Agency Holidaysplease has been proactive in striving to support the wellbeing of both head office staff and homeworkers, discovers Natalie Marsh in the latest in T
ravel W eekly’s Mental Health Matters series
Dame Kelly Holmes was guest speaker at Holidaysplease’s annual conference in 2019
Cat Reeves Andy Edmond
I
t was Dame Kelly Holmes who sort of brought it all to light for us,” says Cat Reeves, brand and business growth executive at
Holidaysplease. Referring to the former Olympic
champion’s appearance as guest speaker at the company’s annual conference in 2019, Reeves says: “Kelly spoke really openly about her mental health struggles over the years, and that kick-started all this for us, because what she had to say really resonated. “It came to light that a couple of
our company’s managers had been having struggles too. People began talking at the conference quite openly and started this culture of supporting people’s mental health.” Reeves rejoined the OTA and
homeworking specialist this year after a five-year gap and says she noticed how Holidaysplease had stepped up its mental health focus in that time, particularly during the pandemic. The company has signed up to
10 12 AUGUST 2021
Working from home Holidaysplease has around 100 homeworking agents, and 45 employees based at its Birmingham head office. Reflecting on the start of the
the Everymind at Work app, which it encourages employees to use for mental health advice and support. The app features real-life stories, physical and mental exercises, and advice for those struggling with mental health or financial problems. It contains contacts for Holidaysplease mental health ambassadors and further support. It’s all personalised to the company, and confidential. “It’s not just about ‘I’m really
struggling, I need help, so I’ll go to the app’,” says Reeves. “It’s also about promoting positive mental health every day, no matter what you’re feeling. It’s there to keep you going and keep you positive.”
pandemic, Reeves says: “Some of the office workers felt a little bit isolated and lonely [working from home].” While the office staff were
adjusting to working from home, agents were already set up for this. But Andy Edmond, a homeworker based in Warwickshire, says that although this way of working was familiar, lockdown was far from easy. “When you’re working at home
and then you can’t go out, that’s a completely different story,” he says. “That has been a big challenge and definitely affected my mental health.” Homeworkers have had to deal
with a plethora of challenges over the past year and a half, not least because of ever-changing travel advice. “That’s a huge pressure because, obviously, you want to make sure
you’re giving the customers the exact advice, so you’ve got to be on the ball,” Edmond explains. Edmond has worked at
Holidaysplease for close to three years but been in the industry for 25. Despite that experience, he admits
that knowing which destinations to promote, in the light of rapidly changing travel rules, has been difficult and has made him feel “very anxious”. “The challenge is knowing
what to advertise,” he adds. “Are we supposed to be marketing something for this year? Are people going to buy it? Or do we market for next year?”
NEED HELP? If you, or someone you know, has been affected by a mental health issue and are seeking help or advice, contact Samaritans free of charge on 116 123
travelweekly.co.uk
HEALTH MATTERS
MENTAL
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