Addressing Mental Health & Wellbeing in the Workplace
How often do we witness poor mental health in the workplace that causes distress at home?
The two are clearly interchangeable but crucial, and I hope that collectively, we can all nudge forward with action that improves our workplace and enables more honest conversations.
Awareness of mental health, especially in the workplace has grown to an enormous scale and is encouraging to see more prioritisation of effort to create a supportive workplace where positive mental health is promoted.
What is a mentally healthy workplace?
A place where you can thrive!
If you enjoy good mental health, you can make the most out of your potential & cope with the challenges of whatever your job throws at you.
Why is mental health important for your business?
Openly talking about tackling mental health issues at work, you will:
- Positively build your reputation and brand name
- Attract top talent and reduce staff turnover
- Help employees to stay motivated and untroubled
- Encourage the idea that mental health sickness is just as important as physical health sickness
These practices can be introduced through mental health training, wellbeing services, and safe working environments.
We know managers & leaders play a crucial role…
If you are fortunate to have a caring manager you trust – amazing. I’m sure they will support you by opening conversations and noticing triggers if and when things go wrong.
But, with almost 5 in 10 (46%) employees not feeling comfortable talking to their manager about mental health, data continues to highlight the importance of management intervention & conversation to improve things and improve retention.
Additionally, new research reveals the discrepancy between how UK managers believe they are performing and the experience of those they manage, with over two-thirds (67%) of UK workers having left or considered leaving their jobs because of bad management.
There is also an employee role here too…
My personal belief is that a lot of people are still worried about the consequences of “not coping”, “not being capable”, “not being that positive motivator for others” etc.
So, there are pockets of silence that exist, brave faces being put on and different versions told to conceal the fact someone may be suffering anxiety, depression or stress.
So, what can workplaces do?
There is no right or wrong – but of course, talking can be the best starting point.
Below are some suggestions and icebreakers taken from the Mental Health Foundation.
Spilling the Tea
I love the positive intervention ‘Tea & Talk’.
This week, our group will commemorate World Mental Health Day by conducting our second nature walk and whilst there is no talk topic or agenda, we will be spending time together building on our relationships away from the office.
Legalities when it comes to Mental Health
The legal duty of care for staff health and wellbeing has never been more in the spotlight than it is today.
People with ongoing mental health problems are likely to meet the definition of having a disability under the Equality Act (2010) in England, Scotland & Wales and the Disability Discrimination Act (1995, as amended) in Northern Ireland.
This means someone with mental health problems protected from discrimination & harassment are entitled to reasonable adjustments to adapt their job or work.
MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID KIT
Do you manage a team? Take a look at our Mental Health First Aid Kit article to ensure your business is well-equipped to support a positive mental health perspective.