World Mental Health Day 2024: What is a Wellness Action Plan?

With 875,000 people suffering from work-related stress, depression and anxiety in 2022/231, implementing preventative and effective support for mental health and general wellbeing in the workplace and beyond, is imperative. In this article, Jennifer Barr, Associate Chiropractor and BCA Communications Committee Member, explores Wellness Action Plans for World Mental Health Day. This year’s theme, set by the World Federation of Mental Health is, “It’s time to prioritise mental health in the workplace”.  

What is a Wellness Action Plan?

A Wellness Action Plan is a self-management and recovery tool, involving a bespoke strategy for improving physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. This plan outlines an individual’s goals, actions and potential resources or support required for promoting overall health.

Examples of what is included in an individual’s plan include exercise and diet advice, as well as stress management tips amongst other lifestyle suggestions. It can also include a plan for seeking medical attention when necessary.

A Wellness Action Plan also brings awareness to an individual’s personal mental health and wellbeing needs, factors that contribute to mental ill health in their case, signs and symptoms that indicate that they may be struggling and the type of support they would benefit from (including when, how and who from).

Guide for Employees: Wellness Action Plans (WAPs) – Mind Charity

What is the aim of a Wellness Action Plan?

Predominantly, the aim is to empower individuals to self-manage their wellbeing but also provide support in order to help them make achievable and sustainable lifestyle changes for a healthier life.

It also allows for suggestions of how support can be given in the workplace. This can include:

  • Manageable work times and breaks.
  • Highlighting and preventing triggers of stress.
  • Policies and procedures that outline a course of action when someone feels unwell.
  • Agreed review dates of the plan to ensure that what has been put in place is working.

Additionally, the plan should allow for preventative and early intervention which sets out tools for the individual and an agreed plan on how they wish to be supported.

What is the benefit of a Wellness Action Plan?

A good Wellness Action Plan has the individual’s wellbeing at the forefront. In doing so, the plan should be bespoke and individualised. Therefore, it provides the best possible environment to prevent and minimise mental ill health in the workplace, as well as a suitable and effective plan for support if an individual is struggling.

In addition, it opens up the conversation of mental health between managers and their teams/employees which in turn benefits the whole workforce and potentially the business.

By implementing an official plan with subsequent policies and procedures, workplaces positively shift the culture surrounding mental health.

Where can I find a Wellness Action Plan Template?

You can access a variety of templates online. Mind, the mental health charity, has a range of brilliant resources to include information on what a Wellness Action Plan is, how to get started, how to use it, tips for staying well at work and an example template.

 

References:

1 HSE (2023). Health and safety at work. [online] Available at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/assets/docs/hssh2223.pdf [Accessed 10 Sep. 2024].