Stronger together: supporting mental health
We recognise the crucial role that mental health plays in the overall wellbeing of our employees and communities, which is why we are committed to creating a supportive and open environment for all. In 2024, we significantly advancedour efforts to support the mental health of our employees as we were certified as a “See Change” workplace, recognising our commitment to training managers and employees, opening up conversations about mental health, and providing support to our people.
In collaboration with our union partners, and a dedicated team of 40 mental health volunteers from across An Post, we developed a Mental Health Support Policy and Discussion Guide. The policy launch featured inspiring talks from mental health advocates Brent Pope and Barbara Brennan. We also introduced “Misneach” as part of the “Elephant in the Room” movement to encourage open conversations about mental health. “Misneach”, meaning courage in Irish, symbolises faith, hope, and encouragement, has already travelled to many of our sites across Ireland. Additionally, over 900 employees participated in live mental health sessions throughout the year, and more than 400 employees engaged one-on-one at sites across the country to promote the new policy. We also hosted a live session with Aware on World Suicide Prevention Day, featuring insights from Dr. Susan Brannick aimed to foster an open and compassionate dialogue about suicide.
To mark Mental Health Awareness Month, we launched two new stamps and proudly sponsored the Mental Health Matters video series (please insert hyperlink over video series - https://www.mentalhealthmatters.ie/publications), which is freely available to everyone in Ireland. This initiative is part of our wider efforts to support positive mental health in our communities.
