and human – it is to talk
about it.
Members of the cross-association**
HR Working Group acknowledge there
is lots of work to be done, advocating
to diminish the tickbox mentality and
opt for implementing programmes that
can really promote change and make a
difference for staff and their wellbeing.
Samantha Massey, project manager
at Reed Exhibitions said the company’s
preventative measures include
meditation, a book club, learning a
foreign language, litter pick-ups, team
sports and more - each designed to
enhance overall employee wellbeing.
For Reed Exhibitions, in addition to
the mental health training programmes,
building a community of volunteers
has been a big part of their initiative
to drive a culture of support and
understanding.
Like Angus Montgomery, Reed has
also prioritised mental health awareness
training, with a view to having 60 of
their managers trained in the awareness
course by the end of 2020.
Ultimately, good mental health is a
journey with ups and downs and there is
no quick fix.
So, why not start by taking regular
moments this festive season to check
in on yourself and those around you? In
the meantime, we wish you a peaceful
Christmas and mindful new year.
*2019 Stress Matters Report**This group is
made up of members from the Association
of Event Venues (AEV), Association
of Event Organisers (AEO) and Event
Supplier and Services Association (ESSA).