Episode 1: Mental Health in the Workplace – What is it?
With more than 1 in 7 people experiencing issues with Mental Health at work, it’s time to take action and make the workplace environment a place for everyone to be healthy and happy.
What are Mental Health problems?
Mental health is the way we think and feel, as well as our abilities to deal with daily life. Everyone feels stressed, sad or frightened at some point, but these feelings usually pass. However, sometimes these can develop into something more serious that impact our daily lives that may mean that the person suffering needs extra support or treatment.
Recognising Mental Health Problems at Work:
- stopping you from getting on with life
- having a big impact on the people you live or work with
- becoming more tired
- appearing distracted or isolated from colleagues
Causes of Mental Health Problems at Work:
- poor relationships with colleagues;
- lack of control over work;
- unhealthy work-life balance;
- overbearing workload and/or duties;
- lack of variety or opportunity for career progression.
Why Should We Promote Positive Mental Health at Work?
Promoting positive mental health at work can lead to issues being discussed openly, helping employees and reduces the stigma around the mental health topic. With an increased level of support, recovery can be quicker and prevent their mental health from deteriorating. It will also help employees to work productively, have a positive attendance report, and communicate well with colleagues and customers. Not to mention happier and healthier staff.
Fighting the Stigma
Although the awareness of mental health is increasing, people with mental health problems still face challenges such as discrimination. For this reason, many people may keep their feelings hidden because they are afraid of people’s reactions and responses, causing further problems for their mental health. By creating workplace cultures where people can be themselves and can talk openly about their feelings, helps to build a positive working environment, as well as helping people to reach out for help when they need it most.
Siren Search and Mental Health
Here at Siren Search, we are dedicated to promoting positive mental health within the company and workplace. We ensure that our team members feel comfortable talking to one another about how they feel and their opinions, making sure that we have open ears for constant communication. Read our handy guides for Mental Health in the workplace for Employers, and Mental Health in the Workplace for Employees.
