Episode 2: Mental Health in the Workplace – How Can Employers Help
Mental Health problems are rising in the UK, with 1 in 6 people suffering from issues. With people spending most of their lives at work, it is vital that this is an environment that helps aid positive mental health, and helps those with problems.
Legal Obligations as an Employer
Where an employee has mental health issues which amount to a disability, an employer has an obligation to consider whether any reasonable adjustments can be made to assist them in carrying out their job.
Supporting Employees
Talking about mental health can seem scary, but they often mean a lot to a person going through a tough time. Start by asking someone how they are doing, find time for a 10 minute catch up, but reassure the person that you can arrange a longer chat if needed. At Siren search, employees have regular 1-to-1 meetings with their line manager to talk about more than the day to day duties. It gives team members the opportunity to address any pressing issues outside of the office in a private area.
Always ensure you actively listen when having a discussion with team members, engage in the conversation to show them that you really care.
Educate Staff
Educating staff will not only help those who are suffering from mental health issues, but also help their colleagues to understand what mental health is and how to help others. Open communication is a core element to ensuring Mental Health remains positive in the workplace. Educating your team members on this can be as easy as sharing articles on Mental Health. At Siren Search, we often send articles to each other to help educate one another, which also further strengthens the culture of being able to talk to each other.
Feedback and Appraisals
Regular team meetings and confidential sessions are part of good management, and can help with mental health and staff engagement. However, appraisals can be difficult for for people with mental health issues, as self esteem may be poor so receiving feedback can be difficult.
To manage this, be honest in assessing their performance but agree on how to handle any problems. Giving positive feedback can help people, as they may not realise the positives themselves. It can also be a confidence booster, helping them to in turn perform better in their job and feel better about themselves.
Identify factors that may play a role in them becoming unwell and consider how to avoid or deal with these.
Together, we can promote positive mental health in the workplace, making people feel comfortable to speak openly about their feelings. Another great way to help is to sign the Time to Change Employers Pledge to demonstrate your commitment to change how we think about mental health in the workplace.
Find out more about Mental Health in the workplace in our handy blog, or look at our Mental Health Guide for Employees.
