It is time to prioritise mental health in the workplace.
About World Mental Health Day 2024
World Mental Health Day was established on October 10,1992 by the World Federation for Mental Health with the intention of raising awareness about the critical importance of mental health. This year's theme “It is time to Prioritise Mental Health in the Workplace” highlights various aspects of mental health at work and advocates to recognise mental health as the cornerstone of a thriving workforce. The campaign aims to show employers that addressing the mental health needs of their workforce is not only beneficial for individuals but also for healthy and high-performing organisations.
Prioritizing mental health in the workplace is essential for fostering a productive and supportive atmosphere. When employers actively address mental well-being, it results in reduced stress, lower absenteeism, and increased employee engagement.
PROMOTING GOOD MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WOKRPLACE
With poor mental health being one of the top reasons for sickness absence in the UK, it’s clear that workplaces should prioritise mental health and take a more proactive, preventative approach to employees' wellbeing.
An estimated 17.1 million working days were lost due to work-related stress, depression, or anxiety in 2022/23.
Poor mental health can negatively affect employee's engagement, performance, and relationships with colleagues. Therefore, it is vital that the employers recognise the symptoms of poor mental health amongst employees, identify the risks and causes, provide training, and focus on early intervention.
Recognise the symptoms of poor mental health
Early recognition is key to managing mental health in the workplace effectively and reducing any stigma it may hold. Many employees might be reluctant to approach their managers first to disclose any mental health issues and for this reason, managers should take a proactive approach and familiarise themselves with the common signs and symptoms of poor mental health. The symptoms aren’t always easy to spot because each condition can affect employees differently, but they could for example include:
Loss of motivation and commitment
Declining or inconsistent performance
Disinterest in work or day-to-day activities
Withdrawal and reduced social contacts
Increased absenteeism
Emotional changes, e.g. being more tearful or irritable, having outbursts of anger
Changes in personal appearance
Substance misuse
While these symptoms might not always be indicative of a mental health problem, it’s still important for the manager to start the conversation and find out whether an employee needs any support.
“The role of line managers in employee well-being is vital. They are often the first port of call for someone needing help, and are most likely to see warning signs of poor mental health among employees."
Gather data and identify potential work hazards to mental health
It’s always best to take a proactive approach to controlling risks, rather than reacting when people are already suffering from poor mental health. Mental health risk assessments can help you identify, assess and manage any potential risks to the mental health and wellbeing of your employees. This thorough analysis will allow you to see if there are any areas of concern and what aspects may be contributing to mental ill-health among your employees. This can include:
• long, unsocial or inflexible hours
• excessive workload or work pace which can be for example caused by understaffing
• unachievable deadlines
• inadequate resources to complete tasks
• unclear job role and expectations
• insufficient training and being under-skilled for specific tasks
• lack of support from colleagues or management
• unsafe or poor physical working conditions
• organisational culture that enables negative behaviours like violence, harassment, bullying, discrimination or exclusion
The results of the assessment can be used to create a plan of action which could include for example changes to the working environment, such as ensuring that employees are given sufficient breaks, or providing additional support like counselling services or Mental Health First Aid Training. It's important that you review mental health risk assessments regularly after initial implementation to ensure the risks have not changed and that no further measures are needed.
You may want to use the following resources and templates to carry out a mental health risk assessment in your workplace:
Workplace Mental Wellbeing at Work Risk Assessment & Action Plan - The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI)
Mental Health Risk Assessment - St. John Ambulance
You could also use HSE's Management Standards approach to prepare for and conduct a stress risk assessment. The standards help identify and manage six areas of work design which can affect stress levels – demands, control, support, relationships, role, and change. Before you start to implement the Management Standards approach, it is essential that you ensure that the resource, support and infrastructure for the project are in place. Have a look at Tackling work-related stress using the Management Standards approach. A step-by-step workbook to get guidance on the process of conducting a stress risk assessment using this approach.
Moreover, you could gather other types of information which can indicate your organisation's prevalence to workplace poor mental health. This could be done through analysing workplace trends of high sickness absence across different departments, which may indicate for example high levels of fatigue and burnout. Also, the number of referrals to Occupational Health, employee turnover levels, as well as grievance, bullying and harassment figures can be a very helpful source of data.
Furthermore, gathering the opinions of employees can be a useful indicator of the potential sources of work-related poor mental health and the overall condition of their work environment. You may use an employee survey to investigate whether there are any aspects in the workplace that can contribute to mental ill-health and who is likely to be at risk.
It's important to emphasise that there are various factors that may cause or contribute to mental ill-health and they are not always related to work, but issues in personal life.
Get advice from Occupational Health
As poor mental health can have a negative impact on employee's performance and work attendance, employers should consider referring them to Occupational Health for further evaluation and support. Early intervention and addressing issues can reduce the negative impact of presenteeism, longer-term sickness absence and pressure on other employees. Through our Management Referral Service, our Occupational Health Advisors can assess an employee's condition and advise about the specific short or longer term measures that can be taken to help manage symptoms of poor mental health at work. In relation to mental health, effective adjustments are generally simple, low-cost and involve changes in work practice or requirements. Here are some examples of workplace adjustments:
Flexible working hours
Allowing employees to start later, finish earlier, or work reduced hours can help them manage their mental health while continuing to work effectively.
Remote working
Full or partial working from home options can help employees reduce levels of stress associated with commuting or a noisy work environment.
