Stagecoach has become the first national bus operator to sign the ‘Time to Change’ pledge and vow to tackle workplace stigma around mental health.

Signing the pledge means the company – which operates scores of services across the county – will commit to deliver a comprehensive plan to promote mental wellbeing in the workplace and encourage employers to talk more openly on the matter.

Stagecoach has said it will set up a Wellbeing Champions Committee with representatives from each of its regions, which includes the region of Cumbria and North Lancashire. It has also appointed a new people change director, Michelle Hargreaves, who will take charge of health and wellbeing initiatives.

Stagecoach Group chief executive Martin Griffiths signed the ‘Time to Change’ pledge during the company’s dedicated Wellbeing and Safety Week, which also coincided with World Mental Health Day on Wednesday, October 10.

He said: “We know that life is stressful at times, and work can play a part that, so we feel strongly that it’s our role as a responsible employer to support our staff as best we possibly can.

“We have signed this pledge because the mental health and overall wellbeing of our people matters to us. We want to show our continued commitment to looking after our employees, to having a positive impact on the mental well-being of our staff, and to helping to remove the stigma that exists around mental health in the workplace.”

Stagecoach initiatives will include giving staff access to mental health awareness and mental health first aid training and setting up an area of its company intranet which offers advice and information on available support for employees. It is also expanding its ‘Driving Fitness Together’ wellbeing programme to all UK Bus staff.

Jo Loughran, director of Time to Change, said: “Many leading employers have found that making a strategic commitment to the mental wellbeing of their workforce not only benefits their staff but also their bottom-line, improving productivity and staff retention.

“With one in six British workers experiencing mental illness it's time for businesses to make a change and start creating more mentally healthy workplaces."

There has been increasing focus on workplace mental health and well-being in recent years