This is why we decided to set up a wellbeing meeting at Hope Capital, where every fortnight, myself and our CEO Jonathan Sealey put time aside to allow anyone in the Hope Capital team to talk openly to us, if they want.

Unfortunately, many people stay silent about their mental health, perhaps because of fear and shame, or due to negative experiences when they have opened up to someone in the past. This is a barrier we need to break down immediately.

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It is crucial people know that having a mental health problem does not make them a burden, hopeless, or less of a person. Recognising, accepting and communicating that you are not feeling as well as you usually are plays a great role in tackling mental health issues.  

The importance of self-care can also not be underestimated; this is why we’ve introduced a number of new initiatives to see how we can best support our team with a better work-life balance. 

This is a busy, demanding industry, which brings pressures and responsibilities of all kinds. Therefore, the need to prioritise mental health and wellbeing within this business environment is paramount for our colleagues, which in turn, should also help benefit the overall performance of Hope Capital. 

Ultimately, we all need to talk openly about mental health in the finance sector. We’ll only normalise mental health by feeling comfortable and discussing and exchanging our experiences, which will hopefully inspire others to do the same. This should not be a taboo subject any longer, and the stigma surrounding this area needs to be left in the past.