Indy agency group The Specialist Works has hired integrative psychotherapist Isabella Barrand as mental health and wellbeing specialist, a newly created role.
Barrand, who starts immediately, will offer counselling to employees and shape the group’s wider mental health and wellbeing strategy. She will also provide company-wide resilience training on topics like prioritising self-care, spotting the warning signs of poor mental health, managing stress and coping with change.
“I want our people to be happy and their mental health is a massive part of that,” said Parry Jones, deputy CEO at The Specialist Works Group. “The growing mental health crisis is, in my mind, the hidden pandemic that Covid has only exacerbated.”
Jones continued: “We thought long and hard about what we could do to help our people, which led us to create this role. We hope that by having Isabella in the business, our people will feel more comfortable speaking to someone they can get to know and trust, but importantly someone who’s qualified to help. I believe that this is a role every business should consider having. It’s the right thing to do.”
According to the agency, it sought to create the new role after witnessing concerning trends in its fortnightly employee wellbeing surveys, mirroring data recorded by the Office for National Statistics which saw last year’s average rating of anxiety in the UK at its highest level since records began.
The Specialist Works will measure success through qualitative and quantitative employee surveys in the short-term and retention in the longer-term.
Barrand joins from Richard House Children’s Hospice, where she delivered counselling services to those experiencing bereavement, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety and stress.
Commenting on her appointment, Barrand added: “My desire to join The Specialist Works Group was centred around the progressive and proactive nature of the role. While many businesses talk a good game when it comes to mental health, this business showed that it’s fully invested in employees’ wellbeing. It’s brilliant to see a company view employees as people rather than just cogs and I’m excited to play my part in creating a happier and healthier workforce.”
