As part of the CAW's Global Wellbeing Taskforce, Thrive is delighted to introduce our revamped wellbeing toolkit for managers.  At Chartered Accountants Worldwide, we acknowledge the profound impact of mental health on work performance, relationships, and the overall quality of life. We delve into the importance of fostering employee wellbeing in our fast-paced industry. Depression and anxiety, prevalent mental health conditions, exert a significant economic toll, amounting to US$ 1 trillion each year on the global economy. Download CAW's Wellbeing Toolkit for managers in the accountancy profession. The Gallup Global Employee Survey paints a concerning picture, revealing that less than a quarter of the world's employees feel they are thriving at work, underscoring the urgency to address this growing challenge. The McKinsey Health Institute's extensive survey across 15 countries and 15,000 employees unearths a stark reality - 59% of the workforce grapples with mental health challenges, highlighting the imperative for employers to intervene and support their teams. This holds true for the Chartered Accountancy profession as well, where stress and burnout are issues, affecting over half of Chartered Accountants. Managers within this industry play a pivotal role in shaping a conducive work environment that fosters mental, emotional, and physical health. Recognising the direct link between comprehensive support and heightened engagement and productivity, it becomes both an ethical and strategic responsibility to manage wellbeing effectively. The Chartered Accountants Worldwide global wellbeing taskforce acknowledges this imperative and is proud to introduce our revamped wellbeing toolkit for managers. This toolkit stands as a comprehensive guide, arming managers with crucial insights, strategies, and best practices to cultivate a thriving and dynamic team. Above all, it emphasises the critical need to build resilience and purpose within the workplace, contributing to a more productive, rewarding, and compassionate work environment. Together, let's pave the way towards a brighter future for the Chartered Accountancy profession by prioritising mental health and fostering a culture of holistic wellbeing. Download CAW's Wellbeing Toolkit for managers in the accountancy profession.

Getting a fresh start and the chance of clean slate is really appealing and creating some new year resolutions or goals means we start off on the right foot.  New habits and behaviours can be challenging they don’t happen overnight and can take commitment and dedication. The brain does not like swift, abrupt change, but the benefits can be very worthwhile, so think of this as an investment in yourself. The top ten resolutions each year include: Exercise more Lose weight Get organized Learn a new skill or hobby  Live life to the fullest Save more money / spend less money Quit smoking Spend more time with family and friends Travel more Read more Most of us can relate to some or all the resolutions listed. Resolutions and goals are unique to each of us, so perhaps before you create them consider the questions below: How would you like to feel? Will the resolution help you get there? Would you recommend this resolution to a friend of colleague? How will the resolution impact you? Are you removing something and simply making a change? What is the improvement you want to make and why? When it comes to new year resolutions almost half of us are unsuccessful at fulfilling them, so perhaps we need to consider how we approach them? Below are some tips which may help to keep you on track and ensure success. Be mindful When embarking on changing a habit or behaviour it is important to prepare mentally by taking a step back and taking stock. When thinking about any change try to keep in mind: Change should be gradual Build on smaller changes Remain positive Accept that there could be setbacks and allow for them Own them Ensure the goals you have set are yours and that this is something you want and not something which you think you should be aiming for. You have a far better chance for success if you are intrinsically motivated to reach your goal Be realistic Do not create a long list, limit the number of resolutions you commit to. Be selective about the ones which mean the most and are the most attainable for you.  Be specific It’s easy to set goals which we cannot achieve, so take some time to ensure they are achievable. A good suggestion is to use SMART to help you create them: Specific - What do you want to achieve, break it down, be specific Measurable - How can you measure if you have achieved it e.g., walk a mile in 20 minutes or lose 10% of your weight Attainable – Is the goal or resolution attainable Relevant - Keep it relevant to you, your life and how you want to improve it Timeline – Give yourself an appropriate deadline to work towards Small wins Break them up into small pieces.  As you tick off each box, your confidence will grow with each small success and spur you on. Share them By keeping the resolution to yourself you can fall into a trap and give up at the first hurdle. By sharing these with others you become accountable and less likely to forget or give in. You could also find that by sharing, other like-minded people may join you. Keep going Setbacks happen, but it is how you handle them that counts. Own the setback, understand how and why it happened and move on. Remember “the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step” Lao Tzu. As we enter a New Year, the mind turns to self-improvement and personal growth, this may include taking better care of your mental health. The Institute’s wellbeing hub, Thrive, provides an array of mental health supports to members and students. Whether you need a listening ear, wellbeing advice or professional counselling, we are here for you. You can contact the team by email at: thrive@charteredaccountants.ie or by phone: (+353) 86 0243294

