A major study into workplace wellbeing by mental health charity Mind has revealed that poor mental health at work is widespread, with half (48 per cent) of all people surveyed saying they have experienced a mental health problem in their current job.
The survey of more than 44,000 employees, as part of Mind’s Workplace Wellbeing Index, also revealed that only half of those who had experienced poor mental health had talked to their employer about it, suggesting that as many as one in four UK workers is struggling in silence.
In-depth analysis has revealed that offering managers proper support can make a huge difference. Managers who felt their employer supported their mental health at work, or actively built their skills in supporting team members with mental health problems, were far more likely to feel confident in promoting staff wellbeing.
Manager confidence, in turn, is closely linked with whether employees feel able to disclose. Those staff who felt their manager supported their mental health or could spot the signs that someone might be struggling were far more likely to say they would be able to talk about their mental health at work.
To support better mental health at work, it’s then clear that line managers must feel comfortable and confident supporting their employee’s mental health. Training line managers is an essential part of this.
Trystan works for Welsh Water Dwr Cymru. Last year he took time off work to help manage his depression. With mental health awareness training from Mind Cymru, his line manager Karen, was better able to support Trystan back into work.
Karen Rogers, Health and Safety Manager at Welsh Water Dwr Cymru said:
“I found the Mind training really useful and I know it has been for other managers as well. It enables us to look out for those behavioural changes in our colleagues and then have those conversations with them and support them if they are struggling with their mental health.”
Mind’s mental health training will help your managers get mental health support right at a team and individual level. They deliver in-house training as a cost-effective way to promote the mental wellbeing of your staff. Specifically designed for employers and is ideal for line managers and HR teams, Mind offer training on the following topics:
- Managing mental health at work
- Mental health awareness
- Customer support and mental health
- Emotional intelligence and resilience
Mind Cymru will be running their next public access course in Wales, at their Cardiff office on Wednesday 21 November 2018. The one day course, Managing Mental Health at Work, is suitable for anyone who manages staff, or finds themselves doing so informally. You’ll learn how to recognise when a staff member is struggling and how you can support them professionally.
You can also access Silvercloud Mental Health Awareness at Work, which offers employees at any level in your organisation with an introduction to mental health and well-being in the workplace – they’ll explore the difference between good and poor mental health, common mental health problems, stigma around mental health and access tips on how to look after their own mental health and support colleagues.
We all have mental health – sometimes it will be good and sometimes we will struggle. Where we are on this scale and how we are feeling may impact how we work. With better support and more understanding, many of us may feel better able to manage our mental health at work, leading to happier and more productive work environments.