Did someone say new training course?
We are: Supportive – Curious – Welcoming – Encouraging – Straightforward. We are Garrett Learning.
Inside this month’s issue:
- What’s been happening: Creating psychological safety in the workplace
- What’s new: The new Mental Health First Aid for Managers programme!
- What’s coming up: Is it Time for Action? It’s Mental Health Awareness Week is 11th to 17th May 2026
What’s been happening?
I regularly hear the phrase ‘create psychological safety at work’ however what does that mean for the workplace and what should we be thinking about?
Employers should create a comfortable and safe environment where employees can express themselves without fearing negative consequences.
I’m fortunate that during my leadership experience, my line manager encouraged me to take risks, and I felt confident doing so with their support. If the plan wasn’t going in the right direction, I felt safe to ask for help and not be shamed by my mistakes. This approach allowed my creative flow, vision and problem-solving ideas to be aired safely without being ridiculed or judged. It also allowed me to own up to mistakes and feel vulnerable without feeling humiliation, fear of losing my job or receiving a formal warning (yes! That actually happens).
This is why I mentioned feeling ‘fortunate’ at the start of the previous paragraph. Not everyone has had the same experience as me.
These are the Garrett Learning top tips for your people management team to help create psychological safety in your workplace:
1. Share your story. Start small with a selected and trusted group of people during your lunch break. Share a time when something went wrong at work/you messed up. Tell the group how you felt about it and if you learned anything from it. You may encourage others to do the same. We’re all human! Even our leaders of the business.
Reflect and notice how you feel when you do this.
2. Ensure everyone has a voice. The voice may not agree with you however we should all be allowed to express our thoughts, feelings, ideas and opinions without repercussion.
3. If a team member has changed their behaviour (missing deadlines, lateness, absence, not engaging with the team/tasks etc) be curious, create a safe space and ask them what is going on in their world rather than making assumptions and putting them on a Performance Improvement Plan immediately. .
4. As a leader of our business, it’s ok to share your weaknesses, it’s ok to admit when we’re wrong and to apologise for it. This is courageous leadership. Sharing your own faults and flaws will encourage others to do the same without feeling judged. We can learn from each other and play to our strengths.
5. Ensure boundaries are in place. We’re not saying to share absolutely everything about yourself (the workplace can’t always resolve our personal problems – seek professional support for this) however, if we hold a facade, drop this to connect with our people and develop stronger relationships.
If you’re working on developing a culture around psychological safety, share your thoughts and comments with us. Have you thought about workplace coaching for your people managers? If so, I can be the support network for those wanting help and support from someone external to the organisation; it’s a start in the right direction. Want to know more about how we can help you? Please review our coaching package here: https://www.garrettlearning.co.uk/services/coaching/
What’s new?
Garrett Learning are now able to train your people managers in Mental Health First Aid for Managers – This is awesome!
The two-day Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) for Managers course is an MHFA England accredited programme designed to help managers confidently support mental health in the workplace.
It equips leaders with the knowledge and practical skills to recognise signs of poor mental health, respond appropriately and guide employees towards professional support.
Your people managers will benefit from and take away:
Greater Confidence: Enables managers to hold sensitive and meaningful conversations about mental health.
Early Intervention: Helps prevent issues from escalating, reducing absenteeism, presenteeism and workplace risk.
Stronger Team Culture: Supports the development of a more inclusive, psychologically safe and supportive working environment.
Practical Skills: Managers learn how to identify early warning signs and triggers, listen effectively and provide calm, non-judgemental support.
Manager-Focused Content: Emphasis on creating an open and supportive culture, supporting employees returning to work and understanding legal and organisational responsibilities around mental health.
Delivery Format: A 16-hour programme delivered either face-to-face or online, using interactive learning, group discussion, activities and real-world case studies.
Action Planning: Training includes a structured Mental Health Action Plan to help managers support individuals experiencing distress or crisis.
The course also plays a key role in reducing stigma and strengthening overall workplace wellbeing.
