Empowering employees: fostering resilience in the face of trauma

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In 2024, Amey teamed up with the Samaritans to offer trauma training to more than 1,000 frontline Highways and Rail employees. The goal was simple but vital: to help people recognise trauma, strengthen their emotional resilience, and support one another after tough experiences.

At a glance

Frontline Amey employees often face traumatic events, creating a strong need for mental health support.
Recognising and Managing Trauma’, a one-day course developed with Samaritans, equips employees with awareness and practical strategies to manage trauma.
Nearly 1,000 employees completed the training in 2024 and early 2025, with highly positive feedback on its effectiveness.
The interactive sessions focus on real-life situations and include ongoing support from Samaritans.
The course remains available to all employees, with sign-ups continuing throughout 2025 and beyond.

This was the largest rollout of Samaritans’ trauma training in the private sector, shaped with input from senior leaders and tailored to real-life challenges. Employees shared overwhelmingly positive feedback, saying the training made them feel more confident and better prepared to handle difficult situations on the job.

We saw an increase in our frontline employees reaching out for help and support.

What was the challenge?

For many Amey employees working in frontline roles on the road and rail networks, encountering traumatic events is sadly part of the job. Sometimes they’re the first people on the scene, whether it’s a serious road traffic collision or a situation involving someone in distress, and those moments can be incredibly tough to handle, both in the moment and long after the incident has passed. Even experienced incident response teams, despite their training, can be deeply affected by what they witness.

We saw an increase in our frontline employees reaching out for help and support with their mental wellbeing through their peers and managers. While we already offered a range of crisis management resources, including 24-hour access to an employee assistance programme, we felt we needed to do more.

That’s why we decided to invest in proactive measures to support our people. We wanted to give supervisors the skills and confidence to support their teams and encourage honest, open conversations about mental health. In doing so, we hoped to create a culture where no one feels alone in facing the challenges that can come with working on the frontline.

Image of coach presenting to audience — We wanted to give supervisors the skills and confidence to support their teams and encourage honest, open conversations about mental health.

Shape a workplace where empathy is embedded and natural.

How did Amey approach the problem?

At Amey, we knew we couldn’t just sit by, so we reached out to the Samaritans, the UK’s leading suicide-prevention charity, to help us support our people in a meaningful way. Together, we developed a one-day course called ‘Recognising and Managing Trauma,’ designed especially for our supervisors and frontline teams. Our goal was simple: give people real, practical skills for dealing with trauma, while encouraging honest conversations about mental health.

The course wasn’t just about information; it was about connection. We wanted everyone to walk away feeling empowered, more resilient, and supported, with the confidence to speak up or help a colleague through tough times. By focusing on practical strategies and understanding the reality of trauma, we hoped to create a stronger sense of community and wellbeing across our teams, reduce absenteeism, and shape a workplace where empathy is embedded and natural.

People told us the programme wasn’t just relevant, it was life-changing.

What was the outcome?

Over the course of 2024 and into early 2025, almost 1,000 of our frontline employees took part in the training, making it the biggest rollout Samaritans has supported in the private sector. The response was genuinely outstanding. People told us the programme wasn’t just relevant, it was life-changing. Many left feeling more confident about facing difficult situations, more open to asking for help, and much better equipped to support one another through tough times.

Here's what stood out from the experience:

Better awareness of mental health: the course helped people spot the signs of trauma and understand how it can affect us, sometimes long after the moment has passed.
Real-world tools: practical tips and strategies gave everyone something useful to take back to their teams and apply right away.
Greater openness: by encouraging honest conversations, the course helped break down barriers and create a more supportive atmosphere at work.
Expanded support: we built on our existing resources, like our 24-hour employee assistance programme, to make sure people knew help was always available.
Stronger teams: supervisors walked away with new skills and more confidence, making it easier to look out for their teams and manage challenging moments together.

We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved in partnership with the Samaritans. This partnership is already raising the bar for how organisations care for those on the frontline. It’s more than just training, it’s a shift in culture that’s helping people turn tough experiences into resilience and real support for each other.

Testimonials

Samaritans Training Programme Lead

“I attended an Amey internal conference in March 2024 when the training rollout was announced. During the event, several employees shared their experiences of trauma and its impact on their mental health. I returned a year later and spoke with many individuals who had completed the training. They expressed appreciation for Amey’s investment in the training and noted its positive impact on their ability to manage their feelings and seek support.”

- Sam Gale
HSEQ Director at Amey

"At Amey, we prioritise our employees' wellbeing, especially those in frontline roles who may face traumatic events. Our partnership with Samaritans has enabled us to provide effective trauma management training. Feedback has been positive and the initiative has fostered a supportive environment where employees feel empowered to assist themselves and others."

- Joe Docherty