​This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW) focuses on the benefits of staying active for a healthier, happier life.

The programme, ‘Movement: Moving more for our mental health’, which takes place from May 13th to May 19th, is on behalf of the Mental Health Foundation.

This year’s theme encourages colleagues to build movement into their working day to reduce anxiety and stress which is known to improve workplace focus and productivity.

As a company that places employee welfare at the top of its agenda, dry mortar specialist CPI EuroMix is a keen advocate of this year’s MHAW campaign. Only last month did they undertake a charitable event forMarie Curie, where colleagues were encouraged to run, walk, cycle, swim and row to raise money for this amazing charity.

Pen Le Kelly, Communication and Engagement Manager at CPI, said: “Colleague safety and wellbeing is our number one priority, so any initiative promoting the need to for greater awareness in this respect gets our support. Thanks to Mental Health Awareness Week and other national campaigns, matters of the mind are taken much more seriously. We all have everyday stresses and strains to deal with, but left unresolved they can into something more negatively impactful for the individual. Due to the physical demands, construction-based colleagues are particularly susceptible to mental health issues. It is why CPI EuroMix has a long-term colleague wellbeing strategy in place; it is integral to a positive and productive work environment.”

CPI’s wellbeing strategy is constructed around four pillars: physical; mental and social; financial, and workplace. Company initiatives include ‘Start the Conversation’ training, in which all colleagues are encouraged to think and talk about good mental health. CPI EuroMix has also assigned mental health first aiders at each of its nine manufacturing sites. In addition, CPI’s Employee Assistance Programme ensures all colleagues have free, 24/7 access to counselling and support services.

The need for a campaign highlighting the positive mental outcomes from daily physical activity is well-founded. Mental Health Foundation research revealed 56% of people found that exercising regularly helped them to alleviate stress and prevent burnout.

Following the success of its four pillars strategy and additional initiatives, CPI is planning further training programmes to consolidate its focus on colleague wellbeing.

Pen continued: “The feedback from staff regarding our mental health wellness programmes has been phenomenal. Coming together to talk about this type of issue is a first step to providing peace of mind to people suffering from stress or anxiety. Hence, as a responsible employer, we see it as our duty to create a workplace where colleagues feel listened to and supported at all times.”