Positive Mental Health Promotion

19 October 2017

Spotting and supporting employees - positive mental health

Modern life is a stressful place and it is estimated that one in four of the population will encounter a mental health issue within their lifetime.  Therefore, there is greater onus on employers to understand and adapt to this increasing epidemic – there is more emphasis on a requirement to support those with mental health issues and promote positive mental health by taking a proactive approach.

Traditionally companies have been willing to acknowledge physical illness within the workforce and put adjustments in place to support employees who become physically ill - yet mental health has until recently remained somewhat of a taboo subject. However, it is just as important to ensure that staff are mentally well. Spotting and supporting employees with conditions such as anxiety, depression and stress is a key responsibility for companies today - ignoring the problem is likely to be counterproductive in business terms.

Don’t ignore – be proactive

The first step in terms of handling mental health issues within the workplace is to acknowledge their existence. The open, honest and realistic approach will help staff to appreciate that you are committed to providing support within an accommodating environment.

The key is to think about identifiable approaches which would work within the perspective of your business – creating a mentally healthy workplace. As well as ensuring that you are fulfilling your obligations in terms of ‘duty of care' under UK legislation, you will provide a safety net for staff and fostering the organisation's productivity levels. A good starter for ten is to initiate a review of your employment policies and practices and assess these in terms of their potential positive or negative impact on employee mental health. You may also wish to carry out a workplace survey -  this can provide a helpful insight into how employees feel about the company's current approach to their wellbeing.

Involve the experts

We are not all experts on mental health and it is advisable to access the many sources of information and support already available. Dedicated organisations such as Mind provide a range of helpful guides to assist employers develop approaches which will work for them and their employee population.

Moving it forward

There are some key elements which are highlighted in a positive mental health approach:

  • Positive commitment from Senior Management to consider mental health as a priority.
  • Encouragement of employees to be open about their issues and to assure them that these will be dealt with in a confidential manner.
  • Commitment to offer support for staff facing mental health issues and a willingness to make reasonable adjustments to their workplace conditions
  • Training in mental health awareness across the workforce.

Mental Health issues are a challenge for employers but by changing the way in which these are viewed, you could change your workplace perspective and support previously marginalised employees into becoming more effective in their roles.

If you require further help on mental health issues please contact us to see how we can help you to support your employees. You may wish to take a look at HR outsourcing and what we can do for you.  

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