Mindful Employer Leeds speaks to Rebecca Hopwood from Youbee Media – one of our newest local Mindful Employers.
Firstly Rebecca, could you tell us a bit about yourself and your role at Youbee Media?
I formed Youbee Media during the pandemic. Like a lot of people, the sudden change to my daily routine made me question – well, everything! Mainly my commute, time away from home, my mental health, how I would balance everything when my little boy started school – and topped off with a feeling of being unvalued where I was employed. The pressure was stifling, so I had a ‘now or never’ moment and decided to take the plunge!
I wanted to help businesses to find a marketing solution to survive beyond the pandemic, wanted to feel rewarded in my work and create a fantastic work culture for a growing team to learn and feel appreciated.
Less than 2 years later, we’re now a team of 4 and we have no plans of slowing our growth. Our first employee was an apprentice, and she’s now been with us almost 18 months. Next, I recruited a graphic designer who was out of work during the pandemic, and we have our latest team member joining on the 1st August. I am always on the look out for great talent, positive people and ways to improve what we do. I think having an open mind is super important to a creative agency.
Why did you decide to become a Mindful Employer?
I have always looked for ways to support the people around me, create a supportive work environment and be open about the conversation around mental health. I looked at employee incentives, support networks and other ways to access workplace toolkits and found they were all targeting companies much bigger than us. Becoming a Mindful Employer allows us to access information, share this with the team and make a public statement about the type of company we want to be.
I hope that this will attract more great talent in the future and help us to keep supporting each other.
What are you most proud of about how you look after your staff?
I believe that diversity and respect is key. We work closely as a team, recognise our differences and try to see things from another angle. As a business we look to provide others with solutions, so why would I want a team of ‘yes’ people who don’t feel as though they have a voice? I welcome ideas, creativity, innovation and change. I want to encourage individuality and offer something different to a client. We all have so much to offer each other!
I also love having a great time with our team. So, we enjoy lots of after work socials, events, networking and we’ve just started a Youbee social club. There’s also some good structure behind this. So I make time for conversations, 121’s and appraisals with the team. I look at ways to improve their professional development, but also incentivise the team with personal goals and soft skills.
And finally, what would you say to other businesses considering whether to invest in staff wellbeing and mental health?
Supporting mental health in the workplace is not just a corporate responsibility; staff who have positive mental health are more productive, and businesses that promote a progressive approach to mental health can see a significant impact on business performance, so it’s about good business too.
Unfortunately, we live in very challenging times where anyone’s mental health can be impacted by many things. Nobody is exempt from that. Investing in mental health, becoming a Mindful Employer and being a good listening will add numerous benefits to your business.
Click here to find out more about Leeds Mindful Employer.
