Stress at Work

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Returning to work with confidence after extended time off

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Returning to work with confidence after extended time off

Returning to work after extended leave can bring up a real mix of emotions.

Whether you have been away because of illness, bereavement, caring responsibilities, parental leave, burnout, mental health concerns, redundancy, a career break or another life event, returning to work can feel like stepping back into a world that has carried on without you.

There may be new systems, new people, new priorities, new expectations or simply a lot of information to absorb. At the same time, there can be quiet pressure to appear “fine”, “back to normal” or able to pick up exactly where you left off.

But returning well is not about proving you can cope immediately. It is about giving yourself enough clarity, support and realistic expectations to find your way back gradually.

Here, guest writer Trisha Gudka shares how to build your confidence, energy, and manage the mental load through small, actionable steps.

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How to start a conversation about mental health at work

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How to start a conversation about mental health at work

Today marks Time to Talk Day, a day recognised by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness in support of ending the stigma that still surrounds mental health.

While we’ve come a long way in taking mental health issues seriously, sadly there is still a stigma attached to the term ‘mental health’. Whether that’s in the form of embarrassment, shame or denial, the reality is it can prevent individuals from either acknowledging their own mental health concerns, or talking about it openly with others.

Particularly in the workplace, it can feel difficult to be vulnerable and open up in a psychologically safe, supported space, as this is deeply dependent on the surrounding workplace culture.

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How to create a burnout prevention strategy for your workplace

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How to create a burnout prevention strategy for your workplace

Have you thought about how your organisation could benefit from implementing a burnout prevention strategy? There is certainly a strong business case for investing the time to do this, alongside wider initiatives that support employee wellbeing.

Did you know that in the UK alone, 1 in 5 people report experiencing a common mental health problem (such as anxiety and depression) in any given week? Additionally, a HSE Report cites that approximately 16.4 million working days were lost in 2023/24 due to work-related stress, depression, or anxiety. Furthermore, better mental health support at work can save UK businesses up to 8 billion annually.

How can you make a meaningful change happen in your workplace? The good news is, it can start with just one person, no matter your level of seniority, and here’s how you can get started.

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How to help a friend who is struggling with their mental health

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How to help a friend who is struggling with their mental health

Supporting a loved one through mental health challenges can feel overwhelming, however even small gestures can make a meaningful difference. If you're wondering how to help a friend with mental health concerns, the most important thing you can do is show up with patience, kindness and an open mind. You don’t need to have all the answers — listening and offering a safe space can go a long way.

Whether your friend is experiencing anxiety, depression or another challenge, learning how to help a friend with mental health problems can ensure you offer the right kind of support while also taking care of yourself.

Ahead of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week, in which the national theme is “Community”, this week guest writer Beth Rush returns for her fourth article for Calmer, sharing an overview of different mental health conditions, effective communication strategies to help a friend in need, and practical ways to offer them support.

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Why organisations that prioritise mental health at work are winning

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Why organisations that prioritise mental health at work are winning

What does it mean to you to meaningfully invest in mental health at work?

There are so many ways to look at this, and organisations are increasingly recognising their responsibility to address mental health in the workplace.

For us, it means going beyond offering the occasional wellness webinar or posting about mental health awareness on social media. It involves embedding mental health awareness, education and support into an organisation's culture, team dynamics, and leadership structure - as one of our long-term valued clients Rickard Luckin puts it, embedding wellbeing “into the DNA of our firm”.

Last month, our team launched our brand new online course for senior leaders and managers: Managers introduction to mental health at work. We are so excited to add this product to our roster of services and support as many people as possible through this accessible training. All drawn from our years of live training experience, coming across the most pressing issues and questions raised in our sessions about managing mental health at work, we are beyond proud to create this set of bite-sized training modules.

To mark this product launch, we interviewed our founder and director, Tania Diggory, to dive into how mental health education has evolved over the years, debunk mental health myths, and explore why workplace mental health training is more pertinent now than ever before.