Suffolk Mind and East of England Co-op announce ground-breaking collaboration

Building on a relationship that has been growing over the last few years, Suffolk Mind and the East of England Co-op announce a ground-breaking collaboration that the two organisations believe will break new ground in retail sector wellbeing.

Like all employers, the East of England Co-op want to provide the best support possible for their colleagues in the region’s largest independent retailer. The Coronavirus pandemic, subsequent lockdowns and the new ways we are all doing business have presented extra pressures and strains for everyone.

The new collaboration will see Suffolk Mind embed an employee with the East of England Co-op team for two years, initially, to support colleague wellbeing and help develop a new, organisation-wide strategy to prevent mental ill health from occurring.

Doug Field, Joint Chief Executive of the East of England Co-operative, said: “Colleague safety and wellbeing is our top priority.  We recognise we need to do more to help our colleagues and working with Suffolk Mind on this ground-breaking collaboration will be a great leap forward”

Jon Neal, Chief Executive of Suffolk Mind, added: “The East of England Co-op has always been supportive of Suffolk Mind and our colleagues in other local Minds in the region.

“This new collaboration will see a member of our team embedded within the organisation, ensuring colleagues know about the support available to them, as well as training teams to be able to look after themselves and those around them better. They will improve skills to ensure managers feel more confident, equipped and empowered to support mental health at work.”

Suffolk Mind uses a particular approach to mental health called the Emotional Needs & Resources approach. This encourages employers to create workplaces that enable people to meet emotional needs like Control, Security, Attention and Community.

Jon Neal continued: “There is always more we can all do in enabling people to meet their emotional needs. Whether it’s creating space for people to get away from distractions, or encouraging teams to work together, the approach we use can help identify areas of strength and opportunities for improvement.”

For more details about the new role, click here.