London office features ‘mental health gym’

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One office in London is putting the mental health of its workforce at the forefront.

Co-working space The Tea Building is offering access to coaches in a "mental health gym" where staff can go for regular sessions to work on any issues they might be facing.

"Mental health is part of all of us. We all wear our mental health in some way," said James Routledge, the founder of Sanctus, a company which aims to change perceptions of mental health.

"Let’s just talk about it like we do our physical health. There’s no shame in going for a run or doing yoga in the park, so why not talk about your mental health in a glass box."

This "mental health gym" offers workers space where they can cope with emotional difficulties and stress at workplace. /CGTN Photo

Mental health is an issue increasingly being spoken about publicly in the UK, with Prince William leading campaigns for more public discourse.

But one recent survey found that three in four people had experienced symptoms of poor mental health at some point, while only 11 percent of workers had discussed mental health with a line manager at work.

And research by the Centre for Mental Health suggests the cost of mental health to employers in the UK could be as high as 35 billion US dollars per year.

Those using the mental-health gym say it’s invaluable.

"It’s not just for when things are unmanageable and you’re trying to just get back to being yourself, it’s about kind of intervening along the way, to keep things ticking over, and hopefully it’s a preventative measure rather than a cure," said Sanctus user Victoria Lloyd.

Sanctus has a vision to put a mental health gym on the high-streets and to make the concept mainstream.

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