Wellbeing in the workplace isn’t just about physical wellbeing, it’s also about mental wellbeing. Physical and mental health are closely related and more needs to be done to support good mental health. It is estimated that mental ill health costs the UK over £33 million a year*. This blog aims to provide HR managers with four cost effective ways to promote better mental health.
- Find out what is happening
Start by understanding the current situation so that you can identify what is needed, prioritise your activity and track the results. Consider the current attitudes to mental ill health and find out what issues staff are experiencing. Employee surveys can be an effective way to identify common problems, spot patterns and gauge the extent of mental health issues. Once you know more you can start to make sure appropriate support is in place.
- Train managers to tackle mental health issues
Managers play a pivotal role in making workplaces happier and healthier because they are usually the first port of call for a struggling employee. It’s important to create an environment where staff will want to speak to their managers. It is alarming that 30 percent** of employees say they wouldn’t feel able to talk openly with a line manager if they were feeling stressed. Good training can change this.
Offer a training course so that managers can recognise the signs of mental health problems and feel confident to raise the issue and offer support. This will help managers to intervene early which can prevent issues from escalating and it helps break down the stigma of talking about mental health.
- Review existing benefits and insurance
Improving the mental health of staff doesn’t necessarily mean that you will have to buy more support services. There may be a number of effective solutions available within your existing employee benefits, so check with your adviser what mental health support is already included.
Employee assistance programmes can include mental health support. Some have specific modules for managers that offer tailored advice and provide 24/7 helplines and access to counselling. Group risk protection benefits, such as income protection and life assurance, and private medical insurance may also include mental health support.
- Communicate and promote the support you offer
It may be that you already have a raft of mental health support services available but if your staff don’t know about it or feel uncomfortable accessing it then it won’t address the issue. Run an awareness campaign to promote the mental health services you offer and consider activities that can be run at regular intervals during the year to draw attention to specific issues your staff may be facing.
Promoting better health and wellbeing in the workplace does not need to come with a big price tag. I hope the actions I have recommended here will help you build a happier, healthier and more productive environment at your workplace.
*www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/658145/thriving-at-work-stevenson-farmer-review.pdf
**www.mind.org.uk/workplace/mental-health-at-work/taking-care-of-your-staff/