With the charity Mind reporting that one in six people experience a mental health problem in any given week in England, looking after our mental wellbeing is more important than ever. Despite this, society has created a stigma that has caused many to think our mental health isn’t as valuable as our physical health — and this is often most pronounced in the workplace.
A Work in Progress
A poll conducted by Mental Health First Aid England has found that employees are three times more likely to talk about their physical health problems than mental health ones at work. And this has devastating effects both on individuals and the institutions they work for. Another report on mental health from the Mental Health Foundation reveals that over 70 million working days are lost due to poor mental health. All of these findings show that a welcoming, supportive working environment must be cultivated not just for the success of your company, but to help your team members live more peaceful lives.
Thankfully, as a society, we’re beginning to be more open about mental health and fight against the pervasive stigma around it. But the problem is, we’re still not quite there — especially when it comes to the workplace. Pain Fee Working points out that the concept of wellness for many corporations leans more on the physical perks like an office gym, yoga memberships, and healthier cafeteria food. And while these are all well and good, they do not quite address the mental health issues that employees may be feeling. We need to go beyond physical health and begin working towards opening the door for important conversations to take place.
To open the dialogue, you can start by communicating with your team in a company call that you should take care of your mental health the same way one would with their physical health. For instance, when they experience a headache, they shouldn’t hesitate to ask to lie down and rest. So if they’re feeling overwhelmed with negative thoughts or feelings, let them know that you are there to listen to them without judgments. You should also express that what they’re experiencing is valid and nothing they should be ashamed of. And don’t forget to share resources where they can seek help like the Stress Matters support circles.
Time to Talk
All that being said, there are significant mental health discussions that are still not being addressed in the workplace. To help your employees heal (and ultimately, stop the stigma in your workplace), here are some crucial conversations you need to have with your team.
Men and Mental Health
From having high rates of obesity — a common symptom of mental illness — to suicide, we’ve previously covered how men in England deal with a greater stigma of mental health. Both sexes experience mental health problems, but it’s easier for women to open up about their struggles. This can be linked to the gender stereotypes that society had in the past where sharing feelings was thought to be feminine. In this regard, you should have a separate video conference with your male members. Let them know that to really “man up” means that there is nothing embarrassing about expressing emotions.
Money Matters
Financial troubles can be one of the biggest sources of stress for your team. But of course, sharing this matter is rather difficult. In turn, it can further deteriorate their mental health by causing them to feel burned out, become easily irritable, or even overwork to compensate. To help ease their burden, it’s vital to improve their financial literacy, so they’ll be more at ease when managing their finances.
Lockdown Life
With the current health crisis, more than half of British workers are experiencing higher levels of stress and anxiety. Working from home isn’t as comforting as one would expect, since being stuck at home can feel isolating. Plus, families have to look after their children’s schoolwork while balancing work. On that note, try to have a regular conversation where you check in on how they’re coping with the effects of the pandemic. Even simply offering to listen to their problems can help lighten the heavy load they’re carrying at home.
A healthy work culture is one that is responsive to the mental health issues their employees may be facing. This is why it is vital to have the mental health conversations that many try to avoid.
A guest article by Sabrina Mills, Only for stressmatters.org.uk