Elephant in the Room – A Movember Event Join us for an unforgettable evening as we unveil our new Elephant in the Room sculpture to mark this year’s Movember. Venue Details:  Reception, Chartered Accountants House, 47-49 Pearse Street, Dublin 2 Start Time: Wednesday 29 November @ 5.00pm End Time: Wednesday 29 November @ 7.00pm Book Here Details: To mark this year’s Movember, the Thrive Wellbeing Hub, along with the Leinster Society, invites you to the unveiling of our Elephant sculpture as part of the mental health initiative, Elephant in the Room.  Join us for an informal evening of refreshments, conversation on men’s mental health, networking opportunities, prize draws and to meet the newest addition to the Institute – our elephant. This elephant is a declaration of our commitment to supporting members, students and employees' mental health and wellbeing and is designed to destigmatise and normalise conversations around mental health in the professional and accountancy industry. We will be joined by Elephant in the Room founder, rugby analyst, and men’s mental health advocate Brent Pope, local artist Kuse who designed our elephant, and Institute figures like President, Sinead Donovan and CEO, Barry Dempsey.  Kick off the festive season in style with opportunities to connect and network and be in with a chance to win some amazing prizes.   Draw Details: This draw is open to everyone, whether you can attend on the night or not. To enter our draw, please make a donation, small or large, to CA Support via our iDonate page and your name will be automatically entered into the draw. Winners will be contacted separately after the event.  iDonate: https://bit.ly/CASiDonate

As Ireland’s population ages, so too does our workforce. In celebration of Positive Ageing Week, Dee France examines our ageing workforce and how to promote age inclusivity in your organisation Statistics from the CSO’s 2022 Census revealed that the Irish population is growing in size and age. The proportion of the population aged 65 years or over has increased from 12 percent in 2012 to 15.1 percent in 2022. The census also showed an increase in Ireland’s population aged 45 or over and a decrease in those under 45. With an ageing population, life expectancy and the average retirement age rising, people stay in the workforce longer than previous generations. Now more than ever, workplaces are multigenerational, and barriers and opportunities for all come with that. Age diversity is often a topic that is overlooked in the ED&I space. Still, it is an equally crucial aspect, as it is common for older workers to face stereotyping in the workplace, mostly harmful and always unwarranted. In this digital era, many age-related mistruths surround older workers, such as their capability to embrace digital transformation, reluctance to adopt new processes and ways of working, or difficulty shifting to changes in company culture.   In Robert Walters’ 2022 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion report, the lack of progression opportunities for older workers becomes apparent. There was a clear disparity between younger and older generations regarding career progression. Thirty-eight percent of Baby Boomers (aged 57–72) had been offered a promotion at their current company compared with 57 percent of Gen Z (aged 18–26). According to the same survey, Baby Boomers’ main challenges when looking to progress their careers are a lack of opportunities, training and development, and resources or time to go above and beyond. Benefits of age diversity The importance and value of older employees in their workplace are seriously overlooked, and there are many business benefits to having a multigenerational workforce. Some potential benefits of age diversity in the workplace could: improve engagement, retention and motivation; enhance and diversify skill sets;  widen talent pool for recruitment;  improve companies’ reputation and brand by creating an inclusive business; and  provide meaningful and symbiotic mentorship opportunities. An ageing workforce isn’t a burden; it is an opportunity. With age comes a wealth of experience, and with skill and labour shortages currently in play, employers should not overlook older employees but focus instead on actively retaining and retraining. Promoting age inclusivity Embracing age inclusivity is not just a social matter; it is a business matter, too. As Ireland’s demographics evolve, businesses must adapt and embrace the potential an age-diverse workforce unlocks. Here are some methods that can help promote age inclusivity in the workplace: Implement an age-inclusive hiring process by framing and wording job adverts to eliminate bias; Develop programmes and initiatives explicitly aimed at attracting and retaining older workers, such as return to workforce programmes and phased retirement options; Invest in training and development to promote and encourage continuous professional development to ensure employees’ skills match the company’s evolving requirements and older workers don’t miss out on progression opportunities; Provide health and wellbeing support with a positive focus on issues about older cohorts, such as access to health services, menopause awareness and training, financial well-being and pension planning; and Improve flexible work arrangements, as changes in working arrangements can act as an effective retention policy. Dee France is the Wellbeing Lead at the Institute’s dedicated wellbeing hub, Thrive. Thrive offers a range of supports for members and students of Chartered Accountants Ireland at any time in their careers. For more information on the supports Thrive provides, visit https://www.charteredaccountants.ie/thrive-wellbeing-hub/thrive-wellbeing-home

