How Avanti West Coast is centralising mental wellbeing
We spoke with Andy Mellors, Managing Director at Avanti West Coast, about the challenges train operator staff are facing and what can be done to protect their wellbeing.
Andy MellorsManaging Director, Avanti West Coast
For Andy Mellors, Avanti West Coast’s Managing Director, maintaining good mental wellbeing is essential. In this interview, Andy shares his insights on the unique challenges that faced by employees in train operator companies (TOCs), what Avanti West Coast is doing to minimise the impact of these, and what senior leaders can do to protect their own mental health.
Congratulations on one year as Managing Director at Avanti West Coast. How has your first year in the role been?
It’s been a really challenging year—within the business and for me, but particularly for the wider industry. Due to the effects of the pandemic, there’s been a need to recover some confidence in the product we deliver for our customers. But I’m heartened by the fact that in my first six months in the role, we certainly saw sustained improved operational delivery for the benefit of customers. We also moved forward on several other topics, particularly around health and wellbeing.
The past six months have been more challenging. During autumn and winter, it does get more demanding in terms of the operational railway, but we were able to look forward to delivering on some of our longer-term commitments. These include launching our new fleet of Hitachi trains and training our first drivers for them. We’re looking forward to seeing the benefits of those trains for our customers and our stakeholders.
Mental wellbeing challenges affect many rail staff. What unique challenges do you think TOC employees face?
Our frontline colleagues face a range of very difficult circumstances. Something I’m often reminded of is that Avanti West Coast staff members don’t exist in isolation. The railway is a system, and the stations we manage are multi-operator stations. This means that challenges with service delivery for one train operator can impact the working environment for staff members in other businesses, including ours. So, first and foremost, it’s the impact of service delivery challenges—including stress and passenger frustration—on our frontline staff members.
That said, we’re pleased with the progress we’ve made with our safeguarding activities and the recognition we got through the Safeguarding Accreditation last year. We have to equip our colleagues to deal with the sorts of situations they’re confronted with day in, day out. So, gaining this accreditation was a collective effort across the business to recognise that we work in a challenging environment and that our frontline colleagues are exposed to some difficult situations on an almost daily basis.
We also have to acknowledge that the industry is in a state of uncertainty at the moment. On a larger scale, we’ve got all the debates happening about industry structure and rail reform. On a much more personal basis for frontline staff, we’ve got industrial disputes. We’ve just kickstarted the reform discussions with our RMT grades within the business, and we’re trying to provide as much clarity as we can despite these uncertain times. This period of uncertainty really reinforces the importance of communicating with colleagues.
Avanti West Coast has signed the Railway Mental Health Charter. How is it helping your organisation?
The world has fundamentally changed since the pandemic, and stress and anxiety levels are high. They’re the biggest causes of absence from the workplace, and we need to make sure we’re providing the appropriate support. This thinking led us to sign the Railway Mental Health Charter.
Something we’ve really moved on with is raising the profile of our health and wellbeing agenda. There was good work happening within our business, but it didn’t necessarily have the profile it deserved. So, signing the Railway Mental Health Charter has lifted the profile of this work.
It’s also triggered several interventions, including senior leadership training within the business, delivered by RSSB. In this training, we learned about some of the tools and techniques that can help us protect our mental wellbeing. In turn, this helped promote conversations around mental wellbeing and signpost people to the support arrangements available that they may not have been aware of.
We want to make sure that mental wellbeing is an integral part of how we do business, rather than something that’s just bolted on the side. It has to become a ‘business as usual’ type of activity. The wellbeing of our people is a critical enabler of good overall performance.
Avanti also introduced the Good 2 Talk scheme last year. What is that, and how is that initiative going?
At Runcorn station, we repurposed a first-class lounge to act as a space for the wider community. We then partnered with Good 2 Talk, a local support group, to use that space to start a walk-in service for people who might be struggling with their mental health. Community members, passengers, and our own colleagues are now using it.
This has served as a great opportunity to get that integration between our stations and the local community, to build up those relationships, and to give something back. The sessions are having a really positive impact. And Laura Warwick, an Avanti West Coast team leader, was recently recognised with a ‘Rail Hero’ award for her part in this initiative.
RSSB’s Rail Social Value Tool is something I was very interested in when coming into this role, and knowing exactly what social value we’re providing through our various interventions is powerful. I think the ability to have these conversations at Runcorn is a value in its own right.
You mentioned your recent attendance at RSSB’s mental health training for senior leadership. What prompted you to attend, and what did you take from the day?
As MD of the business, I need to make sure we’ve got appropriate policies and resources in place. It’s also important for me to engage with colleagues and get a better understanding of some of the challenges they’re facing.
But at the other end of the spectrum, I’m an individual. None of us are immune to the challenges of working in this industry or the mental health challenges it may bring. It’s incredibly demanding. So, from a personal perspective, being able to use the tools and techniques that were talked about on the training is really valuable for me.
For example, I still remember the ‘stress bucket’ slide from the presentation. We all have these things, inside and outside of work, that are going into the bucket and causing our stress levels to rise. But there are things that we can do to relieve some of the pressure in that bucket. Of all the things in the training, that was what stuck with me: the ability to recognise what’s filling up the stress bucket and the safety valves you can deploy to keep your mental health in a good position.
What else do you think senior leaders can do to better support employee wellbeing?
Promote the mental health and wellbeing agenda. Safety and operational performance are intrinsic parts of what we do, and the mental wellbeing of our workforce should be no different. There’s been proactive work done by RSSB and the Office of Rail and Road to promote health and safety within the industry. As senior leaders, we have to be advocates for that message. In the ways we work, in the discussions we have on a daily basis, we should always be thinking through what they might mean for our people.
As an industry, much of our success, in terms of how we deliver for our customers, hinges on making sure we’ve equipped our staff as best we can to carry out their roles. It’s not just about the physical things needed to do the job. It’s also about making sure they’re in the best possible frame of mind. That’s key for a safe, high-performing railway.
Thank you. Finally, what steps do you think train operator MDs and CEOs can take to protect their own mental health?
We’re all different, and we all think about this in different ways. For me, having a support network is very helpful. It can be a lonely place when you’re in a senior leadership position, but always remember that you don’t have to be alone.
Also, leading a large operational business is a full-on occupation, so getting some downtime when you can is important. Make the most of those opportunities when they arise.
Finally, think about your own personal stress bucket. What adds stress for you? How can you mitigate that? If you don’t manage those stress levels, you’re less likely to show up as the leader you really want to be.
Need support?If you’re looking for support with your mental health, the Railway Benefit Fund can help.
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