The building society where mental health matters

The Carlisle-based building society has established a focus on mental health and wellbeing and has seen a range of initiatives, many started spontaneously by employees.

Lyndsay Maxwell, a member of the HR department which is known as the People and Culture Team, says the emphasis on wellbeing at every level has ensured the issue is much more than a tick box exercise – it is a part of how everyone interacts every day.

“It’s about how we treat each other on a daily basis whatever your role is at The Cumberland – we care about people,” she says.

“It is something that is special at The Cumberland that you might not find in other places.”

The Cumberland has active support groups including a Men’s Group and a Menopause Group, it has regular mental health and wellbeing initiatives with visiting speakers, and it has CareFirst - a 24/7 employee assistance programme. An active and well-trained team of colleagues volunteer as Mental Health and Wellbeing Champions offering support across the business and working to raise awareness.

Lyndsay says mental health became more central than ever after the Covid pandemic. “I always describe Covid as being the big change for wellbeing, worldwide.

“We all worked hard to put our people's wellbeing at the forefront and had some really good feedback from our teams and it is something we endeavoured to continue doing.

“We want to make sure that all our colleagues feel they belong and part of that is our approach to wellbeing.

“For us it makes business sense as well as being the right thing to do. Making sure our colleagues feel they want to come to work and can be themselves at work is really important and translates into them giving exceptional service. Our approach to wellbeing helps us to retain our people, attract new talent, and it really helps develop people because they can be themselves.”

Helen Smith joined The Cumberland seven years ago (Image: Jonathan Becker)

The focus also runs through all maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave and other key policies which The Cumberland has developed in recent years, she says.

“We launched a menopause support group two years ago and the response was overwhelming from those experiencing symptoms themselves to those men and women wanting to know how to support their colleagues and their partners at home."

The Men’s Group meets regularly online, in the company’s bistro over breakfast or taking a walk.

Branch colleagues receive bereavement training to help them support customers and there is wellbeing training for managers annually.

The focus sits with The Cumberland’s purpose to deliver Kinder Banking, encouraging kindness to colleagues, customers, communities and the environment and the company’s support for charities.

The approach also gives some insight into why The Cumberland is regarded as one of the best employers in the UK. It was awarded the highest possible three-star accreditation from Best Companies, given only to organisations that “truly excel” and provide “world-class levels of workplace engagement”.

Later this month The Cumberland is also shortlisted in the in-Cumbria business awards in the diversity and inclusion category in recognition of its wellbeing work.

Helen Smith recently took up the opportunity to join The Cumberland’s team of Mental Health and Wellbeing Champions.

Before joining The Cumberland seven years ago she had worked as a carer and had a nurse-training place lined up when a back injury put an end to her dream.

“I have always had that feeling of wanting to give back to people and being a Mental Health Champ is a really good way of doing that,” says Helen, who is an operations compliance technician based at The Cumberland’s head office.

“As a Mental Health Champ you are there to offer support to colleagues experiencing issues in work or outside work. You are there to listen and help to signpost where they can get the right support.”

The Cumberland Wellbeing Day (Image: Jonathan Becker)

Mental Health and Wellbeing Champions undertake training from Carlisle Eden MIND covering topics such as suicide awareness, depression and anxiety, bereavement, child and baby loss and eating disorders.

Helen says The Cumberland’s approach to mental health is outstanding.

“It is absolutely amazing. I have never known a company like it. There is a culture of being kind and supportive and we are there for customers as much as for colleagues. Everyone is as important as each other.

“One in four people have mental health issues and this is all about bringing down the walls of the stigma around it. It’s something which can benefit every business.”