Our latest guide is a bespoke resource for the patent and trade mark professions. It’s research-based and easily digestible, providing practical advice and listing useful resources.
We encourage you to read, disseminate, discuss and implement to further develop the encouraging work that is already being done to make this rewarding profession a mentally healthy place for everyone.
“When bosses understand mental health issues – and how to respond to them – it can make all the difference professionally and personally. This involves taking notice, offering a helping hand and saying ‘I’m here. I have your back, you’re not alone.'”
– Harvard Business Review
In December 2019 Jonathan’s Voice, together with the Charlie Waller Trust (CWT), distributed a questionnaire to seek the views of patent and trade mark professionals about the contents of a guide that was planned, “Protecting your mental health and wellbeing”. It became apparent that an individual’s mental health and wellbeing couldn’t be considered in isolation but only in the context of the culture of the organisation. Respondents told us what they would like to see as the content of the proposed booklet but what was particularly striking was the number of comments relating to the culture and organisation of the workplace. Requests included: “advice to partners who might not realise the damaging effect they are having on trainees”, “suggestions for adjusting actual work practices”, and “an emphasis on what the business can do to help the employees”. There were many more in a similar vein.
This was the drive for this second guide. It has been informed by the responses to that questionnaire and by the results of the survey by IP Inclusive, CIPA and CITMA that was undertaken in Mental Health Awareness Week in May 2019 (reported here).
The draft of the guide has been subject to extensive feedback from senior leaders in the profession, to whom we are very grateful. Jonathan’s Voice sincerely thanks all those who supported and contributed in whatever way and particularly Penny Aspinall, the author of the guide, and colleagues at CWT, IP Inclusive, CITMA and CIPA.
A final word…
“We can put in place systems, processes, checks and balances. If however, there is not a culture of looking after one another and recognising that ‘It’s ok not to be ok’ and to feel able to talk openly about that, we are not supporting the mental health and wellbeing of those we are responsible for leading or managing.”
– Lee Davies, Chief Executive, Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys
IP Inclusive is pleased to have worked with Jonathan’s Voice on several mental health-related projects and events. See in particular our website mental health and wellbeing page created in collaboration with the charity.
Page published on 16th March 2021
Page last modified on 16th March 2021
“As a leader, giving a small amount of your time to read this guide should make a significant difference to the way you and your people support one another.”