Business must tackle mental health

All businesses must do more to tackle the growing challenge of mental health in the workplace, Alisa King, chief client officer, Marsh, told attendees at a lunch run by the broker at Airmic, titled ‘Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace’.

She noted that some commentators have suggested that mental health has the potential to be the next global epidemic, and each of us has a role to play in ending any stigma around mental ill-health.

“By sharing experiences, we can help change and promote a greater understanding that mental health issues can affect anyone,” King said.

An estimated one in four people will experience some form of mental health issue in any given year and 676 million people are affected worldwide.

King introduced the event’s guest speaker Gareth Thomas, who became the first openly gay professional rugby player in 2009. He is now a campaigner for mental health and a motivational speaker.

Thomas spoke of the journey he has been on, describing how embracing core values of dedication, sacrifice and enjoyment ensured he reached the pinnacle of sport, achieving every honour and accolade possible in a remarkable career.

But he was also living a lie about his sexuality, which caused him to have huge personal challenges. He described coming out and the many positives that have occurred since as a result.

Thomas stressed that he never wanted to become a figurehead of change in sport but that is now the position he finds himself in. He noted that being gay remains illegal in many countries involved in competitive international sport including Qatar, which is hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Things need to change, he said.