DUNTON, UK – Did you know that March 14 is My Whole Self Day? Introduced by Mental Health First Aid England, My Whole Self brings together diversity and inclusion with health and wellbeing, and it encourages employers to create workplaces where everyone is able to bring their whole self to work.
Ford has been a proud supporter of My Whole Self for three years now. This year’s campaign has a special focus on giving managers the tools and skills they need to better help support people and organisations to thrive.
Andy Brinkworth, Credit Account Manager at Ford Credit, explains: “This is the third year that Ford Credit and Ford Motor Company has championed the My Whole Self campaign. We have seen it flourish from our team of MHFAiders® leading in the first year, who were then joined by our Mental Health Champions last year, supported by a dedicated SharePoint site, Yammer campaign and internal news articles to encourage engagement.
“Given People Leaders play a critical role in supporting their teams’ wellbeing, this year we are super excited that our Senior Leadership team will participate to help us expand the conversation even further.”
Last year, Ford invited colleagues from across Europe to show their support for My Whole Self Day by posting selfies on a dedicated Sharepoint site using #MyWholeSelfie. More than 200 people did just that, and now the company is inviting employees to do the same in 2023. To upload a selfie, click this link.
Mark Wilson, Mental Health and Wellbeing Manager at Ford said: “Each year that we support and grow My Whole Self, we grow as a team. This year we are encouraging our leaders to lead by example, to share their experiences, strengths and vulnerabilities and to embrace and encourage everyone to reflect and talk about their mental health.
“My Whole Self is a great tool for introspection, it empowers you to think about the values you have and the journey that you have been on. As a manager, honest and open discussions often lead to the greatest breakthroughs in helping teams be the best they can be. With the right support, training, and tools, managers can feel confident to have open conversations about mental health, promoting wellbeing and in turn productivity.”
Andy adds: “My Whole Self shouldn’t just be restricted to one day - although we love to see organisations taking part! It really is a culture change campaign and for that change to happen, organisations must consider the effectiveness of their mental health and wellbeing strategies they have in place, listen to teams and drive mental health higher up their agenda. Not just once a year, but every day.”