Year on year January brings with it mixed emotions for many of us. We have this expectation that we need to plan for the year ahead, be better than the year before and know exactly what path we’re taking. For some, this is the case but for a large percentage of the population, new year can bring with it anxiety and nervousness, which is further exaggerated by the current pandemic, working from home and social media – the list goes on!

Speaking to colleagues at Eton Bridge Partners, there have been positive and negative periods over the last 24 months and some commented that focusing on their mental health has been incredibly important to help get through the difficult times.

For me, exercise and connecting with others and nature is key for mental wellbeing and help with sleep. Whether that be an individual gym session, group classes to socialise with others, running with a friend, lunchtime walks; or ensuring they can prioritise some form of exercise every day.

I’m proud to say Eton Bridge Partners Wellbeing team is growing and we’re pleased to be able to support our team with the flexibility and supporting individual needs. Olivia Sharp wrote this blog just before the pandemic, focussing on; Mental Health in the workplace: it’s the little things that make a big difference.

As a team, Eton Bridge has some amazing initiatives in place all year round to make sure our people are supported.  In this blog, we’d like to highlight some of the initiatives that we’re continuing and offer tips from individuals across EBP on how they’re coping with January and working from home. I hope that you find something helpful for you or your business.

Top Tips from the team at EBP for beating the January blues:

EBP Buddy System

At Eton Bridge, we are all about people – we pride ourselves on building  strong, personal relationships with our teams and across the wider organisation. Before joining Eton Bridge Partners every new starter is allocated a ‘buddy’ within the business who is there for the new team member to make sure that they  are quickly integrated and connected with the business and they have a close point of contact when starting out.

We bring our whole selves to work

From the photo wall in our break out area displaying individual achievements, to the additional summer leave we’re given to encourage personal ‘me’ time, the firm really focuses in on those small things that make a big difference.

Flexible working

We are actively encouraged to switch off when not at work, and to work flexibly in a way that fits with our individual lifestyles. It is rare to find a lunchtime when one or more of our team are not setting off to the gym, a walk or a swim.

Walkie Talkies

Throughout lockdown we were encouraged to take walking meetings as opposed to sitting on a Teams call. Not only was this great for our wellbeing as we could get out in the fresh air, but we got to see people in person (from a distance) in a time where you could sit at your desk all day and only taken 100 steps!  This has now been fully adopted and even when in the office, we will regularly see colleagues going out for walks together rather than sitting in a coffee shop.

Gestures of gratitude

I’ve never received so many hampers and little thank you gifts in such a short period of time! Even before starting, a beautiful box of goodies arrived at Easter which put a huge smile on my face. EBP really makes you feel special and united in celebrating personal achievements and milestones as well as successes within the business.

Giving back

At Eton Bridge, we have a dedicated “giving back team”. We participate in activities like community giving, fundraising and challenges as a team. Last year we organised a whole company walk to raise money for Young Minds and were all given a charity day off to participate; Ageing bodies get moving for Young Minds.

It’s another chance to work and spend time together as a team and connect with each other in a different way whilst having the time and opportunity to give back to the community.

A safe place to talk

Alongside the Employee Assistance programme, EBP recognised the importance of people having a confidential and safe place to talk. They have invested in training people from across the business to become Mental Health First Aiders to help normalise the conversation around mental health.