Comprehending the difference between Employer's Mental Health Programs can help society make the correct selection when it comes to decision time.

People often suffer in silence and don’t get the care that they need. They might blame themselves, lack access to the right resources or fear discrimination from their employer. Something as simple as a Slack channel for employees to discuss the topic or an internal directory of mental health resources can go a long way in establishing a culture of psychological safety. Workers may come to work even though they are unwell because they are concerned that if they disclose a mental health problem, they will face prejudice. Reduced productivity costs UK businesses up to £15 billion a year. With one in six workers experiencing a mental health problem at any one time, and stress thought to be responsible for almost half of working days lost in Britain due to health issues, the relationship between mental health and the workplace is a complex one. A poor workplace culture can cause negative health outcomes among employees. Employees tend to be less productive, engaged, and there is less shared problem solving. A significant number of employers are not currently very transparent about the mental health and wellbeing of their employees, and not many ensure that there is adequate accountability at a senior leadership level. Mental health issues run the gamut, from anxiety and depression to eating disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder. They can affect a person’s perceptions, thoughts, moods, and behaviors.



Mental health problems should be supported in the same, honest and consistent way that physical health problems are. Great business starts on the inside and it's your people who are fundamental to everyday working and growth. The healthier your team are, the healthier the business. But can you honestly say that you can spot the signs of workplace depressions on an individual basis? To promote mental well-being at work, employees should encourage employers to offer stress management education and mental health programs that meet their needs and interests. Employees should also understand policies around how to take a mental health break from work in case the need arises. Fostering positive health and wellbeing is essential to building a successful and sustainable organisation and can have a range of benefits from improving engagement, recruitment and retention to enabling people to fully develop in their roles. By demonstrating a commitment to effective mental health policies your organisation can attract and retain an engaged and motivated workforce. An opinion on workplace wellbeing ideas is undoubtebly to be had in every workplace in the country.

Handling Sensitive Conversations

All we know in life are our experiences and what we’re exposed to. We carry those beliefs through life and into a variety of contexts – including work. When we create workplace cultures where people can be themselves, it is easier for people to speak about mental health concerns without fear, and easier for them to reach out for help when they need it. Even so, the decision to disclose distress at work is not one people take lightly. It is vital that workplaces become environments where people feel safe to be themselves. A mentally healthy workplace will increase productivity, reduce absenteeism and save you money. The Equality Act 2010 protects individuals with disabilities against discrimination or detriment as a result of their disability. Disability under the Act is a physical or mental impairment that ‘has a substantial and long-term adverse effect’ (12 months in practice) on the person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. Crucially, your employer must make reasonable adjustments to any elements of your job that place you at a substantial disadvantage compared to persons who are not disabled. Mental health problems affect around one in four people in any given year. They range from common problems, such as depression and anxiety, to rarer problems such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Subjects such as employers duty of care mental health can be tackled by getting the appropriate support in place.

An engaged employee wakes up in the morning thinking about the work they are going to do that day — and that work is interesting and challenging to them. They know they have the skills and talents to be successful. They enjoy the work as much — or more — than the paycheck. And they know that when they accomplish something, the people around them are going to notice and appreciate it. Ultimately, regardless of the stresses or demands on any given day or week, they enjoy doing what they do best to make a difference in the world. Age and gender both have an impact on the likelihood of an employee suffering poor mental health. Women generally feel more comfortable talking about their health with colleagues, and as line managers to their employees. You’re only human and you can only do so much. So, it’s important to identify when you’ve got too much on your plate and you begin to feel stressed. Your line manager is there to ensure your workload is manageable, so be sure to discuss it with them if it gets too much. Remember to delegate to your team, too. What tasks are there on your to-do list that someone else could easily take on? 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. Every employee is an expert on how their mental health affects them, so they are the best person to advocate for their needs at work. Don't forget to send out proper internal communications around how to manage an employee with anxiety in your organisation.

Embrace The Positives

The future working world will be a diverse one, and mental health support will have to evolve to support these different working practices. It’s not enough for support to be purely in-person, for example, as many of us are more comfortable with the distance and relative anonymity of remote communication. More than half of workers feel uncomfortable talking to their managers and supervisors; they fear that discussing their mental health could lead to being fired or furloughed (30%) or could cost them a promotion (29%). 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. An area that can lead to work-related mental health problems is when employees are not able to cope with the demands of their jobs. Companies can host seminars or workshops that address depression and stress management techniques, like mindfulness, breathing exercises, and meditation, to help employees reduce anxiety and stress and improve focus and motivation. Organisations can make sure their employee benefits package provides support for managing employees with mental health issues today.

How we should be integrating the discussions of mental health and mental illness into the fabric of workplace culture is to acknowledge the shades of grey, that mental health conditions arise, and it’s ok not to be ok at work. And, it’s ok to talk about not being ok at work. If you can’t talk openly about something, you can’t manage it. This is why we need to see more organisations speaking publicly and across the business to help normalise discussions around mental health and end stigma around mental health at work. Having a mental illness doesn’t make someone weak or entirely different from other people. These unhelpful and harmful stereotypes about mental illness serve to undermine progress made to further mental health conversations at work. The Equality Act 2010 protects individuals with disabilities against discrimination or detriment as a result of their disability, which is defined as a physical or mental impairment that ‘has a substantial and long-term adverse effect’ (12 months in practice) on the person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. The terms used to diagnose conditions are sometimes words that are in everyday use, such as ‘depression’ or ‘anxiety’. Although this can make them seem easier to understand, their familiarity may lead to confusion. For example, employers should be mindful of the difference between clinically diagnosed depression and the use of ‘depressed’ to describe feeling a bit down. Discussing ideas such as workplace wellbeing support is good for the staff and the organisation as a whole.

Tailored Strategies

If mental health problems are suspected or disclosed at work, the first step is to establish honest, open communication with the employee, and this should be maintained if people take time off for sickness absence. If possible, the frequency of contact should be agreed before someone takes time off. Our end goal is to build an inclusive workplace where everyone feels safe and valued. This means we have to rid ourselves of the stigma attached to mental health and draw attention to its impact on overall health. The HSE is clear that even where a major influence on the employee’s performance and perceptions of work is not work-related, for example caring responsibilities that affect working hours and energy levels, ‘it is generally in the employer’s interest to support the employee, rather than dismiss the problem as irrelevant to the business’. Unearth further info about Employer's Mental Health Programs on this Health and Safety Executive article.

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