Mental Health in the Workplace with Geoff McDonald

Flourish and Thrive Ep 10: Mental Health in the Workplace with Geoff McDonald

In this episode of the Flourish and Thrive radio show, Kate Hartley interviews Geoff McDonald, Executive Director of Open Minds Health and co-founder of the Minds At Work Movement. Geoff’s purpose in life is to ensure that everyone in the workplace feels they have the choice to put their hand up and ask for help if they’re suffering from anxiety and depression at work.

Geoff is a global advocate and campaigner for good mental health in the workplace. He has advised on the Royals “Heads Together” campaign, has consulted with David Cameron while he was Prime Minister and has worked with Pope Francis to help create a more inclusive and sustainable economy.

Plus, in the episode:

• The importance of finding one’s purpose in life as well as looking after our physical, mental and emotional health.
• Ways we can help to break down the stigma within the workplace as an employee and as an employer.
• How to create sustainable change regarding attitudes around mental health in the workplace.
• The three key considerations to create transformation in the workplace:

1. Encourage education around mental health awareness for all employees.
2. Organisations need to improve their internal communication around mental health and encourage senior people in the organisation to share their mental health stories.
3. Introduce, support and promote mindfulness practices for all employees.

More about Geoff McDonald:

Geoff co-founded the Minds At Work movement which started approximately 18 months ago.  At the first meeting, there were 14 of them and it has now grown to over 850 individuals!  Industry leaders share stories of their own mental health challenges.  Step by step, Geoff is starting to change the way we regard mental health in the workplace.

Geoff has just recently returned from cycling from Land’s End to John O ‘Groats to raise money to help break the stigma and raise awareness of mental health issues in the workplace.

Geoff’s favourite quote is:

“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” Mark Twain

Geoff says we can all give to this world and leave it in a better pace if we work out why we were born.

For more on Geoff, visit:

Website: www.OpenMindsHealth.com

Twitter: @geoffmcdonald1