Money problems can have a debilitating impact on our mental health and we encourage you to talk with your manager if anxiety or stress is impacting your work.
Employee Assistance Programme
SCC's Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is delivered through Care first and is available to all Surrey Fire and Rescue and SCC employees, with the exception of some Schools staff. Any contact you make with Care first is completely confidential - manager consent is not needed. A list of school staff who can access EAP is on the Schools Portal.
You can call the helpline on 0800 174 319 at any time of day or night.
Here For You
As an SCC employee you can access the Here For You hub, which provides mental health support to people working in the NHS, social care and partner organisations. You can join a workshop or request a 1 to 1 session for advice and signposting. First step for the 1 to 1 session is to fill in an online request and they are quick to reply.
Local mental health services
Mental health support for you or a family member can also be accessed via your GP or the NHS Psychological Therapies Service (IAPT).
Advice for managers to improve financial wellbeing in your team
As a manager you can safely assume that rising household costs are impacting everyone in your team. While you can't magic reality away, there are some ways you can support:
- Broach the subject. Talking money can be a bit taboo but we do encourage you to gently start that conversation. It doesn't have to be intrusive – just ask for instance if they're managing okay, is there anything they'd particularly like you to be aware of. An ideal time is in the wellbeing part of your 1 to 1.
- Review how and where your team work through the week if this can this be arranged more economically. For example travelling to a more local office or working from home in the afternoon to reduce childcare costs?
- Refer to financial wellbeing regularly. Mentioning the elephant in the room will help your team feel they can be frank with you.
- Know where to signpost. You can use our Financial wellbeing page for tips on managing money, Social wellbeing page for learning more about community initiatives that keep you in pocket, or our Financial advice support page for advice around debt and money problems.
- Share information. Keep an eye open for articles, tips, ideas that help people cut corners with finances and forward any of interest. Encourage others to do the same.
- Use a Wellness Action Plan. This can be downloaded from the Mind website. If someone has a lot of anxiety around money, you can adapt the plan to spot where flexibility might alleviate financial pressure.
- Work with your wellbeing champions or team members to introduce some fun activities into your working week; show and learn sessions, share an achievement, snap chat on Teams, or have fun with personality tests. Some team bonding and having a laugh is a great way to boost morale.
Related links
Be informed about your pension before making changes to it - The Surrey Pension Fund home page.
Be aware of scams - Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards.
Visit our Health and welfare section.
