When you are physically fit, you tend to be healthier, happier and more productive. It's the same with mental health – helping your employees to build resilience to stress, access appropriate support and prioritise self-care can have a fundamental effect on workplace performance – including productivity, decision-making, and relationships at work.

In 2018, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) found that poor mental health was the most common cause of long-term sickness absence in the workplace, while a Mind survey found that one in ten employees rated their current mental health as poor or very poor. With increases to state retirement age resulting in longer working lives, AI and Automation affecting roles, and remote working increasing feelings of isolation, the need for support and awareness has never been more real and pressing.
 
Although many employers have started to take action to support mental health in the workplace, across other organisations, the subject remains ‘taboo’.
 
BRINGING OUR ‘WHOLE SELVES’ TO WORK
 
In many organisations, a stigma exists around mental health -  people are scared to confront the issue with their managers or colleagues because they feel that it could affect their job, their relationships and their future prospects.  With at least one in six workers experiencing mental health problems, including anxiety and depression (source: Mind) this means that a significant number of your workforce are holding back a big part of what makes them human.
 
Mike Robbins, Author of ‘Bring your whole self to work,’ says ‘When we don’t bring our whole selves to work we suffer – lack of engagement, lack of productivity, and our well-being is diminished. We aren’t able to do our best, most innovative work, and we spend and waste too much time trying to look good, fit in, and do or say the “right” thing. For teams and organisations, this lack of psychological safety makes it difficult for the group or company to thrive and perform at their highest level because people are holding back some of who they really are’.
 
WHAT CAN MANAGERS DO?
 
Understandably, without relevant training, managers shy away from the subject of mental health. Fear of ‘saying the wrong thing’ or making matters worse can result in a culture of silence. Providing managers with practical skills that can be used in the workplace everyday – including being able to spot signs and symptoms, and feeling confident to guide people towards appropriate support - can prevent mental health issues spiralling into a crisis.
 
Working alongside our partners, AdviserPlus, we are able to offer two powerful, key interventions for managers that can help them to gain knowledge and awareness and understand how to effectively manage these situations.
 
WORKSHOP: MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS
 
Objectives:

• Help managers to feel more confident talking about mental health at work
• Build managers capability to support colleagues experiencing mental health
• Enable a smooth transition back to work for those returning after long-term mental ill-heath

• Give managers or relevant delegates a deeper understanding of the issues that impact on and relate to people’s mental health
• Provide the practical skills that can be used every day, including being able to spot the signs and symptoms of mental health issues and feel confident guiding people towards appropriate support
• Get in touch today to find out how we can support awareness and understanding within your organisation.