This course is ideal for line managers, HR professionals and anyone with responsibility for employee wellbeing.
Our first course is running on Wednesday 3rd and Thursday 4th June, 09:00-17:00 GMT. To view other dates or to book, please visit: https://www.garrettlearning.co.uk/book-here/
Keep up to date with your learning and development with our complimentary session for MHFAiders, wellbeing ambassadors, people managers and the HR team to embed their learning and to bridge the gap with some support, learning and growth.
We’re having some great chats that could inspire so many others. We’d love you to join us when you can. Join us on the second Wednesday of the month at 15:00 – 15:50 GMT and you’ll be able to register for these via this link: Register in advance for this meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/L830ddIxT-SPtI1VrgtxlA
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
We aim to offer alternate monthly sessions. We’ll either be joined by a guest speaker or have a drop-in session to ask any questions about workplace wellbeing, support for Mental Health First Aiders and wellbeing ambassadors, talk about boundary setting and get curious to learn more and make a difference together. Please note, these sessions are not for medical advice, counseling, or a therapy service.
If you have any questions or queries, please do reach out to me: wendy@garrettlearning.co.uk or Whatsapp: +447859 878 599
Find out more at: https://www.garrettlearning.co.uk/services/workplace-well-being-champion/
We look forward to welcoming you along.
What’s coming up?
Before we know it, it will be Mental Health Awareness Week. 11th to 17th May 2026. This year’s theme is ‘Time for Action’.
It’s those small actions with good intentions that will have a meaningful and lasting effect.
We’d like to share some ideas of what you and your organisation could do to take ‘Time for Action’, with the focus of looking after yourself, someone else and all of us: On a personal and professional level.
For yourself:
The airplane analogy of ‘put your own mask on first’ exists because it rings true for so many. It is so important to look after ourselves before we can safely look after others.
Please take a moment to pause and think about the following questions:
- How do you look after yourself?
- What is missing from your life right now?
- Is there something you can introduce into your life/routine to aid your health and wellbeing?
Self-care looks different for everyone and what we need changes over time. It doesn’t have to be a big and extravagant action; it could be something small and significant. For example:
- A 10-minute walk
- Drinking your cuppa outside for 5 minutes and listening to the birds
- Eating lunch away from your normal place as a change of scenery, can be good for us
- Working on a jigsaw
- Take some deep breaths
- Moving our body in some way
- Talking to someone you trust
- Watching something you’ve been meaning to watch
- Listen to a meditation (I recommend the free app: Insight Timer)
- Taking a moment to read before bed instead of scrolling on our phone (guilty of this!)
- or simply don’t do anything..
For me, the return of the Formula One season is a perfect example of intentional rest – a slower Sunday, a home-cooked roast, and time to switch off.
What is one thing you can do for yourself this week?
For someone else:
Small actions can have a ripple effect.
Such as taking a moment to check in with a colleague, sending a quick message to a friend and a recent idea I came across in the book ‘Make It Happen’ was to smile at people as you pass them and notice what happens. Often, you’ll receive a smile back and even if you don’t, that small act still matters.
These are all simple but meaningful ways to support others.
I’m also a big advocate of Action for Happiness https://actionforhappiness.org/ who share monthly calendars full of simple daily actions. These encourage us to be more mindful, connected and intentional, whether that’s for ourselves or others.
In workplaces, taking ‘Time for Action’ is about creating a culture where people feel comfortable checking in, speaking up and supporting each other without repercussions. However, for this to happen consistently, employees, especially our People Managers need the confidence and skills to have those conversations.
For all of us:
When we think about workplace wellbeing, action goes beyond awareness days. It’s about creating environments where people feel safe, supported and able to thrive.
One of the most effective ways to start is by bringing people together.
In a previous organisation, I helped form a small wellbeing group made up of people from different departments and backgrounds. We also invited a senior leader to join, which helped us connect ideas with decision-making.
That group didn’t have all the answers – but it didn’t need to.
