Introduction
World Mental Health day is an international day celebrated every year on 10th October. It aims to spread awareness of issues associated with mental health, as well as support those experiencing poor mental health. We understand that 10th October has already passed, but here at Petaurum HR we believe it is important to recognise mental health issues everyday, not just that one day of the year.
Mental health in the workplace matters more than ever. By focusing on good mental health, employers can ensure the likelihood of stress and burnout amongst their workforce is reduced. It also means that employees are more concentrated, motivated and creative which leads to improved productivity and overall wellbeing.
The law (including the Equality Act and Health & Safety at Work Act) ensures that employers treat mental and physical health as equally important. Employers have a duty of care, so they must support their employees in both ways. This includes listening to what their employees have to say, thinking of ways to support them, as well as reassuring them.
The Importance of Mental Health in the Workplace
Statistics from Mind show that in England, 1 in 4 people will experience a kind of mental health problem each year. 1 in 6 people also report that they are experiencing a common mental health problem, such as anxiety or depression, every week.
The Cost of Poor Mental Health in the Workplace
Statistics from The Mental Health Foundation show that 15% of UK workers are estimated to have an existing mental health condition, and around 875,000 workers have suffered from work-related stress, depression and anxiety from 2022 to 2023. This is why it is incredibly important to support employees who have, and also don’t have, mental health conditions. Poor mental health can cause many problems for businesses.
Due to employees feeling stressed, burnout and unmotivated, there is likely to be a lack of productivity. This means employees aren’t producing as much work, or are producing lower quality work or have high levels of absence. If an employee is taking time off due to mental health, a business should be understanding, but also have procedures put into place to help mitigate and reduce further issues. Statistics from The Mental Health Foundation show that in 2022, mental health issues were the most common reason for sick leave.
High turnover is another issue which may stem from poor mental health. Employees may feel unmotivated to work at all, so leave their place of work. This can cause problems for businesses as they will need to find new staff and spend time and money on training them.
The Benefits of a Mentally Healthy Workforce
There are many benefits of a mentally healthy workforce. Employees are more likely to be more productive as they are more motivated at work. Therefore, the quality and speed at which the work is produced will be improved.
Plus, with a mentally healthy workforce, the chance of more engaged employees is increased. This means that employee morale is improved, so they are more satisfied with their work and feel positive about it.
Employees are also more likely to stay with the business if they are mentally healthy, leading to high retention rates. This is a strong indicator that they feel satisfied in the workplace.
Recognising Signs of Mental Health Struggles at Work
The Most Common Signs of Poor Mental Health
Recognising signs of mental health struggles at work is crucial. The most common signs of employees struggling with their mental health are mood changes, a decrease in productivity, an increase in absence, disinterest in work activities, and changes in sleeping or eating behaviours.
The Role of HR
HR plays a big role in identifying and addressing these issues. HR professionals should put systems into place to check in with employees to ensure that they feel mentally well. They should also promote open communication in order to advise employees who may be struggling and experiencing difficult situations.
HR professionals should also show understanding and support for employees, as well as implementing strategies to help them and the rest of the workforce.
Creating a Supportive Workplace Environment
How to Create a Supportive Workplace Environment
There are many factors in creating a supportive workplace environment.
A business should encourage open conversations about mental health to build awareness around the issues. They could set up mental health campaigns to break the stigma, or train and educate employees about mental health conditions to encourage them to speak up about any issues they may have.
A business could also foster a culture of openness and support so employees feel like they can get help. To do this mental health days could be offered and mental health training could be provided.
The Importance of trained managers to support employees
Managers should also be trained to support employees suffering from mental health issues. They should know how to identify the issues, ask the correct questions, and guide employees to support resources. Managers may also consider becoming trained in mental health first aid to be able to immediately offer assistance and support to an individual suffering in the workplace.
The Promotion of Work-life Balance
Prevention is always better than cure. Work-life balance should also be heavily promoted within the workplace. This includes flexible working, reduced hours and breaks to maintain mentally well employees.
There should be clear boundaries between work and personal life so efficiency is increased in the workplace, but work-related stresses are reduced in personal life.
Practical Steps to Improve Mental Health in the Workplace
To improve mental health in the workplace, employers can take some key practical steps.
Train your Leaders and Managers
Workplace culture can be a huge factor on employees’ mental wellbeing and leaders and managers have a significant influence on culture. Train your team in the skills of leadership and management, including effective communication skills to help them maintain an engaged team.
Design your organisation and job roles with purpose
An effective organisation design, with carefully designed job roles linked to the purpose of your organisation will have a dramatic effect on engagement and employee satisfaction at work. Watch the difference between those who enjoy coming to work and those who don’t!
Provide open lines of communication
One of our favourite phrases is that you have two ears and one mouth, so try to use them in that proportion! Of course, it’s very important to keep everyone updated with what’s going on and why things are happening the way they are. But an open line of communication must also be able to listen, giving staff the opportunity to ask questions, provide feedback and challenge. A safe environment where people feel it’s ok to do this will have a dramatic effect. But it also requires skilled leaders and managers.
Offer practical solutions to your staff
- Implement Employee Assistance Programs (EAP’s) – Implement Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) which provide employees with a free and confidential service that they and their immediate families can use. Short-term counselling, legal advice and financial guidance are included in the service.
- Offer Mental Health Days – Offer mental health days to highlight the importance of allowing time off for mental health recovery and stress management. This will ensure that employees feel happy at work and also can decrease overall long-term absenteeism.
- Provide Mental Health Resources – Provide mental health resources to employees such as wellness apps, meditation spaces, or access to professional support. It may be a good idea to create a resource hub which employees can easily access.
Supporting Employees Who Are Struggling with Mental Health
Confidential Conversations
HR and managers should be able to have private, supportive conversations with employees. To do this, they could plan a closed space to have the conversation and make sure there is a substantial amount of time provided for the conversation to be had.
HR and managers could also offer reasonable accommodations such as workload adjustments and flexible hours so employees feel better able to cope when they’re struggling.
Creating Return-to-Work Programs
By tailoring return-to-work plans for employees recovering from mental health challenges, a business can make sure their employees are gradually reintegrating back into their role at ease. This reduces the amount of pressure employees may have, so they feel more relaxed when returning to work.
HR’s Role in Long-Term Mental Health Support
Continuous Mental Health Awareness and Training
Ongoing mental health education and training for HR, managers and employees can bring many benefits to a business. This may be creating a culture of wellbeing which provides the workforce with a developed understanding of solutions to mental health issues. This then gives the business a positive reputation as people can see they care for their employees and that employees know who to go to for assistance.
Embedding Mental Health into Company Policies
Mental health should be a priority in policies and practices. This may be from health and safety procedures and risk assessments to wellness programs and employee benefits.
Conclusion
Supporting mental health at work is incredibly important for many reasons, from reducing absenteeism, burnout and turnover, to improving productivity, job satisfaction and retention rates.
Organisations should be encouraged to take proactive steps to assist and support employees in the workplace who may be suffering from mental health issues. These steps make sure employees feel like there is help available and also ensure they feel comfortable at work.
Visit Petaurum HR’s website for resources on supporting mental health at work.