The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) has partnered with communications agency fox&cat, the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) and the Healthcare Communications Association (HCA) to launch Under the tree, a free training programme designed to equip PR practitioners with the skills they need to manage work-related pressure and stress.
The programme is fully CPD-accredited and includes a 13-week programme with free weekly 45-minute online sessions by trained specialists and senior leader panel discussions around mental health.
It was developed in response to 2022’s Workplace Mental Wellbeing Audit revealing that more than 90% of PR professionals experienced poor mental health, above the average of 69% for workers across all other professional sectors in the UK. The research found that of those PR professionals experiencing poor mental health in the past year, less than a quarter (22%) took time off work to rest and recover versus 41% for workers in all other professional sectors. Nearly 60% of PR practitioners cited overwhelming workload as a key source of workplace stress.
The sessions are constructed around the issues highlighted by the mental health audit and focus on critical connection; team mental health safety; resilience and confidence; solutions-focused thinking; mindfulness and me; and mental health leadership.
Education and commitment to mental health are two key markers for positive change. We are delighted to be partnering with fox&cat on this first-of-its-kind programme, and it is inspiring to see such a young agency step forward to make a difference in mental health in our industry.
Alastair McCapra, CIPR Chief Executive
Agency, in-house and independent practitioners are frequently having to get through very heavy workloads usually with short deadlines, creating highly pressured working environments. I have suffered work-related mental health challenges in the past due to these issues and I continue to manage stress levels in my job to maintain control and balance.
The insights provided to us by the likes of the CIPR, PRCA and HCA go a long way to helping identify the issues we face as leaders in communications, and our free-to-all Under the tree programme helps translate these insights into meaningful education to improve the skills we all need to better manage mental health when working in communications.
Paul Hutchins, Founder of fox&cat
We have been heavily involved in helping shape the focus areas for fox&cat’s Under the tree programme to ensure the sessions meet the needs of the industry. We are very pleased to be part of this initiative and witness fox&cat take it on and fund it as part of their own specific area of corporate responsibility.
Renna Markson, PRCA Deputy Director General
Information on the programme
Sessions will be held live on fox&cat’s LinkedIn page. All sessions will be recorded and will be made available alongside downloadable resources and top tips from the campaign webpage.
The 13-week CDP-accredited programme has sessions every Wednesday at 12.15 from 22 February through to 17 May. Full session details can be found here: www.foxandcat.online/underthetree
Those who take advantage of these free sessions will receive:
- education from eleven 45-minute drop-in sessions to introduce the skills and techniques needed to effectively manage pressure from fox&cat’s extended network of expert trainers
- two panel discussions aimed at senior leaders between fox&cat, CIPR, PRCA and HCA around the Mental Wellbeing in PR research findings, the importance of training and a look towards the future of mental health in communications
