INCLUSION PRIORITY AREA
Mental and physical wellbeing
Improving wellbeing is vital to our inclusive culture. We invest in mental and physical wellbeing initiatives to prevent health problems.
Our wellbeing priorities
1.
Reduce the stigma surrounding mental health
and ensure our people are well supported and equipped to deal with any mental health challenges.
2.
Raise awareness of visible and invisible disabilities
and ensure appropriate measures are in place to create an accessible, safe, and user-friendly environment for all our colleagues.
3.
Promote wellness
as an important aspect of our community to help our people stay happy and healthy.
Wellbeing is a subject close to my heart and I'm pleased to be working with a team that is equally as committed as I am to ensuring we continue building on our successes. I'd like us to be leading these important conversations and acting both as a member of the legal profession and in wider society.
Laurence Lieberman
Wellbeing Partner
Emma Jordan
Wellbeing Partner
Mental health is fundamentally important to all of our wellbeing and is sadly underprioritised in our industry. We all struggle with challenging times, in our professional and private lives and all of these have an impact on our mental health. Giving support to ensure good mental health and asking for help when you need it is a strength, not a weakness and I believe we can all be better at that.
Mindful Business Charter
In October 2021 the UK Executive Board signed the Mindful Business Charter, reinforcing our longstanding commitment to mental health and wellbeing. The Mindful Business Charter is a commitment to healthier, more effective ways of working designed to reduce avoidable stress, promote wellbeing and improve mental health. By adopting the Charter we're committing to help our people deliver excellence while removing avoidable workplace stress to help them feel happier, more valued, and positive at work.
Expanding support and training of mental health first aiders
We were among the first law firms to introduce dedicated mental health first aiders (MHFAs), and we've now offered refresher training to our team and created additional champions across all offices. We have over 60 people to support everyone in the UK. As an extension of this, we're now offering MHFAs access to additional funding to develop skills in relevant topics such as bereavement support this year.
In January 2019 we were the first law firm to give our people free premium access to Headspace to help embrace mindfulness. In the last year, we extended this access to our incoming students and graduates.
Talking mental health with Ruby Wax, OBE
Mental Health Awareness Week provided us with an opportunity to reflect on last year's theme of nature - something that had become an anchor to many of us during the challenges of our various lockdowns during the pandemic.
We arranged an event with Ruby Wax, OBE, Patron of the British Neuroscience Association, and mental health advocate, as our keynote speaker. 327 people attended the session, including 87 alumni and clients. Run as a virtual event, this enabled us to present the session to the families and loved ones of our colleagues and clients too. What's more, we planted a tree for each person who attended the session, giving back to nature in a tangible way through Trees for Cities.
Providing an in-house counselling service
The last two years have left everyone vulnerable to stress, burnout and depression given the strange and unpredictable impact of the pandemic and world events. Across the UK, we see a greater need for mental health intervention, yet the statutory services are overwhelmed.
In April 2021 we extended our in-house wellbeing services to include a new counselling service in addition to the existing GP and physio provision.
As the pandemic response shifts into a more hopeful phase, we must pay attention to any neglected aspects of our health. This remains a time of considerable challenges to every aspect of people’s lives – professionally and personally.
The ways we all live and work have changed, and the ways we provide healthcare have also changed. We're delighted by the success of phone and video consultations having been fully integrated into the GP service. And of course, Taylor Wessing people have retained the option of seeing us in-person on site at New Street Square, or at Harley Street as suits them best.
The firm has continued to be of such holistic support to everyone in its care, in particular through introducing ‘Change of Harley Street’ to provide easy-access in-house therapy and ensure psychological support is readily available to any in need.
Dr Samina Showghi
The Harley Street General Practice
This counselling service is funded by Taylor Wessing directly and is completely confidential. As a practice, all of us at Change of Harley Street have appreciated the way in which our relationship has grown with Taylor Wessing over the past year, allowing us to develop a sophisticated understanding of the psychological pressures staff face and how to support people in this context.
Victoria Jenkins
Clinical Director, Change of Harley Street
Addressing resilience
We marked Stress Awareness Month in April by welcoming back Dr Bill Mitchell for a new session on resilience. Over 150 of our people attended an uplifting virtual session to learn how to build and sustain resilience, with Bill sharing insight on how we can protect our energy and effectiveness as part of personal resilience.