Pictured (L – R): Dave Southern, Elephant in the Room; Lorraine Roche, Director of HR, Matheson; Karl Daly, Elephant in the Room; and Michael Jackson, Managing Partner, Matheson
Matheson is proud to announce its partnership with Elephant in the Room, the global mental health awareness campaign which uses art as a medium to break down barriers and encourage conversations about a topic that often goes unspoken.
Matheson is the first law firm in Ireland to partner with the organisation and as part of the initiative, the firm will be placing a four-foot elephant sculpture in its office to serve as a physical reminder of the invisible challenges that individuals may face in their daily lives and the need for open conversations around wellbeing in the workplace.
Employees of Matheson will have the opportunity to participate in a competition to contribute their ideas of a design for the elephant, along with a brief explanation of the symbolism behind their concept as well as a name for the sculpture. The winning design will be selected, and an artist will then bring the winning design to life. The finished sculpture will be revealed at a special unveiling ceremony, celebrating the culmination of this collaborative effort to promote mental health and wellbeing within the workplace.
Commenting on the new partnership, Michael Jackson, Managing Partner at Matheson, said:
“We are delighted to launch this initiative in partnership with Elephant in the Room. At Matheson, we are committed to promoting a workplace culture that prioritises the mental health and wellbeing of our colleagues and this initiative is a testament to the firm's dedication to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for all. By placing this symbolic elephant sculpture in our office, we hope to spark important conversations around mental health and continue to create a space where individuals feel comfortable discussing these crucial issues.”
Lorraine Roche, Director of HR at Matheson, said:
“Our colleagues are at the heart of everything we do, and their wellbeing is a top priority for us. The Elephant in the Room initiative will be the focal point for all of our current policies and wellbeing resources, and is a creative and meaningful way for us to demonstrate our continued commitment to supporting mental health in the workplace and to fostering a culture that promotes our values on a daily basis.”
Karl Daly, Elephant in the Room, commented:
“The Elephant in the Room movement is a public awareness initiative created to improve the conversation around mental health worldwide. We are honoured to be working with Matheson, Ireland's only law firm to be a signatory to the Mindful Business Charter. With Matheson’s support we will be releasing our first elephant into the savannahs of legal practice over the coming months. Together, we hope this meeting of the physical art with the metaphor of facing whatever you’re most afraid to share and talk about, can be a catalyst for change, for caring and for empathy.”
Matheson’s employee wellbeing initiatives, including mental health, are one of the key areas of focus under the firm’s Impactful Business Programme. This comprises Matheson’s inclusive policies as well as wellbeing resources such as an Employee Assistance Programme; onsite wellbeing coach; and Matheson Mindful Day, which provides employees with an opportunity to switch off from work for a day to recharge. Matheson is a founding signatory to the Mindful Business Charter, the set of best practice, behavioural principles to tackle and reduce avoidable stress in the workplace.
