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Posted on17 May 2023

Supporting Mental Health Awareness Week

Did you know that 15th to 21st May 2023 is Mental Health Awareness Week? As a Mindful Employer, Atlas Translations is strongly committed to supporting employees’ well-being and raising awareness about issues surrounding mental health more generally.

Spotlight on anxiety  

The theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is anxiety. It’s something that we all experience but don’t always know how to handle. Of course, it is natural and normal to sometimes feel anxious. However, it becomes problematic if anxiety gets out of hand. Frequently feeling anxious – and over a long period of time – can have a truly negative impact on someone’s life.

The rapidly changing world, cost-of-living crisis, recent COVID-19 pandemic, uncertainty, and information overload increase the levels of anxiety felt by people around the world. Sadly, due to associated stigmas, many feel ashamed to admit that they struggle with anxiety or they receive very limited support. Although individuals can try various strategies to deal with anxiety, it is important to develop nationwide strategies and actions to promote mental well-being. We encourage you to read about the possible ways proposed by the Mental Health Foundation here.

How to deal with anxiety

The following are among the most common strategies recommended to cope with anxiety:

  • breathing exercises
  • healthy diet
  • ensuring quality sleep and rest
  • being active
  • spending time in nature
  • connecting with others

In situations when you are overwhelmed by anxious feelings and have no one to turn to, it is advised to get in touch with helpline services, such as Anxiety UK.

Well-being at work

Since we tend to spend a big chunk of our time at work, and our careers have an important role in our lives, many of us can feel anxiety at work. Our Project Managers are more than familiar with occasional feelings of anxiety when dealing with urgent or complicated translation projects. However, the Atlas team always strives to maintain and nourish a supportive workplace. Encouraging breaks, having weekly “Power Hour” meetings, offering support to each other and respecting work-life balance are just some of the ways we try to achieve that.

Atlas Translations became a Mindful Employer in March 2021 and has been committed to its principles ever since. Our designated mindful advocate (the lovely Anna) continually reminds us to take care of our well-being and sends us helpful leaflets and numbers to call if we are in need of impartial support.

Creating a supportive and healthy working environment is also one of the Atlas director’s top priorities. Since 2019, all members of the Atlas team have been working 4 days a week, which supports their overall well-being. Working a reduced number of hours and having an additional day off means more time for hobbies, family and friends, walks or other activities that support proper rest. All of these things can positively contribute to an individual’s mental health and avoid burnout, leading to better work results and satisfaction.

Having experienced the benefits of a 4-day week first-hand, we encourage other companies to consider this move to support their employees’ well-being.

To all reading this blog, do remember to take care of your mental health and don’t forget to give a helping hand (or ear) to the people around you.

ISO 17100 – ISO 17100:2017 for Translation Services (since this standard began, in 2008, externally audited annually).
Mindful employer

Mindful Employer Plus – As a Charter member, our team have access to an Employee Assistance Program with 24/7/365 support, as we work toward achieving better mental health at work.
Federation of Small Businesses and the Self-Employed

A proud member of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), a dynamic and inclusive not-for-profit membership organisation. FSB is dedicated to supporting and empowering small businesses across the UK and is committed to fostering an environment where entrepreneurs can thrive, innovate, and succeed.

Atlas Translations has been accredited by the Fair Tax Foundation since February 2024. The Fair Tax Foundation is a not-for-profit social enterprise developed by a team of tax justice, corporate responsibility, and ethical consumer experts. It was launched in 2014.

We’ve been registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) since 2004. Go to https://ico.org.uk/ for more information.

We hold a full membership in the Association of British HealthTech Industries. The ABHI supports the HealthTech community by providing products and services that help people live healthier lives. As the voice of the industry, we show the value of health technology and overcome barriers to people benefitting from it now and in the future.

Certified since 2003, externally audited annually. ISO 9001:2015 is the international standard for Quality Management Systems (QMS), applicable across all sectors. ISO 9001 provides a framework to respond to changing quality requirements in line with changing demands across society, economics and the environment.
Logo

Disability Confident Committed is creating a movement of change, encouraging employers like ourselves to think differently about disability and take action to improve how we recruit, retain, and develop disabled people. Being a DCC employer is a unique opportunity to lead the way in our community and show that we’re a disability inclusive employer.

Corporate membership of the ITI (Institute of Translation and Interpreting) since 1994. Corporate Member of the Year 2021. ITI is the only UK-based independent professional membership association for practising translators, interpreters and all those involved in the language services sector.

CIEP: We’ve held Corporate membership Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading since 1993. CIEP are an international membership organisation that offers training and community for editorial professionals (copy editors and proofreaders) while helping members develop business confidence.

ATC: We hold full membership with the Association of Translation Companies, a trade association representing the interests of language service companies in the UK and internationally. It is the leading voice for companies operating in the UK’s language services industry.

Living Wage Employer: As a living wage employer, we believe our staff deserve a wage which meets every day needs. The Living Wage Foundation has a mission to encourage employers to play their part in tackling in-work and post-work poverty and provide a decent standard of living by paying the real Living Wage, adopting Living Hours and Living Pensions as well as wider good employment practices.
4-day week

Proudly a 4-Day Week Employer since 2019. Amongst other items, the 4-Day Week initiative calls for a reduction to the maximum working week from 48 hours per week to 32 hours per week by 2030.

 
GBC_Accredited_Logo

A member of the Good Business Charter since 2022. The GBC is a simple accreditation that organisations of all sizes in the UK can apply for in recognition of responsible business practices.
PIF

We’re a proud member of the Patient Information Forum (PIF), a membership organisation for anyone producing health information and support. PIF promote access to trusted, evidence-based health information for patients, carers, the public and healthcare professionals.