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Exertis steps up DEI commitment
Distributor increases number of support groups available for staff and backs DEI efforts with a board appointment
Given the current political climate on the other side of the Atlantic, making a commitment to DEI is braver now than it has been in the past.
US firms have come under pressure from the Trump administration to cut DEI efforts, and many companies have watered down their commitments to diversity, equality and inclusion.
On this side of the Atlantic, the determination to support staff across the board has remained, and Exertis has doubled down on its DEI efforts with a significant board appointment and the introduction of more staff support groups.
The distributor has named Jo Lawrence, who has worked extensively in HR as its chief people and inclusion officer, as the firm increases support for DEI efforts.
“Our commitment to fostering a culture of inclusion where everyone can be their true self is unwavering,” she said. “We are proud of the external recognition we have received, and continue to champion a culture of dignity and respect where everyone feels valued, included and celebrated. Partnering with other businesses to share best practice has been invaluable as we continue to explore creative ways to enable all our colleagues to be the best they can be.”
At the same time, the distie has introduced two more support groups to help its employees – Fertility and Men’s, which were requested by staff. They will be added to a number of existing employee resource and support groups.
The channel player has a trained Mental Health First Aider Support Group and Women, Ethnicity and LGBTQIA+ Employee Resource Groups being set up. Last year, the Enable network (for neurodiverse and differently abled colleagues) launched, as well as a Menopause support group.
Safe spaces
Exertis views the groups as a way to provide staff with a safe space to share education and enable dialogue, working with Lawrence and colleagues to develop policies and processes.
The Exertis developments have happened against the backdrop of Mental Health Awareness Week, with firms across all sectors being encouraged to provide support for staff.
A recent Health and Safety Executive Labour Force Survey indicated that both men and women across the UK employment force were losing workdays because of mental health issues.
The survey indicated that 16.4 million working days were lost due to work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2023/24, with 776,000 workers suffering from mental health issues.
Last year, stress, depression or anxiety accounted for 46% of all work-related ill health, and 55% of all working days lost due to work-related ill health, according to the HSE.
Junaid Hussain, psychologist at online therapy service Manconfidence.co.uk, said firms needed to recognise the issues their staff were dealing with and provide the support that was needed.
“Employers need to create supportive and human-first environments, which could lead to less work-related stress and anxiety among their employees, and help all workers to feel comfortable addressing mental health concerns and the need for some time off work to properly deal with these issues,” he said.
“They should also recognise that lower absence rates among men don’t necessarily indicate better mental health. It might instead reflect reluctance to access support services or take time off. Workplace mental health initiatives need to specifically address these barriers while also supporting women, who are clearly experiencing significant mental health challenges.”
