BSI, the UK’s National Standards Body, has developed and published BS 30480 Suicide and the workplace: Intervention, prevention and support for people affected by suicide. The standards support you to:
- Identify and manage suicide risk in the workplace.
- Strengthen workplace policies and culture around suicide awareness.
- Have confident, consistent and compassionate conversations about suicide in workplace settings.
- Embed clear processes to support and communicate with staff and families after suicide loss.
SOM strongly supports that workplaces can help to prevent suicides by ensuring they foster a psychologically safe and healthy workplace.
The standard was developed with input from more than 70 organisations and individual experts. It provides structured, practical guidance that can be applied across sectors and organisation. Download for free here.
SOM has recently published a guide on how organisations should respond to a suicide at work. The term 'suicide postvention' refers to the actions taken by an organisation to provide effective support in a sensitive manner after a death by suicide. It aims to promote recovery and prevent further adverse outcomes. A SOM resource, authored by Professor Gail Kinman and Professor Neil Greenberg, and endorsed by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, 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. The guidance draws on high-quality sources from research and practice and was developed through consultation with experts from various fields. It aims to help organisations navigate the complexities and sensitivities involved in such tragic events, ensuring they provide the support required to maintain a healthy and compassionate workplace.
The resource is useful for occupational health practitioners, wellbeing leads, HR professionals, managers, and policy makers. It addresses several important issues in the aftermath of a workplace death by suicide, such as immediate response approaches, communication protocols, support mechanisms for affected individuals, and long-term considerations for fostering a supportive work environment. Download the guidance here.
SOM has also produced a “Buyers' guide” for wellbeing products and services - download here. SOM is also working with the Royal College of Psychiatrists to set up a quality mark system so organisations will be able to identify which interventions work to improve the health of workforces which should in turn reduce the risk of suicides. Contact us for more details.