20th June 2025

Lee & Thompson’s Head of People & Talent, Karen Genuardi, a member of the IP Ability Committee, joined forces with a range of speakers to talk about “Mental Health and the Equality Act” and “Juggling Caring and Working in the IP Professions” from an HR perspective over the past month.

The talks explored the myriad of measures and adjustments that employers can put in place to boost their staff’s wellbeing, support employees struggling with their mental health or juggling working with caring responsibilities and ultimately retain valuable talent.

You can read Karen’s key takeaways for businesses below:

• Leaders and managers are key in creating an environment where people feel safe talking about mental health or their caring responsibilities.
• Internal networks, where people can share experiences and see that they are not alone, can help create a supportive environment
• Line managers should be trained in spotting poor mental health and opening dialogue, as well as championing policies that set out the support and resources in place, so that people feel comfortable asking for help.
• Alongside having a policy, internal contingency plans – including how work can be re-allocated or done at a different time if someone needs to step back, and even how interactions with clients and colleagues would be handled – can reduce stress and anxiety significantly for a carer or someone struggling with poor mental health, but also for managers and team members.
• While small changes can make all the difference, one size doesn’t fit all and everyone’s circumstances are unique; It’s important to take a person-centred flexible approach and to keep things under review.
• Knowing what resources are available and where to find them can help employees and managers with confidence and early intervention. While many firms have HR teams who can support, and access support via an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), smaller firms without dedicated HR can seek support from specialist organisations such as Carers UK, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS), the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), Mind or the Society of Occupational Health (OH) may be able to provide specific advice.

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