This year, on World Mental Health Day, the World Health Organization has set a theme of Making Mental Health and Wellbeing for All a Global Priority.
In the words of the WHO, the broad theme ‘provides an opportunity to re-kindle our efforts to make the world a better place.’ Such lofty goals can seem unthinkable, however, positive action and collaboration from stakeholders at all levels will make a huge difference when it comes to policy, best practice and culture surrounding mental health issues.
Employers play a huge part in promoting and protecting the mental health of their employees. At FuturLab, employee wellbeing is paramount. Not only do we believe in the right to a safe and compassionate working environment, but we also advocate that happy teams make great games.
In 2022 we introduced several new initiatives to deepen the value and commitment we give to our team’s wellbeing.
We introduced our partnership with Spill in May this year, which offers all FuturLab employees free, 24/7 access to online therapy. Read more here about how the service has helped some of our team.
‘Duvet days’ have also been introduced to cater for spontaneous time off, to seize the day, deal with something unexpected or if you just fancy a lie in!
We have also entered a partnership with Into Games this year, which will deliver a year-long training program to FuturLab studio employees, with a focus on developing empathetic mentoring and leadership skills even further and building on our culture.
Whilst these have all been positive steps, we won’t stop there! FuturLab is committed to continuous improvement and will continue to prioritise the wellbeing of our team. To do this, we have recently hired a new, incredible Head of People, Keira McGarvey, who has been making a marked impact since joining us in June. Our Studio Coordinator, Hayley Blundy, will also be transitioning into the role of dedicated Studio Welfare Manager.
Furthermore, we are beginning to look at the outwards impact that we make on mental health and wellbeing. Earlier this year, we released the Research Edition of PowerWash Simulator, in partnership with the Oxford Internet Institute (part of Oxford University) to assist in the study of how video games effect players’ mental health.
A Few Words on Imposter Syndrome…
This World Mental Health Day, a few of our staff wanted to share their experience with Imposter Syndrome – a topic that affects so many in our industry.
Imposter Syndrome can be defined as a disbelief in one’s own skills and effort, a feeling that your achievements are not deserved or feelings of incompetence or inadequacy. It can be killer in creative spaces, such as gaming, that are feedback-heavy and can require creative vulnerability.
Without further ado, let Jenny, Nick and Tara guide you through their thoughts and tips when it comes to facing imposter syndrome.