Within every business, there will be those who suffer in silence to the point that control is lost and the very act of getting out of bed becomes utterly overwhelming. To mark the start of National Stress Awareness Month, Instant Offices investigates…
Employees are still reluctant to share mental health information with their managers or bosses, seemingly for good reason. The stigma associated with mental health, being treated unfairly, becoming the subject of office gossip or compromising their employment terms are all legitimate fears.
To tackle this global workforce issue,ย we’re encouraging businesses to support their teams to speak about and prioritise mental health, promote a healthy work-life balance, reduce the stigma attached to mental health issues and introduce initiatives to support and encourage staff who choose to speak up.
Mental Health and Work in the UK
Studies suggest that millennials display the highest levels of anxiety, depression and thoughts of suicide of any generation, considering they are also simultaneously on the cusp of becoming the largest global workforce by 2020.
According to Deloitte, the average person spends 90,000 hours of their life working, and poor employee mental health can be due to factors internal or external to the workplace. Without effective management, this can have a serious impact on physical health, productivity and more.
In the modern workplace, smart employers are placing workplace wellness at the core of their business by recognising the importance of their staff. They are going beyond protocol, processes and profits to ensure individuals feel valued and supported. Wellness and workplace health initiatives are varied but include everything from serious interventions and counselling services to mindfulness training, flexible working and even options like yoga, time off and massages at work.
That said, an alarming number of companies are still avoiding the topic of mental health in the workplace. A report by the Centre for Mental Health revealed that absence due to mental health cost the UK economy ยฃ34.9 billion last year. Additionally, the economy lost:
- ยฃ21.2 billion in reduced productivity
- ยฃ10.6 billion in sick leave
- ยฃ3.1 billion in staff turnover
Itโs Time to Prioritise Wellbeing at Work
Of the 5 million people being signed off from work every year, data from NHS showed an alarming 31% are taking time out due to mental health, with a shocking 14% rise in doctorโs notes relating to anxiety and stress in one year. This is why the NHS has called on businesses to wake up to the reality of mental health and its dire effects on the wellbeing of its employees and on overall workplace success.
Hereโs what employers can do:
- A study from Business in the Community shows, only 53% of employees feel comfortable talking about mental health issues like depression and anxiety at work. Instead of making employees feel like liabilities or burdens, employers need to take active steps to encourage conversations around these issues. Taking a mental health day or asking for support around mental health issues should not impact an employeeโs reputation and how they are treated at work.
- Around 91% of managers agree that their actions affect their staffโs wellbeing, however, only 24% of managers have received any training in mental health. This lack of training and sensitivity only works to perpetuate the culture of silence around mental health and wellbeing at work. Companies should be working to combat this by monitoring employee stress, encouraging communication and taking active steps to increase knowledge around the issue.
- There are several ways toย boost employee engagement and happiness in the modern workplace. Around 70% of employees want a say in when and how they work, and growth in flexible working shows more businesses are responding. Introducing a flexible working option is one of the ways businesses can prioritise their employeesโ personal needs while benefitting from their productivity boost, too. Nearlyย halfย of employees advocate for flexible working hours as a way to reduce workplace stress and anxiety, increase productivity, and to improve morale and engagement.
- It is crucial to increase employee awareness of mental health at work, support employees at risk and take steps to support those suffering from mental health problems. Education is key, and strategies need to be tailor-made to suit each business and its needs. Aside from increasing workplace happiness with perks, time off and better communication, businesses need to look at long-term policies which advocate for better treatment for at-risk employees from every tier of the organisation.
- Historically, tyrannical managers focused on โthe numbersโ or โgetting the job doneโ has been the norm, but fortunately, the modern workplace has changed. Today, the manager who adopts a more holistic approach by focusing on the growth and development of their team, personally and professionally, will see greater results and engagement. Investing in a coaching approach has shown clear improvements across all areas and improved trust between managers and employees. Getting this balance right enables employees to speak about their levels of stress, their worries about their role and more.
Placing health and wellbeing at the heart of business can help employers attract and retain talent, improve productivity and happiness, and positively impact the bottom line.
Educating the workforce on the availability of such programmes where they can find support in a confidential and respectful manner, will help to address personal challenges before they become overwhelming.
