Invisible disabilities like chronic pain, ADHD, and mental health conditions affect millions but often go unrecognised. In the UK, 70-80% of disabled people have one. Leaders can foster inclusion through flexibility, awareness, and allyship. Watch this video to learn more.
In 2023, Southeastern launched TRiM (Trauma Risk Management) - a peer-delivered risk assessment and ongoing support system, designed specifically to help in the management of traumatic events. Mark Brown, Deputy TRiM Coordinator, explains, more about the programme and how it helps Southeastern employees to deal with trauma.
Everyone should be able to do their job without someone threatening, assaulting or harming them. But on the railway’s front line, sadly, that isn’t always the case. In fact, RSSB statistics show that a staggering 94.1% of frontline staff have experienced workplace abuse. In this session, British Transport Police’s Inspector Keith Barnes describes how incidents of violence against railway staff can occur and how to de-escalate them. He also talks about how body-worn cameras can be both a deterrent and an aid to evidence-gathering once an assault has occurred.
Good footwear that meets health and safety requirements is essential in the industry but knowing how to take care of what goes inside your boots (feet) is also important. By taking care of your feet, foot and ankle injuries can be avoided. This can also improve overall comfort when working long hours on uneven surfaces. Kelly Edwards, a podiatrist with experience working with the railway industry, shows you simple ways to help you feel better and healthier on your feet.
George Hamlyn explores Transport for London's approach to authentic peer support, taking you through the history of TfL's peer support program and highlighting the risks of focusing solely on the 'soft and fluffy' side of wellbeing. He provides an overview of TfL's training program, the crucial role of documents, policies, and procedures in ensuring consistency and also discusses the importance of evaluating and holding peer supporters accountable for their actions.
2023's Wellbeing Hero Award winner, Vikky Goodwin, takes you through the mental health initiative she set up to help frontline employees proactively engage with mental health conversations. The scheme encourages employees to react to situations at work in the same way they would in normal life, substituting work behaviours for personal behaviours and treating colleagues how they would family and friends. Learn practical and effective strategies so you can try them in your organisation.
We often use the term ‘health and safety’ but really, we only mean ‘safety’. We keep dropping our ‘H’s. And health is so integral to safety, sustainability and satisfaction! We want to get health on a par with safety – where it should be, and this session looks at how we plan to achieve this and provide examples of some specific work being undertaken at East Midlands Railway.
Panel discussion: supporting young people’s mental health
Young workers aged 18 to 30 are perceived to be under almost twice as much pressure in their lives as their more senior peers. They’re more likely to be worrying about debt or struggling to pay their bills, which is likely to add to their stress. Companies can and should focus on creating a more inclusive environment and be prepared to step up and support their people.
Closing the listening gap and listening effectively can create not just a safer workplace but also a culture where people can thrive and feel psychologically safe, improving wellbeing. This session covers what listening well looks like and introduces the concept of safety silence and its potential consequences. We also challenge you to think about how you hear different people and how this can affect inclusivity at work – and beyond.
Back pain is a common issue among rail workers, with as much as 69% experiencing it every month. Currently, access to effective help is limited to hospitals with long waiting lists and requires therapist involvement. Dr Sheeran has developed a new work-based intervention called BACK-on-LINE (TM).