Adjusting job duties
As certain tasks or responsibilities may be particularly stressful or cause anxiety for employees with mental health conditions, adjusting or reallocating these tasks temporarily or permanently can be very beneficial for them.
Additional breaks
Offering flexible break schedules, allowing employees to take short breaks when needed, or even providing quiet spaces where employees can retreat to take time out for mindfulness or relaxation exercises can have a positive impact on their general wellbeing.
Providing clear communication and support
Introducing weekly catch-ups with a manager to get feedback and discuss current workload, any issues or challenges can ensure that the employee feels supported. Increased one-to-one supervision could help employee better manage their time, plan and prioritise tasks so that they don't feel overwhelmed.
Phased return to work
For employees who have been off sick due to mental health issues, a phased return to work can make the transition back into the workplace smoother. This could include gradually increasing the number of hours worked or reintroducing certain job responsibilities in stages, allowing the employee to adjust at their own pace.
Organise management training and mental health awareness sessions for the whole workforce
You should consider offering mental health awareness training for managers and colleagues, as this can help remove stigma, encourage open conversations about mental health, and create a more supportive work environment. Through mental health training, employees can gain valuable insights into understanding mental health issues and learn practical strategies and techniques to address these challenges. By equipping employees with essential skills and knowledge, you could foster resilience, reduce stress, and possibly improve mental health in the workplace. Moreover, training can help managers recognise the symptoms of poor mental health among staff and empower them to provide appropriate support. At Corazon Health we can help you organise various webinars and onsite sessions such as Developing Mental Resilience, Dealing Effectively With High Pressure Situations, and Mental Health Awareness.
You could also distribute free materials among staff, such as brochures, fliers, podcasts and videos about the signs and symptoms of poor mental health and what support is available both through your workplace, NHS, external organisations and charities. Here are some examples of resources that you could use:
How to support mental health at work guide - Mental Health Foundation
Guide for employees: Wellness Action Plans (WAPs) How to support your mental health at work - Mind
How to manage and reduce stress - Mental Health Foundation
How to manage anxiety and fear - Mental Health Foundation
Best mental health tips video - Mental Health Foundation
Create a policy that covers mental health and wellbeing
The purpose of the mental health and wellbeing policy is to provide a supportive and healthy work environment for all employees. The policy should outline health and wellbeing objectives for your workplace and make clear on how employees can raise any concerns they have about their mental health and how managers can respond and support staff. The policy should also summarise what internal and external support is available to staff who suffer from poor mental health, such as access to EAP or counselling. You should share the policy across the whole organisation and monitor the effectiveness of the policy regularly, making adjustments as needed.
St. John Ambulance has created a sample workplace mental health and wellbeing policy that you can use as a guide to create your own one. While the template can give you an idea of how to structure your own policy, you cannot simply amend and adopt it because every workplace is different and you need to create a policy to the exact needs of your organisation.
Train your staff to become Mental Health First Aiders
A workplace Mental Health First Aider can play a key part in supporting colleagues who are experiencing mental health issues. They have a set of practical skills which enable them to identify warning signs, offer non-judgmental support, and connect colleagues to appropriate resources.
Through our partner services, we can organise online or in-person courses certified by Mental Health First Aid England:
Become a Mental Health First Aider (MHFAider®)
Mental Health Skills for Managers
Become a MHFA Champion
Become Mental Health Aware
MHFA Refresher
MHFA Check-In
Introduce an Employee Assistance Programme
An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is an employer-provided benefit programme aimed at supporting employees with personal and workplace issues. By offering an Employee Assistance Programme, employers can provide mental health support, promote employee wellbeing, and ultimately demonstrate their commitment to the entire workforce. EAP services can be available in different forms, with a growing number of options tailored to meet the specific needs of both employees and employers.
Through our partner services we provide an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) which gives staff instant access to a wide range of supportive services such as a 24/7/365 confidential telephone helpline, up to 6 sessions of face to face, telephone or online counselling, legal and financial wellbeing services, 24/7 Crisis Assistance Support, and Critical Incident Support Management. Employees also get access to online Health & Wellbeing Portal and Mobile App which has monthly webinars, lifestyle advice, wellbeing articles, and interactive health assessments.
Provide Counselling Support
Counselling can be particularly beneficial for employees who are experiencing mental health issues, struggling with work-life balance, or dealing with other personal problems that may be impacting their overall wellbeing and job performance. It offers employees the opportunity to discuss both work related and personal issues which may be causing them concern or distress.
We can arrange both telephone and face to face counselling sessions, as well as critical incident support counselling. All counsellors that we work with are fully qualified and registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.
It's crucial that you focus your efforts on identifying the main risks of poor mental health to employees and implementing measures to reduce or eradicate them. You should take a more proactive, preventative approach to managing mental health instead of responding only when a problem becomes significant or when someone goes on sick leave. Taking action to promote good mental health in the workplace will not only benefit employees but also contribute to the overall success of your organisation. It can boost staff morale, increase work performance, improve retention, as well as reduce costs associated with sickness absence.
Here are some additional guides that will provide you with further advice on managing mental health in the workplace:
Mental Health for Employers Toolkit from Business in the Community (BITC) Public Health England (PHE)
People Managers' Guide to Mental Health from CIPD
How to support staff who are experiencing a mental health problem from Mind
Get in touch with us so that we can help you adopt a range of measures to proactively manage mental health in the workplace and support your employees experiencing mental health issues.
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