Mental health at work

[harveyh]

A

Organisations should address the topic of mental health in team meetings and individual performance reviews. Regular one-to-one meetings are a chance to ask people how they’re doing, which helps to build trust and creates an opportunity to address any problems at an early stage. Modern working life is chaotic and packed with new pressures, and whilst new technologies have brought new opportunities, they have also accelerated our ‘always connected’ lifestyles; extending the reach of the office beyond the traditional 9 to 5. Workers absent due to mental ill health are seven times more likely to have further absence than those with physical health-related sick leave. Looking after your team’s mental health is just as important as their physical health. This will lead to a more productive team in the long term. According to the Society for Human Resources Management, many employers are enhancing emotional and mental health benefits. Types of support can range from managing stress, to treating invisible disabilities such as anxiety and depression. Managers must send a clear signal that mental health issues will be treated with compassion and that no one should ever feel reluctant to admit to problems out of a misguided fear of being judged. This can be reinforced by composing a mental health strategy and circularizing it around the workplace. By leading from the top and agreeing actions at a senior level, employees who will drive the changes will feel that they have the support and authority to tackle stigma and promote positive mental health. Employees are also more likely to open up about their own mental health if there is a clear signal from the business leader or senior management.



productivity levels but when pressure exceeds people’s ability to cope – and particularly when there is no respite – it can become a negative rather than a positive force – in other words, it can lead to unmanageable stress. Make sure your company provides employee mental health benefits and services — including everything from individual and couples counseling to group therapy. Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), for instance, provide access to services that allow employees to reduce stress related to childcare, housecleaning and running errands. Because poor mental health is likely to be a ‘hidden’ disability and many people are reluctant to disclose a condition, it is good practice for an employer to make adjustments for someone experiencing poor mental health even if they do not necessarily consider they have a disability under the Equality Act. While the workplace has the responsibility of duty of care to its employees and to create a workplace culture that helps people to feel respected and safe, each individual also has a responsibility to self-advocate for their needs, share when something is up, and ask for help when needed. You are an independent being who makes your own choices. Speaking up, and how you speak up, is your choice. Even though it may not be easy to become an employee-centric company addressing employers duty of care mental health it is of utmost importance in this day and age.

Offering A Tailored Approach

If we’re to do the best possible job of looking after our teams, we need to look after ourselves first. If helping others constantly comes at the expense of your own mental and physical wellbeing, you may eventually become exhausted, frustrated and burned out. Let employees know their mental health is important to the company and that addressing mental illness is encouraged at all levels of employment. Ensure that health plans offered to all employees include adequate mental health coverage, and discuss mental health issues in the workplace. The more the conversations around mental health happen, the less stigma employees will feel surrounding them. No one should have to face a mental health problem alone. Several studies have found that strong social ties have a positive impact on our mental health and well-being. Change your mindset if you're feeling detached. Begin by contacting only one colleague. You don't have to throw workplace parties to build excellent relationships that promote mental health at work. Globally, an estimated 264 million people suffer from depression, one of the leading causes of disability, with many of these people also suffering from symptoms of anxiety. A recent WHO-led study estimates that depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy US$ 1 trillion each year in lost productivity. Similarly to any change that happens within organizations, discussions around how to manage an employee with anxiety need planning and implementing properly.

Many employers encourage an ethos that supports staff, by encouraging colleagues to look out for each other and by allowing work patterns to be flexible enough to account for individual needs. In the workplace, an employee with a serious mental health condition might behave in ways that impact on colleagues, for example talking about plans for suicide or being disruptive or aggressive. Part of their ill health may be a lack of insight that their behaviour is impacting on others. The labour market should include everyone who wants to be a part of it, and recognise and address challenges before they become toxic. Potential workplace triggers for distress include job insecurity or poor change management, high-risk roles and lone working. Employers should promote a culture of open dialogue and involve employees in decisions about how the team is run and how they do their job. Make sure employees understand their role in the bigger picture and make clear their contribution to the organisation’s vision and aims. Organisations can make sure their employee benefits package provides support for managing employees with mental health issues today.

Everyone’s Experience Of Poor Mental Health Is Different

Try and make sure you maintain your friendships and family relationships even when work is intense – a work–life balance is important, and experts now believe that loneliness may be as bad for our health as smoking or obesity. Often during trying times, employees need help with coping skills, managing stress, and building up resilience. Strengthening their overall mental fitness is important for them to be both happy individuals, but also productive contributors to your team. Organisations with strong organisational health (i.e., investment in quality people management) typically exhibit better service delivery performance. Organisational health is associated with stronger financial performance, typically 2.2 times above average. As an employee you have the right to expect your employer and managers to create the conditions for mentally healthy workplaces. But you are also responsible for your own mental health by taking care of yourself and your colleagues. Forty percent of workers report that their jobs are highly stressful, while a quarter of employees identify their job as the top stressor in their lives, according to worksite wellness research by the CDC. Since job stress is a stronger predictor of health complaints than personal, financial, or family problems, these statistics are cause for concern: in addition to affecting the wellbeing of employees, stressful jobs can cause elevated healthcare costs, lost productivity, and unwanted employee turnover. For employers not investing in wellbeing initiatives, workplace wellbeing ideas can be a difficult notion to comprehend.

When employees are able to get creative and take ownership over mental wellness practices at work, you’ll have better buy-in and more variety in the ways your office supports mental health. Corporate wellness programs should teach employees effective ways for dealing with everyday stress, for example, by taking regular breaks, meditating in the morning or at the end of the day, or practicing a daily stretching routine. Any one of these strategies can help employees maintain a work-life balance, reduce negative thoughts, and calm frazzled nerves. Wellbeing shaming often stems from a desire to maintain the company’s status quo or cultural narrative. And in some cases, trying to one-up others. And it’s infectious: when colleagues see others do it, they may think this is the way to “fit in”, so start replicating that behavior toward others. The workplace playground dynamic continues. Although the idea of workers pouring out their hearts can feel intimidating, it’s important to remember that your job isn’t to help people fix their problems. Your role is to support their wellbeing by connecting them to services and building a healthy workplace culture. Having an effective workplace wellness programme is a huge positive for professionals looking for new opportunities. Thinking about concepts such as workplace wellbeing support is really helpful in a workplace environment.

Take Action At An Early Stage

Over the past few years, employee wellbeing has been rising up the agenda for employers in the UK. A key aspect of this is the mental health of staff. Organisations depend on having a healthy and productive workforce: we know that when employees feel their work is meaningful and they are valued and supported, they tend to have higher wellbeing levels, be more committed to the organisation’s goals and perform better. Focusing on employee mental health in the workplace is critical to employee care. The impact of mental health problems in the workplace has serious consequences not only for the individual but also for the productivity of a company. Such areas as employee performance, sickness absence, accidents, increased costs and staff turnover are all affected by employee’s mental health. One can uncover more info relating to Employee Mental Health Programs Mediations on this Health and Safety Executive entry.

Related Articles: