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Health Programs
The vast number of individuals on social platforms, particularly Twitter and Ello, conversing about Employee Mental Health Programs keeps growing from day to day. What do you think about Employee Mental Health Programs?
Steps organisations can take to create a healthy workplace include learning from the motivations of organizational leaders and employees who have taken action. Just as companies realized over time that people at work are far from linear, many people came to realize that this concrete divide was unrealistic, unhealthy and out of date. To spend 35+ hours a week with people and have to compartmentalize mental health (and definitely mental illness) out of that world was, and is, unsustainable. Think about the resilience, tenacity and mental toughness required to manage ongoing mental health issues, manage your finances, relationships, succeed at work, and to deal with the challenges we face every day. Living with a mental illness takes serious self-awareness, courage, and insight, not to mention the vulnerability and openness required to address and work through issues that arise from it. Many people still feel uncomfortable talking about mental health at work. It’s personal and often a sensitive issue which people may not feel confident in talking openly about. Digital mental health services are growing in number and complexity. More services and supports are being delivered and commissioned online and the global pandemic has seen digital mental health services come more to the fore as both complements to and alternatives to face to face support. Your employer may have an Employee Assistance Programme. These services are confidential and can be accessed free and without work finding out.
Depression is a medical condition that often includes the symptoms of burnout (exhaustion, negativity and ineffectiveness), but can also include more general low self-esteem and, at its worst, suicidal ideation. Unlike burnout (which is caused primarily by work-related factors), depression can be triggered by life events, influenced by your genetics, or can sometimes happen for no reason at all. Unfortunately, many managers are still unaware of how to improve mental health in the workplace. Prospective job applicants are often reluctant to divulge problems. If you are an HR Manager, you need to possess the skills to recognize when an employee is undergoing a mental health situation and appreciate what can be done in terms of providing support. When having mental health conversations with team members at work, don’t assume mental illness or stress means they can’t do their job. Organisations should ensure that discrimination on the grounds of mental health status is seen to be as unacceptable as discrimination in relation to other protected characteristics such as race, gender or sexual orientation. Discussing ideas such as
is good for the staff and the organisation as a whole.
Remove The Stigma Of Discussing Employee Mental Health In The Workplace
Supporting mental wellness is now more important than ever. A 2020 report by the American Psychological Association found that stress levels are at an all-time high, significant enough to be considered a national mental health crisis. Those companies that aren’t working to solve the problem are likely contributing to it. One study found that 45% of Americans agree or strongly agree that they live “paycheck to paycheck.” Employees who are troubled by their finances are twice as likely to be in poor health as those who declare themselves financially “unworried.” They also report higher stress levels, more absences and lower levels of engagement. Ideally employers should approach stress management proactively, focusing on prevention and early intervention, and not just responding when a problem becomes significant or when someone goes on sick leave. Mental distress affects people in different ways and at different times in their lives. Mental health implies fitness rather than freedom from illness. When we understand that our mental health fluctuates, just as our physical health, this presents an opportunity to look at managing our mental health — maintaining, sustaining, and nurturing our mental state. Don't forget to send out proper internal communications around
how to manage an employee with anxiety
in your organisation.
Engaged employees work more hours. Their work life spills over into their personal life in positive ways. People with high career wellbeing are more than twice as likely to be thriving in their lives overall. Around 15% of those in work in England have symptoms of a mental health problem. Individuals with long-term mental health conditions are still far less likely to be in work than those without any health conditions, or those with a physical health condition. Those with psychotic conditions are less likely to be in work than with common conditions such as anxiety or depression. The length of mental health leave can vary from a few days to a few months, but however long an employee is away for, the time will come for them to return to the workplace and integrate back into the working environment. This can be an incredibly daunting time for the employee, so it’s crucial that you know how to support them. By paying attention to how things are and not judging things in any way can help you respond more effectively in all areas of your life. There is a large annual cost to employers from mental ill health of between £33 billion and £42 billion3 (with over half of the cost coming from presenteeism – when individuals are less productive due to poor mental health in work) with additional costs from sickness absence and staff turnover. Communication that emphasizes that leadership cares about concepts such as
managing employees with mental health issues
should be welcomed in the working environment.
Civility And Respect
Mental health, like other aspects of health, can be affected by a range of socioeconomic factors that need to be addressed through comprehensive strategies for promotion, prevention, treatment and recovery in a whole-of-government approach. Having open and honest discussions about mental health removes the stigma of what is usually a hidden issue. Managing mental health in the workplace is something managers and leaders should be trained for, so they can signs in employees who may be struggling, and create effective strategies for helping them. Distant or unsupportive work relationships, generational differences, compartmentalization, psychologically unsafe work cultures, and wellbeing shaming all influence people’s comfort level to speak up about mental health at work. Successfully implementing a workplace mental health and wellbeing improvement strategy requires employers to take responsibility for creating a culture of awareness and support of employee mental health. 15% of working adults are living with symptoms of a mental health problem, but only half that have experienced mental health problems have disclosed it at work – statistics from the Department of Work and Pensions reveal that 300,000 people with a long term mental health problem leave the UK workforce each year. An opinion on
employers duty of care mental health
is undoubtebly to be had in every workplace in the country.
Creating good mental health wellbeing in the work place can include encouraging and role-model mindfulness, taking breaks away from work, eating away from desks, stretching. Create quiet spaces indoors and out. Also, pay attention to sick leave and annual leave – if someone’s off sick a lot, can you help? If someone’s not taking annual leave, encourage them to take a break. Someone does not have to be 100% well in order to work and in general, work is good for people's mental health. However, in some instances an employee may simply not be well enough to work. There has been a lot written about how to tackle mental ill health and promote wellbeing in the workplace. The need to address employee mental health is increasingly recognised in boardrooms, but there is more to do to ensure widespread and consistent reporting. We know that investors are demanding a clearer and more consistent way to understand how organisations are managing their most important asset – people. Increasingly digital health and apps can make engagement in an individual’s mental health easier. For example Soma Analytics have developed an application which measures work-related stress. It uses the sensors in people’s smartphones to identify behavioural changes, such as sleep quality, emotion in voice and physical activity that signal they are at a risk of work-related mental ill health. Subjects such as
can be tackled by getting the appropriate support in place.
Strong Leadership
A healthy workforce means happy shareholders. It is something that enlightened business people have known since the beginning of the industrial age. Organisations should ensure that discrimination on grounds of mental health status is seen to be as unacceptable as discrimination in relating to other protected characteristics such as race, gender or sexual orientation. The personal cost of mental illness is extensive, from loss of income and debt, (one in four adults with mental health problems are in debt), to wider family challenges. A study by the Centre for Social Justice acknowledges that family breakdown is both a cause and effect of poor mental health. Family relationship challenges may become further exacerbated where loss of income occurs as a result of poor mental health of a primary breadwinner. Uncover further information on the topic of Employee Mental Health Programs on this
web page.
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