We’ve added to Copart’s Mental Health Support Programme with a UK-wide roll out of Ben backed Management Training.
With 1000s of employees around the globe, Copart has been a long-time advocate of teammate wellbeing – it’s at the heart of what we call the ‘Copart Family Culture’. We know that the stresses and strains of life can sometimes have an impact on wellbeing, especially during more recent times as the pandemic took hold.
Thankfully, we now see the bright light at the end of the tunnel as lockdown eases and many of us get to return to a more normal working life.
We are also aware that, despite the return to normality, the wellbeing of our teammates and those we work with still matters a great deal. After all, it’s our people that set us apart.
We continue to focus on initiatives under our Copart Cares campaign that provide support and celebration of success. Initiatives like our Copart Superstars, Wellbeing Awareness, and most recently a brand-new mental health support programme for our managers to bolster the support they can provide to all teammates.
To bring this support to Copart’s people, we are proud to be working closely with automotive charity Ben.
The training programme is designed to help our managers spot the signs and symptoms of potential mental health issues amongst their direct team and provide support to those who may need it across the business.
Over 125 managers from across our 18 UK locations have now undertaken Ben’s ‘Managing Mental Health in the Workplace’ training, all now helping Copart take another step towards an even more open and supportive working culture.
The course, which is designed exclusively for people managers, provides a broad overview of different mental health conditions as well as the tools, resources, and skills to effectively manage those issues.
Using group discussions and scenario planning, delegates are taught how to recognise the signs of different types of mental health conditions in their teams and develop strategies to manage and support those teammates.
“With myself and my team all working from home for an extended period, I’ve found this training really insightful and practical. It’s not always easy to know if someone is struggling when you can’t see them in person, so having the tools to identify non-visual warning signs and provide support at the right time is invaluable.”
Alex Fenwick, Digital Marketing Manager – Copart
At Copart we’ve been a proud advocate of Ben for many years. Their work, providing health and wellbeing support to the automotive industry, has made Ben the perfect choice as our company charity since 2015.
We hold regular fundraising activities on their behalf throughout the year and promote their range of support services to our teammates. Ben has reported that over 50% of people who contact them needed help with issues relating to their mental health, and they expect this figure to continue rising.
“Our industry has been hit hard by the Coronavirus pandemic and automotive people are currently facing challenging and uncertain times. During the last 12 months, we’ve experienced a substantial increase in those seeking support with their mental health and we continue to help those who are struggling financially.”
Rachel Clift, Health & Wellbeing Director – Ben
As a provider of essential services to the Insurance industry, many of Copart’s operational capabilities have remained open throughout the pandemic, meaning those teammates at the front line of our business in our UK-wide Operation Centres found themselves working in a very different way from normal. Implementing and adhering to social distancing guidelines, and the transition to home working for those in support roles, was unfamiliar and sometimes very challenging.
As we now begin to emerge from the lockdown restrictions and start to return to a more normal way of life, this can also trigger feelings of stress and worry amongst those who are feeling anxious about returning to the workplace.
That’s why it continues to be vital that our managers have the skills in place to identify signs and symptoms of mental health conditions within their teams, enabling them to offer the appropriate support at the earliest opportunity.
“Mental health and wellbeing is a key influence on how motivated and productive teams can be. At Copart we strive to give the very best to our customers, so it’s vital we create the culture that helps our teammates come to work feeling motivated to do things the Copart way, and always give their best. That’s where our Copart Cares campaign comes in.
Supporting teammates with their wellbeing is vital, and our managers play a critical part in that. It can feel daunting for some managers. It can be sensitive and challenging, especially if there are factors involved such as family, financial or work-related worries. This training from Ben has been invaluable as it’s given our managers a wealth of skills and knowledge to spot early warning signs, and the confidence to manage and support teammates effectively.”
Mark Godfrey, Director of Strategy & Automotive – Copart