Employee mental health: the HR roundup
HR magazine
HR magazine is the leading individually-requested magazine for senior HR professionals.
Today (1 February) is Time to Talk Day, organised by mental health charity Mind to encourage conversations around mental health.
Mind research found seven in 10 employees feel the need to put a brave face on things when asked about their mental health.
Half of employees said this was because they didn’t want to be a burden in the context of “bigger things going on in the world”.
We rounded up a collection from our archive on improving employee mental health and breaking the stigma around mental health at work.
Creating mental health conversations
There is often still a culture of silence and shame around mental health and wellbeing, particularly at work.
Many people still feel they need to hide their mental health struggles in fear of what employers or colleagues will think and how they will react.
Providing individualised mental health support
As the mental health landscape evolves, employees need a wide spectrum of individualised support.
HR is often at the forefront of creating a mental health support strategy and should be as informed as possible.
Easing work-related stress
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Nearly 2 million workers in Great Britain reported suffering from work-related ill health in the last 12 months, with an estimated 875,000 cases of work-related stress, depression or anxiety, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Preventing or tackling work-related stress can provide significant benefits to employees, improving their experience of work and their overall health.
Employers will also see increased productivity, decreased absenteeism and reduced staff turnover.
Ensuring managers are equipped to support employees
Line managers are one of the most critical – if not the most critical – aspect of supporting employee mental health, according to professor of organisational psychology at Alliance Manchester Business School Cary Cooper.
He said: “Who at work provides you with a manageable workload, realistic deadlines, reasonable hours of work that gives you some balance, allows you to work flexibly and manages you by a reward management style as opposed to fault-finding? A good boss.”
Taking care of HR’s mental health
Research from HR platform MHR found 50% of HR professionals are on the verge of quitting due to burnout.
HR’s role continues to expand, meaning people professionals must take care of their mental health and practise the self-care they preach.
I deliver science based wellbeing workshops to help people and businesses thrive through my unique WORKBEING philosophy
1yThis is an excellent article on the importance of workplace mental health. I particularly like and agree with the need for managers to be better trained and more aware and involved in recognising and supporting employees given they are the direct line of report to the team and issues they may be facing
Recognizing the importance of breaking down stigmas and providing support is a step towards fostering a workplace culture of understanding and well-being. Let's keep the dialogue open and prioritize mental health for a healthier work environment.