Editor’s comment: There was so much to take away from this week’s This Can Happen conference about mental wellbeing in the workplace. A point from Daisy Dupree, an HR manager at the Walt Disney Company, stuck with me.
She said Disney movies like Up and Inside Out demonstrated the company’s focus on stories that showed “authenticity” around emotional issues. She then went on to describe her arrival at the company in January, in a newly created role focused on workplace wellbeing and mental health.
It was a telling illustration of how new the mental health conversation is in many workplaces – Disney has made movies for years that encourage viewers to discuss sensitive topics, and yet until this year had no corporate role singularly dedicated to helping people discuss such issues within its own business.
That’s no criticism of Disney. This Can Happen was packed with companies at various stages of working out how to support staff, and many were just starting. That should still offer hope for people who have suffered in silence.
In the property industry the need is great. This week we reveal the results of EG’s first national survey of real estate professionals and mental health.
The numbers should, and I’m sure will, shock you, including the finding that so many property professionals have considered taking their own life during times of struggle. But this is more than a list of percentages and headlines. This must be a starting point for a conversation that can no longer be postponed, one that EG is committed to helping the industry have.
This week we bring you stories that delve into the mental health challenges prevalent in the industry – not only the pressures that working in property can place on individuals, but also the ways in which companies can support staff as they work through life events away from the office. These are difficult stories to tell, hear and read, and we’re grateful to those who bravely opened up to us.
The property industry has a huge opportunity here. Companies can help so many workers find support and comfort during some of the most difficult times they face, as well as helping to ensure their own corporate culture is not contributing to them. And the influence goes beyond the immediate workforce – in building physical and mental wellbeing into every decision a company makes about the built environment, the industry can add to everyone’s health and happiness. It’s a big ambition, but if Disney can do it with a movie, property can do it with places and spaces. And EG will be with you.
■ Today, we launch series two of the EG Future Leaders project. While series two is focused on uncovering female talent in the sector again, future series will look at other, sometimes overlooked, elements of our workforces.
We’ll be looking at how a Future Leaders project can help companies shine a light on their BAME talent, talent returning to work after an extended career break, their young, probably not real estate-educated, talent and any other area where you think we need to lend a hand.
This year’s Future Female Leaders project and the overwhelming inspirational final event which saw 12 amazing women captivate an audience with their very human stories will be tough to top but EG, Ginger Public Speaking and our partners are up for the challenge. Are you?
We will be offering a “wildcard” space on the programme again so if you can’t convince your company to support you as a partner on the project, here’s your chance to be part of the course.
But be aware, this is not for the faint-hearted. The workload is just as high as our expectations. The chosen wildcard will need to make themselves available for all training sessions and be prepared for a fair bit of homework.
If you can handle it, e-mail a statement of no more than 500 words about what being a future leader would mean to you, along with your name, profession and company to futureleaders@egi.co.uk by 16 December. The winner will be revealed on 4 January.
To send feedback, e-mail tim.burke@egi.co.uk or tweet @_tim_burke or @estatesgazette
