Helping your organisation prevent suicide
Suicide can be a really difficult topic to talk about – but we do know talking can help. Starting a conversation at work about our mental wellbeing can make a huge difference for someone going through a difficult time, and providing support when they reach out can literally be life-saving.
We want to encourage you to think about the ways you, as a colleague or employer, can support your teams. We’ve collected some of the best resources on the web for starting the conversation, providing support if someone tells you they need help, and combating some of the reasons why someone may be having suicidal thoughts.
Suicide can affect anyone – but according to CALM, there are some factors that make someone more likely to take their own life:
- Being male
- Identifying as LGBTQIA+
- Being black, Asian or from a minority ethnic background
- Being an ex prisoner
- Previous bereavement by suicide
- Trauma or abuse
- Drug and alcohol addiction
And, they estimate that one suicide directly affects 135 people – leaving a lasting impact on family, friends, colleagues, neighbours and acquaintances.
Alice Hendy lost her brother to suicide in 2020. He was just 21 years old.
“Josh was a fun loving, happy brother on the outside,” she says. “We were extremely close and shared a love of travel, food, football and festivals. But he had suffered with his mental health for a number of years, and unfortunately didn’t share the fact that he was struggling, so on the inside he was in a very dark place. Everyone loved Josh. He was kind, thoughtful and would do anything to help others. We miss him every second of every day.”
After he died, Alice found he had been using the internet to search for information about how to take his own life. This spurred her into action, creating a browser extension called Ripple. “Once downloaded, if an individual were to search for harmful material online relating to self-harm and suicide, my piece of tech would interrupt their search,” Alice explains.
“Instead, they will be presented with a short breathing exercise followed by a message of hope that things will get better. They will then be signposted to one of the many suitable mental health resources that can give them the help and hope that they deserve.”
R;pple is free for individuals, parents and guardians, schools, colleges, sixth forms, universities and charities. Businesses and corporate clients can use R;pple for a price per machine, per month.
As well as installing R;pple, Alice suggests building your organisation’s confidence in talking about mental health. “I would ensure that mental health first aid training was available to the staff to raise awareness on what to do and say, as well as what not to do and say, if a colleague is struggling,” she says. “Don’t be afraid to ask the staff member how they are and check in with them regularly using an open dialogue.”
Here’s some of the best resources on the web aimed at preventing suicide in your organisation.
Resources in this toolkit:
Supporting someone with suicidal thoughts
It can be difficult to know what to do if a colleague tells you they are having suicidal thoughts. This guide from Samaritans outlines the steps you can take to help. Reading it now means you'll be prepared before it may happen.
Guide - Intervention, prevention and support for people affected by suicide.
BS 30480 Suicide and the workplace guide - free to download from The British Standards Institution - is a global first standard helping organisations take effective action on suicide awareness, education, intervention and support after suicide. A guide for smaller organisations is also available.
Building understanding around suicide
Anyone can have suicidal thoughts. How long these thoughts last is different for everyone. It can be really hard. Whether you're feeling low yourself or worried about someone else, we're here to support you. And to help you get through this. Topics include coping with suicidal thoughts, supporting someone else, and bereavement by suicide.
Suicide prevention training from the Zero Suicide Alliance
This free online training shows how you can help people who might be contemplating suicide by bringing up the subject and offering support. The course is available to everyone and is accessible without any kind of registration or login.
How to talk to your employer about your mental health
You may be experiencing these feelings yourself, and wish to disclose them. While many organisations are working hard to break the stigmas around mental health, disclosing your own concerns can make you feel vulnerable. This guide from Mind can help you plan who to speak to, what to say, and how to progress.
Coping with the rising cost of living
We know money problems are linked to suicidal thoughts. This web page from Step Change offers advice about managing debt, as well as explaining what benefits you might be entitled to.
Approaching a sensitive conversation around mental ill health
If you're worried about someone's wellbeing, then talking to them can help. But every conversation a manager has with a colleague who may be experiencing mental ill health will be different. This PDF guide from Acas has tips for managers to think about when approaching such a conversation.
Reducing the risk of suicide: a toolkit for employers
This toolkit helps managers and HR teams make plans to lower the risk of suicide in the workplace. It also helps them spot staff who might be feeling suicidal and know what to do in a crisis.
Suicide postvention in the workplace
This resource from Society of Occupational Medicine provides evidence-informed guidance and recommendations for organisations to respond to the death by suicide of a colleague, or the unexpected death of a colleague from other causes.
