SUPPORTING EMPLOYEES WITH MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health can be a tricky thing to talk about, especially at work when there’s the pressures of being professional and always on the ball.

But do we feel this pressure more than when we feel physically unwell? Probably not.

Got the flu? Suffered an injury? Dealing with migraines? You’d probably not think twice about informing your employer so you can either discuss a working plan, or take sick leave.

But problems like anxiety, depression, PTSD, or eating disorders are usually kept very private… so private that 58% of employees don’t feel comfortable talking about it (The Harris Poll).

Could it be due to societal pressures, hustle culture, or just the simple desire to keep personal issues private? Of course, but there’s often more to the story.

53% of employees believed their employers showed a lack of concern about their mental health during lockdown (MHR). If people didn’t feel supported during one of the biggest events in the 21st century – it’s safe to say this is still a problem in every day life.

So, employers, how can you make a difference?

GET RID OF THE STIGMA

If you’re not supporting your employees well enough with their mental health, it’s probably because you have a certain mindset towards it.

Mental health struggles can be seen as:

• Weak
• Over exaggerative
• Unprofessional

Unlike a broken leg, crippling anxiety is hard to see – and if you do see a physical manifestation, you might wonder what the fuss is about.

You may hear that one of your employers has anxiety and the first thing that comes to your mind is “are they incapable of fulfilling their role”? You may put it down to ‘lack of sleep’ or worst, ‘they just need to build thicker skin’.

Whether it’s due to:

• Prolonged stress
• Trauma
• Poverty or financial struggles
• Bereavement or divorce
• Long-term health conditions
• Insecurities
• Job dissatisfaction

There’s a lot more to the problem than someone just feeling ‘down in the dumps’, and if you wish to be an employer that has happy and productive workers, you should care about their personal lives and the mental consequences that come with it.

CREATE A CULTURE THAT ENCOURAGES OPENNESS

It’s one thing to a supportive boss, but it’s another thing to hold your employees accountable in doing the same.

Let’s be real – adults can be bullies.

They can be insensitive and further discourage others from being open about their mental health. Almost 60% of employees have witnessed or suffered bullying in the workplace (Smart Pension).

A culture that either encourages or ignores disrespectful and rude behaviour will only make employees feel further dissatisfied at work, which is already a reason people struggle in the first place.

Be more aware of the general conversations going on in the office. Does anyone look left out? Are people being condescending or tyrannical over others?

Have 1-1 chats with each employee about the culture, giving them the reassurance that the conversation won’t be spread among their peers.

If needs be, disciplinary actions may have to follow, but not always. If you show yourself to be a caring leader that is an advocate for happiness and wellbeing, other people will follow.

OPEN CONVERSATION

We’re always talking about the value of 1-1 catchups because they let you get to know each employee as a person.

Whether it’s in your standard catchups, or you set aside other times to speak about how they are generally, this is vital if you want your employees to feel supported.

Of course, you’re probably not a licensed counsellor, so you don’t need to feel like you have to give fantastic advice, but just be a listening ear and have normal human conversation.

If anything comes up that needs serious – deal with it accordingly. But otherwise, just get to know how they’re doing and if there’s any way you can help.

It’s also important to note that some people may not feel comfortable opening up straight away – or ever – and that shouldn’t be taken personally. Give them the space to say what they feel comfortable to say, if anything, and you’ll probably make a bigger impact than you think.

Sometimes it’s not about being helped, it’s just about knowing help is there!