Quilter has launched a mental health support programme for financial advisers around the world to support them through the coronavirus crisis
The resource, Thrive, which was initially rolled out to Quilter employees in 2018, offers a variety of materials that will help advisers in the UK and internationally look after their mental wellbeing, and that of their clients, during the pandemic.
It forms part of Quilter’s There for You website, which was launched to support financial adviser businesses as the covid-19 crisis unfolds.
Material on Thrive includes:
- Podcasts and videos from Quilter’s own and external wellbeing experts and behavioural economists
- Tips on working effectively from home, staying connected and balancing work and caring responsibilities
- Materials on how to cope with isolation and build resilience
Relevant extracts and downloadable PDFs directly from the employee toolkit are available to financial advisers from the start of Mental Health Awareness Week (18-24 May). The hub will also include a selection of the blogs and personal accounts from Quilter employees on how they have tackled their mental health challenges.
Paul Feeney, CEO of Quilter, said the pandemic is the “biggest behavioural and emotional challenge of our time” and the group wanted to establish a hub where colleagues, advisers and their clients can find a place “where it is ok not to be ok, where we can all put our burden down”.
In his own personal story on Thrive, Feeney said: “I’ll be honest, when I told my own personal story of my struggles with mental health, I was really nervous, but the reaction I’ve had since then has been such an eye opener! Mental health touches so many of us and speaking up has shown me that not only is it okay not to be okay, but that none of us are alone in it.”
He added that as our workplace has now changed to our own homes, it’s just as important that we all feel supported, and that extends to the advisers in the industry.
“The hub is full of tools, resources, podcasts, webinars about building resilience and looking after your mental health at this time. I hope it will help advisers to reflect, and perhaps do some small things that will make a big difference. Clients place their trust in their adviser every day and to them they are more than just financial advisers, they are coaches and friends.
“The World Health Organisation has just published a report warning that we are on the cusp of a mental health crisis, underlining that it is vital that we all are able to access help and support, particularly when we’re feeling isolated and vulnerable. As we enter Mental Health Awareness Week there is no better time to recognise the importance of talking about and supporting one another’s emotional and personal wellbeing,” Feeney said.
