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No organization or manager can force people to be friends. While this element may seem like the most difficult for an organization to influence, it may be the easiest. While both remote and in-person socializing is beneficial, in-person interaction has the greatest impact on mood. But that doesn’t mean you have to overdo it or that social connections have to drain time to be effective. Create regular opportunities for people to get to know one another through work. Then let human nature prevail. Many companies implement stress management programs — and that’s a good start. However, using surveys to improve mental health at work builds morale and shows that leadership cares. and well-being. This is needed to inform your interventions. Stress risk assessments can help to inform these surveys but need to be supplemented by wider information on mental health promotion, retention and employment. Something that can lead to work-related mental health problems is when employees don't fully understand their role and responsibilities. Steps organisations can take to create a healthy workplace include awareness of the workplace environment and how it can be adapted to promote better mental health for different employees. Mental health in the workplace is top of mind for everyone these days. While a lot has changed about what we understand about mental health at work, and how widespread poor mental health is, it's worth taking a look at the basics.



Not giving enough feedback can be because an employee is afraid of speaking out. Research confirms that a culture of fear and silence around mental health is costly to employers. Starting a conversation about mental health doesn't have to be difficult. 40 per cent of employers reported an increase in staff sickness levels due to stress in the last 12 months. 44 per cent of employers saw an increase in reported mental health problems in the last 12 months. One-fifth of employees reported an increase in conflict at work between colleagues in 2012. Everyone has mental health and, like physical health, it fluctuates along a spectrum from good to poor. Work can have a huge impact – it can promote well-being or trigger problems. Consequently, the causes of unmanageable stress and mental health problems are often complex. Even though it may not be easy to become an employee-centric company addressing managing employees with mental health issues it is of utmost importance in this day and age.

Management Capacity

Those organisations that are starting to see mental health as a priority recognise that it is important for recruiting and retaining the talent of the future, and that good mental health and wellbeing is linked to strong performance. We need to feel wanted, needed, effective, and liked. And to that end, a whole host of emotions motivate us to work and work hard: not least of all conscientiousness and loyalty. Your employees will not feel comfortable discussing mental health problems overnight, or immediately after the introduction of a health and wellbeing initiative, so you must work proactively to support your staff. Everyone will have times where they reach breaking point. ​We can all experience stress such as money worries, bullying, relationship breakdowns or the loss of loved ones. Issues at home or at work can make it difficult to sleep and concentrate. We feel less energetic and find it difficult to function in day to day life. Our lives can feel hopeless. Workplace stress contributes to poor physical and mental outcomes. The damage stress causes to both physical and mental health is well-documented. A 2015 meta-analysis of 228 studies, conducted by researchers from Stanford University and the Harvard Business School, found that common workplace stressors increase individuals’ risk of self-rated poor health, self-rated mental illnesses, physician-reported illnesses and even mortality. An opinion on how to manage an employee with anxiety is undoubtebly to be had in every workplace in the country.

Many of us probably think it’s our fault that we’re stressed because we can’t cope with the high demands of our jobs. But the truth is, many people are suffering from high stress levels because they simply have too much to do and can’t see a way to change that. Initiatives like meditation and mindfulness sessions, yoga classes, and providing a space to de-stress at work can help in coping with work-related tension. Boost your team’s mental wellbeing, by implementing some simple healthy workplace practices. For office workers you should encourage your employees to frequently break long sitting periods, as this has been shown to enhance mood and boost energy levels. You could also encourage exercise and regular social events to boost the physical and mental wellbeing of your staff. The enthusiastic support and involvement of leaders and managers is evident and employees understand their employers’ commitment to creating a workplace that is mental health-friendly. You know the saying, a problem shared…If you aren’t coping, tell someone. Many of us tell others to ask for help, yet don’t do the same ourselves. Whether it’s an issue about workload or there’s something going on at home, ask for an adjustment or some flexibility in hours. Discussing ideas such as workplace wellbeing ideas is good for the staff and the organisation as a whole.

Involve Employees In All Aspects Of Workplace Decision-making

Every individual’s experience of a mental health problem is different. How they choose to approach that problem will be different for every employee. So, the way you approach each employee has to be also different. Focus on the person rather than the problem. Provide your support in a way that suits the individual. It shouldn’t be on the basis of what you think is a standard solution to the problem. Listen to what they are saying, the ways in which it is affecting them and respond accordingly. Mental ill health is usually caused by a combination of work- and non-work-related factors: for example, the pressure of ongoing change at work and longer or more intense hours may be exacerbated by financial pressures at home, relationship problems and, given the ageing population, greater caring responsibilities. Steps organisations can take to create a healthy workplace include learning from the motivations of organizational leaders and employees who have taken action. Some larger companies have mentoring schemes. This is when you are partnered with a person, usually a senior person in a different part of the company, who can talk to you about aspects of your work. Good mental health means being generally able to think, feel and react in the ways that you need and want to live your life. But if you go through a period of poor mental health, you might find the ways you’re frequently thinking, feeling or reacting become difficult, or even impossible, to cope with. This can feel just as bad as a physical illness, or even worse. Similarly to any change that happens within organizations, discussions around employers duty of care mental health need planning and implementing properly.

Employers expect that wellness programs will improve employee health and well-being and lower medical costs, especially with the growing burden of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and mental ill-health. Also, these programs can help to attract and retain talented workers, increase productivity, and reduce absenteeism. Ninety-one million working days a year are lost to mental health issues – that’s an estimated cost of £35 billion to UK employers – but 67% of workers report feeling too scared or embarrassed to admit taking time out for mental health reasons. Organizational strategies focus on promoting systemic strategies that create a safe, supportive culture, free from stigma. For example, companies can train supervisors to recognize the symptoms of poor mental health among their employees and equip them with knowledge, skills and confidence to detect the signs and symptoms of emotional distress and confidentially refer them to employee assistance programs and other mental health resources (also known as “mental health first aid”). Our mental health doesn’t always stay the same. It can fluctuate as circumstances change and as you move through different stages in our lives. Distress is a word used to describe times when a person isn’t coping – for whatever reason. It could be something at home, the pressure of work, or the start of a mental health problem like depression. Employee assistance programmes are often used as an employment perk by many businesses these days. These programmes provide specific support from physical and mental health professionals to employees who need the support. It’s always there and it’s confidential, so people don’t have to hide things if they don’t want to discuss them openly with the business’ management structure. Organisations can make sure their employee benefits package provides support for workplace wellbeing support today.

Make Time For Fun And Relaxation

Interventions and good practices that protect and promote mental health in the workplace include organizational practices that support a healthy work-life balance. Good managers don’t try and do too much and do not try to be therapists. They are conscious of the signs of poor mental health, clear on the support available and ‘check in’ with individuals at appropriate times. They encourage safe disclosure and employee led ideas for adjustments. Managers who show empathy, compassion, fairness and consistency have been found to be respected, and have kept more valued talent at work. This includes undertaking basic manager duties such as 1-to-1s, appraisals and catch-ups. 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. You can find supplementary intel relating to Mental Health In The Workplace Mediations at this Health and Safety Executive web page.

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