World Mental Health Day – 10 October 2024

Today is World Mental Health Day and the focus this year is Workplace Mental Health, one of the most pressing issues affecting the workplace is burnout!

In our fast-paced world more employees than ever before are experiencing chronic stress that leads to burnout and poor mental health.

Burnout can creep up and get a grip of any of us, before anyone even realises and apart from affecting an individual’s well-being there are consequences for organisations too, such as increased absenteeism, reduced morale and a drop in productivity.  

Mental Health UK are calling out for employers and employees to take shared responsibility for workplace mental health, encouraging everyone to educate themselves to recognise the signs of poor mental health and for employers to provide support to create a healthier, more resilient workplace where mental wellbeing is a priority for all. 

How common are mental health problems?

According to the mental health charity MIND, every year 1 in 4 of us will experience a mental health problem.  Over 2 million people are waiting for NHS mental health services and since 2017 the number of young people struggling with their mental health has nearly doubled!

You may not realise that you have staff who are living with mental health problems or neuro diversity.   It’s important to develop a culture where staff feel able to be open and discuss their health and wellbeing at work as soon as possible, without the worry of repercussions such as discrimination.

Early intervention is key to resolving burnout or any other issue that impacts the health and wellbeing of employees.  Staff should be encouraged to raise concerns as soon as possible.  

Reducing anxiety in the workplace.

Anxiety can lead us to ruminate and often to worry unnecessarily.  If staff are worried about their job, maybe they’ve heard on the grapevine that there are changes afoot; a business sale, a possible takeover, a relocation, or a restructure, this can weigh heavy on people’s minds.  An anxious employee may struggle to sleep, become unwell and end up burnt out and having to take time off sick.  This can lead to lost earnings, which brings on more anxiety and so we end up in a vicious circle.   To break the cycle and reduce the risk of anxiety escalating and staff going off sick, communication is key.  Be as transparent and open as possible as once the office rumour mill starts grinding it’s difficult to stop.  Be proactive, consider how best to communicate changes within the business, when will be the best time to deliver potentially worrying news, who should the news come from, how will it land and what steps will you need to take to ensure staff are supported and their concerns are dealt with in the correct way.

How can I keep a check on my employees to make sure they’re OK?

Make sure you have regular check ins with your team, particularly those who are working remotely, out on site or working from home.  Keep an eye on the hours that they’re working and make sure they are using up their annual leave. 

An appraisal and objective review process will benefit you and your employee two-fold. It will give you the opportunity to measure performance and make sure your employee is on track with their objectives.  If your employee is struggling, they may be suffering from burn out, which means that they may not be fully engaged or fully effective. An appraisal or objective review will provide the opportunity for both parties to discuss their concerns. 

What should I do if my employee mentions work related stress?

Much of the time employers only become aware that an employee has “Work Related Stress” when they go off sick.  Often an employee will be signed off sick for one reason and then we see WRS being mentioned on the fit note as the absence progresses.  Each case will differ but if you can, check in with the employee before they return to work, take the opportunity to discuss what is causing them to feel stressed and arrange to carry out a WRS Risk Assessment when they’re ready to return.  

Remember to listen to your employee, their point of view about being overloaded and unable to cope with tasks may well differ from yours but should not be ignored.   It’s ok to ask if everything is OK outside of work, it’s often the case that a personal issue may be affecting an employee’s ability to function effectively at work.  It’s not realistic to expect an employee to leave their personal problems at home and to just “get on with it!”

Employee Assistance Programmes

Consider introducing an employee assistance programme, which staff can access on a confidential basis for expert advice.  The cost of this benefit is generally outweighed by the value it can add to your staff and your business.  Also, review your own absence, health, and wellbeing policies to ensure that staff are aware that you will take reasonable steps to support them. 

The right to disconnect

The Labour Government have promised to introduce a “right to switch off” following the lead of other countries particularly Belgium and Ireland.   This is about ensuring employees have time to rest, improving motivation and productivity to prevent burnout and see a move away from a culture of presenteeism. 

If you would like further information, whether it be to learn about how you can improve employee engagement and workplace culture, how to manage mental health, eradicate burn out and WRS risk assessments, or how to set objectives and manage appraisals, please do not hesitate to call Spectra on 0161 926 8519.

If you would like to learn more about what lies ahead under Labour or have any questions regarding any of the points raised above, then why not come along to our FREE seminar on 7 November in Manchester City Centre.