'Looking After You' - Guest Article by Wura Obisesan

Looking after you!

We were all looking forward to the announcement about June 21st and although the announcement was not as we expected the restrictions that have eased up for all of us mean that we have had some time to enjoy some of our old past times. I hope everyone has had the chance to go out to a restaurant to eat, have a hair cut or attend a social distanced outdoor event. Whilst doing all these and waiting for the next government announcement ‘ensure that you are looking after YOU!’.

There is a lot of uncertainty at the minute surrounding the UK’s post-COVID recovery plan, and misinformation from untrustworthy sources certainly does not help.

Here are some tips for sorting the facts from the fiction:

1. Stick to trustworthy sources such as the CDC and local health authorities.
2. Limit how often you check for updates, constantly scanning for news will inevitably lead to some untrustworthy sources.
3. Stay away from media if you are getting overwhelmed, information overload is the last thing you want.
4. Be careful what you share, make sure your sources are accurate before sending information to anyone else.
   The 14th of June was the beginning of Men’s Health Week, and then Father’s day and swiftly followed by International Father’s Mental Health Day.

As we celebrate these lovely days, it is also important to note that there are some issues that disproportionately affect men. As we enter a post-pandemic world and workplace, it is worth taking the time to consider and break down the stigma associated with men’s mental health. Official statistics have shown that men are twice as likely to die from COVID, and one in eight men have a common mental health problem such as depression, anxiety, panic disorder or OCD. While there is no single reason for this, but rather a confluence of various social and biological factors, a large contributor to this disproportionate number has to do with the societal pressure that men face. That is why it is incredibly important that we establish open and communicative places in which men can express themselves without fear of judgment. We all need to work together to end the stigma around mental health.

I am a forward-thinking, passionate and accomplished HR Professional continually striving to put the ‘people’ back into People Management and ‘human’ back into Human Resources. My expertise includes Employment Relations, Talent Management, Policy implementation, Performance Management, Conflict Management and Training.

Connect with Wura on LinkedIn