Welcome to the new episode of The Front Desk podcast. Today, you can meet our guest, a mental health advocate, Andy Bishop. Andy is the Founder of ManGang, which he describes as "a safe environment where men can talk openly without a fear of judgment." For Andy, mental health is one of the most vital aspects employers often underestimate, which leads to anxiety, depression, and stress workers feel.
Andy believes that mental health is equally important as physical health and should be treated like that. He suggests that companies should conduct mental health and safety training from time to time to reduce the risk of anxiety and depression in their workers.
Our guest points out the problem faced by the construction industry, a male-dominated field where people are afraid of expressing their feelings and speaking about them because they are expected to behave a certain way. Unfortunately, this leads to further issues, including suicide.
Investing in health awareness campaigns, training, and employees' wellbeing, is key to establishing a healthy work environment. Besides, "companies that invest in their people in this way can expect pretty big returns on investment."
Guest-at-a-Glance
💡 Name: Andy Bishop
💡 What he does: Andy is the Founder of ManGang
💡 Company: ManGang
💡 Noteworthy: Before he founded ManGang, Andy Bishop used to work full-time as a health and safety consultant. Therefore, he is fully aware of the role mental health plays in a person's professional and private life.
💡 Where to find Andy: LinkedIn | Twitter
This episode of The Front Desk was brought to you by The Little Green Button - The original on-screen panic button software designed to keep staff safe. Reassurance that a helping hand is just a click away.