Donal Whelan outlines six essential steps to foster openness, support and well-being in your organisation during Mental Health Awareness Month October is Mental Health Awareness Month, and while the stigma around mental health issues may be decreasing, disclosing problems to others in your organisation might not be getting easier. Many employees hide mental health concerns for fear of being labelled ‘unstable’ or ‘unreliable’. With increased awareness about mental health and a movement toward removing the negative stigma associated with mental conditions, many workplaces are stepping up to change their policies. Improving mental health awareness in your office begins with these six key steps. 1. Increase awareness Training sessions for all employees, particularly those in management positions or who could potentially need to oversee employees with mental illnesses, can make it easier for everyone to communicate, build rapport and react appropriately to situations involving mental health. Topics should include a basic understanding of mental health problems like depression and anxiety and how to recognise signs of mental health issues in yourself and your colleagues while explaining that symptoms can vary widely and may not always be obvious. 2. Provide tools for support The biggest surprise for many leaders when dealing with employees who suffer from mental health issues is that they aren’t expected to ‘fix’ them.  Instead, it’s necessary to provide tools to support those employees, much like the tools and accommodations provided to employees with differing needs. This might include, for example, providing a more flexible work schedule for employees with depression or anxiety concerns. Written instructions, not verbal ones, may prove to be the only accommodation an individual with memory problems needs while removing environmental triggers (such as smells or certain noises) can solve many problems for individuals who have panic attacks. 3. Create a mental health policy See Change has put together a great sample mental health policy that will help you establish clear guidelines for your business. Keep in mind that your mental health policy needs to include information about: Avoiding discrimination due to mental illness; How to establish mental illness and what criteria are required; and How to create accommodations for employees with mental illnesses. Remember that each individual is different. Unique accommodations will be required based on the individual’s skills and strengths, as for employees with physical disabilities. A flexible policy will make meeting every employee’s needs easier. 4. Encourage a healthy work-life balance Employees who have a poor work-life balance are more likely to show signs of depression, anxiety and instability. Promoting good mental health includes preventing employees from working outside their contracted hours, encouraging and supporting life events outside the workplace, and creating policies that do not penalise employees for taking accrued time off. Life outside the office can significantly impact life within it, so supporting employees in their everyday lives is critical. 5. Recognise signs of stress Alongside mental health awareness training, managers and supervisors throughout your business should receive training in recognising signs and symptoms of stress in employees. Learning to alleviate that stress will help make healthier, more productive employees. Some common signs of stress include: acting consistently tired; irritability; an increase in the need to take sick leave, particularly in an employee who has not previously been ill regularly; sudden difficulty completing regular work tasks; and indecisiveness or insecurity. 6. Create a culture of openness Mental health concerns or stresses can appear without warning. In many cases, employees will hide or minimise those concerns to prevent discrimination. On top of worrying about the condition itself or the things that have led to it, they’re also concerned that they’ll lose their job or be labelled incompetent as a result. Encouraging a culture of openness throughout the office will enable employees to open up , from admitting when they’ve taken on too heavy a workload or have been working too many hours to keep up to sharing mental health concerns with their supervisors. Supporting mental health in your office is critical to maintaining a safe, healthy environment for all your employees. By creating an environment where people are encouraged to thrive regardless of mental health concerns, you’ll find happier, more productive employees who are firmly committed to your organisation. Donal Whelan is Managing Director at Lincoln Recruitment

Ahead of World Menopause Day, we caught up with leadership consultant and lecturer, and women in business champion, Patricia Byron, who speaks on a major life event women face– Menopause in the workplace. Tackling the taboos - making the impermissible, permissible We all realise that workplace priorities and needs are different now. Since Covid many barriers to ways of working have been broken down and with awareness of needs heightened working practices are becoming more flexible. But I wonder is the workplace becoming braver! Are employers willing to tackle the last taboos – the issues maybe not previously spoken about? For most organisations, words such as menopause, infertility, and miscarriage are difficult subjects to address openly and maybe training is not given to those in the leadership team on how to navigate around these subjects.   What is the real impact of not tackling the taboo? A recent UK study found two thirds of women working through the menopause say they currently have no support at all from their employers. Therefore, it is not surprising why 25% of women say they have considered leaving their job. In fact 1 in 10 actually do end up handing in their notice. Take for example the taboo that is menopause. Thankfully due to recent media coverage during Covid lockdown we are now hearing a lot more about its impact on women and many are now aware of its impact in the workplace. I have been working with women for a number of years who were in perimenopause or menopause who did not realise the symptoms (such as brain fog, forgetfulness, unexplained anxiety and heart palpitations) were impacting their confidence. As a result, they were considering stepping out of a senior role or leaving the workplace completely. In a world where we are becoming more diverse and inclusive and openly discussing race, generational differences, misogyny and gender, we may still lack the courage to tackle the some taboos that have such an impact on many successful women. What can you do as an employer or colleague? In the post -covid hybrid workplace, consider creating an environment that some of your most valuable, talented and successful women will feel comfortable stepping back into. Imagine the cost (both time and money) of replacing your most successful women if they choose not to return. If taboo subjects are to be destigmatised, then we all need to be able to speak openly. As an employer, there are loads of simple practices you can put into place, at no cost to the organisations, other than some time and consideration. It’s about providing an empathetic environment which acknowledges issues without embarrassment, judgement or fear of ridicule. Review your corporate wellbeing programmes to educate the whole workforce Allow and encourage women to say things such as “I am in the middle of menopause, I keep forgetting things” or I am on fertility treatment and going through a challenging time at the moment. Ask your team what changes to the working environment are needed to make it more comfortable for women who are dealing with these issues. There are exciting times ahead in the workplace and those organisations who recognise that workplace conversations need to change, will be the ones who thrive the most. We can never return to the Dolly Parton school of working (for those not old enough, check out the film, 9 to 5), nor should we have too. About Author Patricia Byron is passionate about supporting those in leadership move up the leadership pipeline. She is recognised for the support she provides to her clients in championing women of all ages in the workplace. She supports employers by facilitating wellbeing and critical conversation workshops. As an accredited senior executive and corporate wellbeing coach, she is experienced in helping individuals and companies transform.