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Today is World Mental Health Day 2024 and shines a light on the importance of maintaining personal wellbeing and reminds us that mental health is as important as physical health.
When it comes to mental health in the workplace, the statistics are stark:
As a business owner managing employee mental health is good for business. It can reduce absenteeism, employee turnover and can improve engagement, morale and productivity.
Within this guide we will explore your obligations as an employer regarding employee mental health, signs of a struggling employee and steps you can take to promote a healthier workplace mentally.
Employers have a duty of care to support employee’s health, safety and wellbeing by taking steps to make sure the environment is suitable. The Equality Act (2010) states that someone with mental health difficulties is classed as disabled if they have suffered from mental health difficulties for more than 12 months, if it has a ‘substantial adverse effect’ on their day-to-day life such as the ability to concentrate on tasks, trouble communicating with people or difficulties following instructions or completing tasks within a limited timeframe.
If an employee is considered disabled, the employer cannot discriminate and must make reasonable adjustments to support them within the workplace. Simple ways to do this, whilst maintaining your legal obligation and duty of care would be to provide regular rest breaks and helping your employee to priority and manage their workload.
Everyone’s experience of mental health is different, and it can occur at different times making it challenging to spot an employee who is struggling. However, some red flags could include the following:
Companies are under increasing pressure to deliver goods and services at a competitive rate in hectic and challenging environments which can put immense pressure on employees. Be mindful of risk factors that could affect employee’s mental health such as long hours, unrealistic expectations and deadlines, job insecurity and insufficient resources. Set clear expectations so employees know exactly what their roles and responsibilities are.
According to a study by Mind, only a half of employees struggling with their mental health feel able to talk to their employer about it. Simply asking “how are you” can be a good opener if you notice that someone might be having a tough time. Other steps you can take include scheduling regular catch-ups to check in with staff and create an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing concerns, challenges and feedback
A burnt-out employee is not a healthy employee and therefore it’s vital to ensure a healthy work-life balance within your organisation. Discouraging a culture of long hours and late after-hours emails can be a good place to start as this is not sustainable long term for a healthy employee.
Consider implementing flexible working arrangements or work from home options to help employees manage their personal and professional responsibilities.
Regular breaks can improve focus, reduce stress and increase overall productivity so remind employees to step away from their screen regularly. You could encourage movement by suggesting people take walking meetings to aid wellbeing and create some relaxation areas where workers can spend their break time and recharge.
A simple “thank you” or “well done” can go a long way in boosting morale and mental health so recognising achievements both publicly and privately is an important step for any business owner or manager.
Having poor, inadequate tools and processes can be a great source of frustration for employees and can cause high levels of anxiety trying to get their work done within limited timeframes without the technology in place to support them. Implementing technological advancements, robust solutions and clear processes that help employees rather than hinder them can make a significant difference to an employee’s mental attitude to work and their morale.
By implementing strategies to promote a healthy workplace you will not only be supporting your employees, but will also be reducing absenteeism, employee turnover and will hopefully see improvements in engagement, morale and productivity too.
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Posted On: October 10, 2024
