The London Ritz
Background
Hospitality has statistically higher levels of mental health issues than the average, due to its fast-paced and customer-facing nature, which can be draining for those struggling with mental health. Staff at the luxury high-end establishment is expected to uphold the highest standards of customer service, an additional strain which can take its toll. The London Ritz wanted to provide as much mental health support as possible for its employees to equip them with the knowledge and training needed to feel safe and comfortable in their roles.
Solution
Red Umbrella was initially approached by The London Ritz to provide Mental Health First Aid training, recognising the importance of having mental health first aiders throughout the organisation. Following the initial MHFA training, the business also purchased Carecoins to provide counselling and therapy sessions for staff in need, adding an extra level of support. The anonymous nature of the service helped employees feel comfortable in coming forward to seek help when needed.
Red Umbrella also completed specific line manager training for its staff, helping them feel qualified to support their teams through what has been a significant period of change for the organisation. We also carried out suicide awareness training for some of its mental health first aiders, so they could be better equipped to support colleagues. Suicide levels are higher in hospitality than the national average, making this additional training important for the organisation. Additionally, Red Umbrella completed a neurodiversity awareness training course to allow line managers and HR staff to build up their knowledge and understanding of the topic to better support employees who are neurodiverse. Further, we completed a stress awareness training day for line managers to highlight the steps they can take to proactively prevent stress in the workplace and provide support to anyone struggling.
Results
Red Umbrella helped the business identify key areas where additional support was required as well as potential risks, and then put relevant training in place to mitigate those risks and empower employees. The London Ritz now goes above and beyond to not only provide the basics of Mental Health First Aid training, but also to offer staff a wealth of additional mental wellbeing resources.
