Osborne ramps up mental fitness of rail staff

An innovative programme to increase the mental resilience of Osborne’s rail staff has been launched to improve performance, individual well-being and staff retention rates.

Over a six month period, research was undertaken by a cross section of staff for the voluntary programme. Head of Health, Safety, Environment and Quality,(HSEQ) Chris Trodd, has utilized techniques from his previous work in the oil and gas industry to create a mental resilience programme for the rail team.

Chris explained, “Rail is a high pressure, high hazard environment. People need to be able work well under pressure and make the right decisions.”

The voluntary programme helps everyone to recognise the symptoms of people who could be suffering from mental health issues. Furthermore, it highlights the high pressure contracts to ensure steps can be taken to minimise the stress levels of staff, as well as providing everyone with tools to help them manage any issues which could cause stress.

“Stress, anxiety and depression are the main reasons as to why people are absent from work,” Chris said. “This programme is about making sure the people at Osborne are both mentally and physically fit. Better mental resilience helps your memory and your sleep patterns which directly impacts on fatigue. In turn, this will reduce the risk of accidents occurring.”

Moreover, the benefits to the Osborne bottom line will be significant. Chris explained, “We will have more people at work full time, and it will make Osborne an even better place to work and ensure that everyone is happier.”