World Mental Health Day takes place on Saturday 10 October 2026. It is an opportunity to reflect on our own mental health, as well as the mental health and wellbeing of those around us, including our colleagues, employees and managers. The pressure and stress that can come from the workplace can quickly become overwhelming. That is why it is important that employees and managers have an environment where they feel able to speak openly, feel valued and know that they belong. One simple way to help create this kind of environment is through employee recognition. Recognising someone's high-quality work, positive achievements or contribution to a team can help improve their confidence and reinforce the feeling that their work is valued and making a positive impact. Sometimes, simply letting someone know that they are doing a good job can make a real difference to how they feel about their role and their contribution. How can you improve employee recognition? Understanding how the individual prefers to receive recognition is a good place to start. Some people may appreciate a public “shout out” in front of their colleagues, while others may prefer a private conversation or a personal message. Taking the time to understand what works for different people can make recognition feel more genuine and meaningful. So, what can you do as a manager? Make recognition regular. Employee recognition doesn't have to be reserved for annual reviews, formal meetings or major achievements. Making recognition part of everyday workplace culture can help employees feel that their contributions are consistently noticed and appreciated. Be specific. Rather than simply always saying “well done”, explain what the person has done well and why it made a difference. For example, recognising someone for handling a difficult situation professionally, supporting a colleague or going above and beyond for a customer can make the praise much more meaningful. Make recognition inclusive. Don’t overlook someone because you assume they already know they are doing a good job. Everyone likes to feel that their efforts are noticed, and regularly recognising different members of the team can help create a more positive and inclusive workplace culture. How do we recognise employees at Rewards Training? At Rewards Training, we regularly use different ways to recognise and celebrate the contributions of our staff. One example is our staff “Shout Outs” on Microsoft Teams. These can be used to give positive praise when someone has excelled in a particular area, or to share positive feedback that we have received about a member of the team from outside the company. Another way we recognise employees is through our All Staff Meetings. We have used anonymous positive comments, where everyone has the opportunity to write a note recognising something they have noticed someone else doing well. The notes are placed into a box and, throughout the meeting, members of the team can pick one out and read it aloud. This gives everyone the opportunity to hear positive comments about their colleagues and celebrate the achievements and contributions of others. These small acts of recognition can help create a workplace where people feel valued, appreciated and part of a team. Recognition of employees within the workplace isn’t about constantly praising or celebrating every small task, it is about ensuring every person in their workplace feels seen and supported. So, this World Mental Health Day, take a moment to think about the people you work with. Is there someone who has done a great job recently? Someone who has helped you out when they didn’t have to, or who has gone above and beyond without expecting any recognition? If so, tell them! It could make a massive difference to their day and remind them that their hard work is not going unnoticed!

In a world where traditional gender roles have long defined the paths individuals choose to tread, we often find ourselves surprised by those who dare to challenge these conventions. One such realm of transformation is the health and social care sector, an industry predominantly occupied by women. However, in recent years, a quiet revolution has been underway as more and more men are breaking barriers and entering this traditionally female-dominated field. In this blog, we'll shine a spotlight on some of our fantastic male Modern Apprenticeship candidates in the health and social care sector.