Level Up: Employer Toolkit

Key insights

6 takeaways

01
The toolkit reports that 61% of games industry professionals have experienced crunch, and it presents stress risk assessment as a starting point for improving employee wellbeing.See it on page 6
02
The toolkit stresses that shared documentation does not guarantee shared knowledge, so employers should repeatedly signpost existing support through company-wide communications.See it on page 6
03
The document recommends that employers regularly review and refresh a written mental health policy so employees can access accurate information on available support.See it on page 7
04
The toolkit suggests that team-wide mental health learning can help, since employees may find it easier to talk to a colleague they work with regularly than to a senior team member.See it on page 12
05
The toolkit advises that employees be told as soon as possible if their jobs are at risk, because some may need extra time for personal circumstances or legal factors such as visas.See it on page 13
06
The toolkit states that leadership plays a crucial role in team mental wellbeing and that managers' skills must be learned through training and experience rather than assumed.See it on page 10

Summary

Level Up: Employer Toolkit is a guide from Safe In Our World, a mental health charity serving the games industry, intended to help employers implement workplace mental health and wellbeing practices. It is organised into themed sections covering stigma, stress and wellbeing, mental health policy, feedback and listening, employee surveys, reviews and development, leadership, training, managing change, and conversation starters. The toolkit encourages employers to begin with activities marked as Essential or Easy Win, and it offers suggestions adaptable to companies of different sizes. It also presents the Mental Health Star Accreditation, which the charity describes as the video game industry's first and only certificate for exemplary workplace mental health practices.

On stress, the toolkit states that 61% of games industry professionals report having experienced crunch. It recommends performing a stress risk assessment, regularly signposting existing support such as an Employee Assistance Programme, and noting that stress can come from external factors such as caring responsibilities or financial worries. On policy, it suggests implementing or refreshing a written mental health policy and offering external support such as health insurance upgrades or counselling costs.

For leadership and training, the toolkit advises training existing and prospective leaders, and it recommends mental health first aiders and team-wide learning. On surveys, it recommends clear deadlines, explaining the survey's value, and allocating time for completion. For change, it advises communicating support options regularly and informing employees as soon as possible if their jobs are at risk.