At Karndean Designflooring, based in Evesham, the organisation identified a need to strengthen mental health support across its workforce. Employee feedback, internal discussions, absence trends and engagement with employees and managers highlighted the importance of creating a culture where people feel more comfortable talking about mental health and know where to turn when they need support. In a fast-paced working environment, Karndean recognised that accessible, proactive support could make an important difference to employee wellbeing.
With support from Worcestershire County Council Public Health’s Workplace and Employee Wellbeing Grant, Karndean was able to build on its existing approach to wellbeing by developing greater mental health knowledge and capability within its own workforce. The focus was not simply on providing a one-off activity, but on giving employees practical skills, creating trusted points of contact and helping to make conversations about mental wellbeing a normal part of working life.
The grant supported Mental Health First Aid training delivered by St John Ambulance, with 11 employees successfully completing the training and becoming certified Mental Health First Aiders. Karndean also arranged specialist workshops with Mind focusing on men’s mental health and menopause and mental health, extending the opportunity for employees to understand different wellbeing issues and access practical information and support.
The Mental Health First Aiders are now better equipped to recognise when a colleague may need support, provide an initial point of contact and confidently signpost people towards appropriate internal or external help. Karndean hopes this increased knowledge and visibility will encourage earlier conversations, help reduce stigma and give employees greater confidence in the support available to them.
Feedback from the Mental Health First Aid training was particularly positive. Of those providing feedback, the course received 95.8% favourable ratings, with an average score of 4.56 out of 5. Participants consistently agreed or strongly agreed that the course was relevant, clearly explained, supported by helpful materials and something they would recommend to others. As one participant put it:
“Great trainer, great course, would recommend course to others.”
The project has also generated some valuable learning. Karndean recognised that employees can have different levels of confidence when talking about mental health and that training people alone is not enough. For the approach to have a lasting impact, employees need to understand who the Mental Health First Aiders are, how they can help and where additional support can be found.
That learning is now shaping the next stage of the project. Karndean’s HR team is developing a consistent organisation-wide framework for its Mental Health First Aiders, including clear guidance, processes and ongoing support for employees undertaking the role. The Mental Health First Aider team is also looking to run a workshop for employees explaining their role, how they can support colleagues and how they will help lead future wellbeing activity and conversations across the business.
By investing in skills within its own workforce and putting the structures around those skills to make them effective, Karndean is creating a longer-term network of mental health support. The result is not simply a group of trained employees, but a foundation for open conversations, earlier support and a workplace culture where wellbeing is prioritised.
Find out more at: Workplace Employee Wellbeing Grants | Worcestershire County Council.