October 10th is World Mental Health Day. Since 1992, this day has been an opportunity to highlight the importance of mental health with the overall goal to not only bring awareness to these issues, but also to bring people together to make a lasting change through connection. This year’s theme from the World Federation for Mental Health is, “It is Time to Prioritize Mental Health in the Workplace.” One of KL Engineering’s deeply held values is that our employees’ mental health and wellness stay at the forefront of what we do. Our company founder Kim Lobdell mentioned this at our most recent quarterly staff meeting. “We’ve had quite a bit of conversation about mental health and the resources that we provide as a company. It is a very uncomfortable topic for a lot of people, but I want to emphasize that we understand.” Sometimes, issues at home or personal mental health struggles can interfere with our work. “In your personal life, things can be complicated. The key to getting help with any kind of mental health issue is admitting to yourself that you need help. That is often the hardest part for people to access resources that they need. Even if it feels minor, if you think something is wrong, I encourage you to take care of yourself.”
KL does more than just talk about supporting one another. Not only do we have Employee Assistance Programs in place–confidential support in things ranging from emotional wellness to coping with substance abuse and grief–but staff have also taken opportunities to educate themselves on how to help others in crisis. In June, team members Shannon and Tiffany attended a training to assist folks who are going through a mental health crisis. “What was great about this training was that it gives you the knowledge that can make people more comfortable talking to people who might be struggling with mental illness. We were provided with an action plan in order to respond and identify when someone is having a potential mental health or substance use challenge,” Tiffany said about the training. The action plan takes the fear and hesitation out of starting the conversation that could save someone’s life and encourage them to get professional help. “In the training we were taught to recognize the signs and symptoms might easily go unnoticed without the training. I feel more prepared to safely and responsibly offer support and even recommend professional help if that’s ultimately what someone needs.” The idea around the training was to give mental health first aid providers tools to assist people before something turns into a crisis. “We connect, respond, and help people get the support they need.”
Details from this training can be found at www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org and have been passed to point people in our offices so that people can start these tough conversations before things become dire. These resources help us to live our company values and help one another through challenging times.