Together we:
- Launched employee wellbeing surveys to understand real needs
- Created a clear plan (and secured a budget) for wellbeing initiatives
- Introduced Mental Health First Aider training and ongoing support
- Raised awareness through internal communications and shared stories
- Promoted support services like EAPs and workplace benefits
- Identified skills gaps and supported internal development
- Delivered training on unconscious bias, diversity & inclusion
- Redesigned 1:1 meetings to be more human, open and impactful
What made the difference wasn’t just the initiatives, it was the quality of conversations happening across the organisation.
From awareness to action: What’s next?
Many organisations already care deeply about employee wellbeing. The opportunity now is to take that one step further by focusing on:
- Equipping our People Managers
Managers are at the heart of employee experience however many haven’t been trained to handle sensitive or wellbeing-related conversations.
Through management training and coaching, our People Managers can:
- Build confidence in having meaningful conversations
- Recognise early signs that someone may be struggling
- Create psychologically safe team environments
- Balance empathy with performance
- Embedding wellbeing into everyday culture
Structured Mental Health training programmes from Awareness, to implementing MHFAiders or training to equip our People Managers with an understanding and impact of poor mental health in the workplace will help move organisations from being reactive to support and proactive. Supporting our people at work improves productivity, efficiency and helps to retain our people.
- Supporting your wellbeing champions
Wellbeing ambassadors and Mental Health First Aiders play a vital role in supporting your team, however they also need ongoing support.
Regular check-in sessions provide:
- A safe space to share experiences and challenges
- Continued learning and development
- Peer support and fresh ideas
- Sustained momentum beyond awareness weeks
At Garrett Learning, we offer this monthly ongoing support as a complimentary service.
Taking ‘Time for Action’ doesn’t mean doing everything at once. It means:
- Understanding what’s needed
- Starting meaningful conversations
- Taking small, intentional steps that builds over time
Whether that’s supporting your people managers, strengthening your wellbeing strategy or creating space for your wellbeing champions to connect, every action contributes to a healthier, more resilient workplace.
At Garrett Learning, we support organisations to turn wellbeing intentions into meaningful action through:
- People management training and 1:1 coaching
- Workplace mental health and wellbeing programmes, including Mental Health First Aid training
- Monthly Workplace Wellbeing Champion check-in sessions
- Bespoke training tailored to your organisation
If you’d like to explore what this could look like for your organisation, you can book an informal chat or reach out directly. Book in a chat at https://scheduler.zoom.us/garrettlearning/1-1-cuppa-and-chat. Alternatively, you can email us at wendy@garrettlearning.co.uk .
If you’re a MHFAider, wellbeing ambassador, in HR or a People Manager, you’re welcome to join the complimentary monthly online support service with Garrett Learning – find out more here: https://www.garrettlearning.co.uk/services/workplace-well-being-champion/
To learn more about this year’s theme, visit the Mental Health Foundation. https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/public-engagement/mental-health-awareness-week
Garrett Learning creates welcoming, memorable, and learner-focused learning experiences to reach individual and business goals. Book a discovery call with us to see how Garrett Learning (www.garrettlearning.co.uk ) can help:
- People Manager Coaching
- Leadership and development sessions
- MHFA England Programmes Open courses
- Lunch and learn bitesize workshops
- Bespoke training
- Join our complimentary monthly online session for support, growth and guidance
Book a chat with Wendy here: https://scheduler.zoom.us/garrettlearning/1-1-cuppa-and-chat
We (Wendy and her growing team!) are here for you when you need us. We are here to hear you! We are kind in nature and open to hearing everyone’s point of view. Our training and overall learning experiences are built to ensure you feel comfortable and can be yourself.
If you want to discuss your future plans, I’d love to hear them! Get in touch!
m: 07859 878 599
c: https://scheduler.zoom.us/garrettlearning/1-1-cuppa-and-chat
l: www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-garrett-7522bb50/
f: www.facebook.com/GarrettLearning
i: www.instagram.com/garrettlearning
t: www.tiktok.com/@garrettlearning
