Mental health in the workplace is becoming a much
talked-about subject. The promotion of mental well-being is very important if
you want to see your employees enjoying the best possible physical health, and
if you’d like to ensure maximum productivity.
The Institute of Directors (IoD) conducted a survey of 1,150
employees and 586 employers. It found that just 7 per cent of employers have
made the effort to discuss mental health issues with their workers, despite the
fact that 8 in 10 of them considered it important to make provisions to promote
emotional well-being. Only 23 per cent surveyed had a company policy on it.
Of the workers, a third of them revealed that they found it
difficult to complete tasks due to stress and anxiety. 68 per cent felt it was
their employer’s responsibility to make arrangements to deal with mental health
issues amongst staff.
Simon Walker, director general of
the IoD, said: "Businesses have an
enormous role to play in creating an environment where such issues can be
discussed openly, effectively and safely.
"After all, we
spend a huge amount of our lives at work and among colleagues, so we have to
take steps to ensure that the work environment, particularly in smaller
businesses, is one where mental health issues are well understood."
Exploring Avenues to Help With
Workplace Mental Health
If as an employer you
are keen to explore some avenues that could help deal with mental health in the
workplace, the best place to start is with compiling a policy. Such a thing
could include the promotion of mental well-being, supporting staff by
monitoring working environments and helping supervisors to develop skills to
help them identify and manage any issues.
Think about how you
might provide advice to anyone who has mental health problems, perhaps by
working alongside healthcare professionals. For those who have taken leave
because of such issues, consider how you might help them back to work.
Encouraging employees to
talk and promoting an open-door policy on the subject is good practice and you
could also liaise with any local outreach groups in your area that may be able
to come and hold workshops to help the entire organisation.
If you’re not sure where to start, your bookkeepers
will usually be able to point you in the right direction.
