Measurably improving mental health

Organisations are increasingly looking to L&D to promote the mental wellbeing of their teams at work and in life. In order to see where progress is being made and to show real value of investment, it's crucial employers are able to measure the results. So we analysed the impact and outcomes of our four foundational programmes – Intro to Mental Health, Common Problems, Supporting Others, and Talking About Suicide. Here's what we found. 

Our self-guided L&D programmes, Series, are designed to educate, facilitate reflection, and equip employees with strategies to thrive in life. Created in collaboration with clinical psychologists, academics, and field experts, they're grounded in the latest research and evidence.

Series tackle a diverse range of subjects, from nurturing relationships and improving sleep, to reducing stress and managing anxiety. This analysis hones in on the impact and outcomes of our four Foundational Series – Intro to Mental Health, Common Problems, Supporting Others, and Talking About Suicide.

These foundation courses were designed to equip users with up-to-date knowledge of the essential mental health topics, and enable them to offer timely, appropriate support to others.

How we measure the impact of Series 

The aims of each Series will vary according to the topic – some are purely psychoeducational, while others target specific problems and aim to instil lasting change.

Every Series is bookended with its own unique outcome questionnaires. These are designed to help users reflect on entering a Series, and allow them to measure progress on completion. They look into aspects such as confidence, knowledge, and attitude.

To analyse the effects of our Foundational Series, we compared employees’ outcome scores before and after taking each Series, using what’s known as a t-test.

Let’s look into the results for each.

Intro to Mental Health

This Series provides a solid grounding in the basics of mental health. It explores the spectrum of mental health and some of the causes of mental health problems and evaluates the concept of diagnosis.

It also encourages employees to explore and challenge any biases they might hold on the topic of mental health.

Overall score change: 34.3%

After taking the Series, users were on average: 

• 47% more knowledgable on the topic of mental health.
• 41% better able to put that knowledge into practice.
• 18% more open and positive in their attitude towards mental health. 

Common Problems

This Series equips users with fundamental knowledge of the most common mental health problems – anxiety, depression, and stress. It helps employees to recognise these problems in themselves and others, and outlines basic strategies to manage each.

Overall score change: 46.6%

After taking the Series, users were on average: 

• 38% more knowledgable about depression, anxiety, and stress.
• 76% more aware of interventions for common mental health problems.
• 31% more open and positive in their attitude about depression, anxiety, and stress.

Supporting Others 

The Series equips users with the skills and knowledge they need to support someone else through a difficult time. It introduces the principles of active listening, aiming to increase users’ confidence to provide the right support, while being mindful of protecting their own mental health. 

Overall score change: 38.8%

After taking the Series, users were on average: 

• 48% more knowledgeable about effective communication.
• 48% more able to apply good listening skills in practice.
• 23% more positive about reaching out to others.

Talking About Suicide

This Series, created in collaboration with Jonny Benjamin MBE, tackles the topic of mental health crisis and suicide. It focuses on understanding suicide and empowering users to help and support people who are having suicidal thoughts or facing a crisis.

Overall score change: 53.8%

After taking the Series, users were on average: 

• 37% more knowledgeable and aware of the topic.
• 50% more insightful and self-aware in relation to talking about suicide.
• 82% more confident supporting someone in a crisis.

Try Series in your organisation

To find out more about Series, book a chat with one of our workplace mental health specialists.