Today, on this World Mental Health day, many of us will be wearing yellow, bringing in cakes to share with our colleagues and possibly displaying the odd poster about the place to try and raise awareness of the importance of mental health in the Workplace. Mental health is something that is with us all of the time, not just 10th October, and there are so many benefits to a workplace in having mentally-fit staff, that mental health should have a standalone role in workplace policies.
One in five staff have said that they have called in sick, at some point, to avoid work due to their mental health. Therefore, the better that we are able to promote mental health in the workplace, the more time that employees will be able to attend work. With one in four people experiencing periods of Mental ill health it is not something that employers can afford to ignore.
Employers are recognising this, as 56% say they want to be able to support their staffs’ mental health more, but are unsure where to start (figures provided by Mind – an excellent resource for all things mental health). A good way for employers to feel more confident in approaching mental health is by attending a Mental Health First Aid Course.
Another way is by thinking about communication. How can employers communicate their commitment to mental health – is there a common area to display a noticeboard and some leaflets, or a Social Media platform where tips can be shared on how to look after our mental health.
Some examples of how to do this would be to look after our bodies physically (e.g. enough sleep, feed with good healthy fuel, etc!) and make an effort to make sure the workplace has lots of mental health Champions, to spread the message throughout the company. Personally, I am a bit obsessed with placing a poster inside a toilet door, as there’s a captive audience who can read with an element of privacy.
The best way for us to communicate our commitment to mental health is by modelling such behaviour. Make sure that staff take a lunch break, and if they don’t, encourage them to do so. Embracing nature is so beneficial for us all, so try taking a walk near the office to get some fresh air and your heart beating faster. If you can make this a regular thing, the benefits will be great.
It doesn’t have to be weekly, but achievability is important! By people openly sharing about any mental health problems they may have experienced, it enables others to realise it is not a taboo subject and that mental health is something that is very treatable, and is a welcome topic for discussion. This also helps individuals feel that they are not alone.
So if you take one thing away from this years Mental Health Awareness Day – it is that communication, in all its forms, is how we can break down the stigma surrounding mental health, and thrive, rather than just survive, at work and at home.
SAMS have a BACP registered person-centred therapist who teaches our Mental Health First Aid courses. For further information on these, please visit our Mental Health First Aid courses page for Level 1, 2 and 3 training courses.