BT workers learn how to de-stress

Telecoms giant BT has collaborated with unions and mental health charities to launch a major programme promoting good mental health across the company.

The "Work fit - positive mentality" initiative is part of a wider BT programme launched last year in an effort to improve employees' health and fitness and raise their life expectancy. The mental health element of the programme will focus on tackling problems such as stress among BT's 104,000 employees worldwide.

The campaign was drawn up with the communications unions Connect and the CWU, and has the support of mental health charities Mind and the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health.

The CWU said that, while BT and the unions had done much to promote mental health in recent years, it was still the case that around 500 of the company's workers were off work sick every day with problems such as stress, depression and anxiety.

The programme shows how regular exercise, healthy eating and relaxation techniques can help avert mental ill health. And employees will be educated to help reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness.

CWU deputy general secretary Jeannie Drake described the initiative as "excellent". Connect general secretary Adrian Askew said it was important for employers to "take their fair share of responsibility" for ensuring that work is not a contributory factor to mental health problems, and added: "We are pleased BT is working with Connect to find ways of preventing and dealing with problems in this area."