“There is still so much more we can do to ensure that our teams feel safe and motivated”

Unachievable sales targets, ‘first in, last out’ mentalities, and ridiculing of attire have been a mainstay of my time in the industry.

Being made to feel fearful of losing your job is also something I could never get my head around.

However, I do think we, like the rest of society, are moving in the right direction. At Grand Union Finance, we take both mental and physical health very seriously. 

We implement a 60% rule, meaning that if any of our staff believe they have reached over 60% of their capacity, we ensure they let us know and we make strides to ensure they are not overloaded, as this stress has — in my experience — the worst effect on someone’s mental health.

I talk weekly with my team about how they are feeling and if there is anything that me or my management team can do to support them more. We also place a huge amount of importance on rest and what we call active recovery, which might be something like attending a networking event, or reading a thought-provoking book. I have sent my team many books over the years that can help stimulate them mentally. 

Mental health has had a light shone on it more recently, but there is still so much more we can do to ensure that our teams feel safe and motivated, which plays such a massive role in avoiding overwhelm and stress.