How is your First Aider doing?
Julia Davies
Having Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) in the workplace is becoming just as important as having physical first aiders, and for good reason. Work can be stressful, fast-paced, and sometimes overwhelming, and having someone trained to spot the early signs of mental distress can make a huge difference. MHFAs offer a friendly, confidential ear and can guide colleagues towards the right support before things get too heavy. Their presence helps break down the stigma around mental health, creating a culture where people feel more comfortable opening up rather than bottling things up.
It’s also important to remember that Mental Health First Aiders are people too. They need time in their schedules to properly engage with colleagues, listen without rushing, and support them in a meaningful way. This role can be emotionally demanding, so MHFAs also need opportunities for respite, reflection, and support themselves. When businesses acknowledge this, the role becomes far more sustainable—and much more effective.
It’s also important to remember that Mental Health First Aiders are people too. They need time in their schedules to properly engage with colleagues, listen without rushing, and support them in a meaningful way. This role can be emotionally demanding, so MHFAs also need opportunities for respite, reflection, and support themselves. When businesses acknowledge this, the role becomes far more sustainable—and much more effective.
So how can a business actually measure the benefits? Traditional key indicators like sickness absence linked to stress or mental health, employee engagement scores, and staff turnover can be insightful but rarely cover the full story.
Therefore gather feedback directly from staff —ask whether they feel supported, whether they know who the MHFAs are, and if they feel comfortable reaching out. Remember to have a variety of First Aiders from different genders and ages, to different backgrounds and departments. You can also check how often wellbeing resources are being used. Finally involve your First Aiders. They will have ideas and see gaps that can help you to provide a more effective well-being plan with the cherry on top being it all tends to make your business more effective too!