Mental health and the workplace

Mental health in the workplace can be defined as the overall psychological, emotional, and social well-being of employees within the work environment. 

This seems to have become a much more prevalent and important topic in recent years. Its is of course a very important subject but how do employers recognise employees who may be having mental health issues and what should they do to try to help?

The below is not a definitive guide but there seems to be some consensus as to how an employer may recognise someone who has mental health issues and what an employer can do to help, this help may be a function of the size and resources available to the company.

How to recognise some symptoms

Employers may notice changes in employee’s behaviour. This could be the person becoming quieter than usual, more withdrawn, more irritable. This doesn’t mean that someone is having mental health issues, but it could be an indication.

Other symptoms could be the person having difficulty concentrating, tiredness, increased absence, turning up late for work, taking extra leave.  This is not a conclusive list, but the main thing is that the persons overall behaviour etc could have changed.

If a company identifies an employee who may be having issues what should they do ?

Obviously, the company should talk to the employee confidentially to establish if there is a problem. HR or other professionals should be flexible about where and when they talk to the employee and always remember that the conversation is about the employee’s mental health, its not a performance review.

If this is established the company can try to support the person in many ways. These can include:

• Providing time off for mental health appointments.
• Ensure there is no ‘Stigma ‘attached to mental health within the company.
• Offer of flexible working hours
• Adjusted workloads
• Ensure employees have regular meetings with HR or other managers where they can openly discuss their mental health

What can the employer do on a more general basis to help identify candidates with mental health issues, and to prevent work related mental health issues  ?

They can :

• Promote wellbeing
• Have flexible working where possible
• Provide stress management
• Provide opportunities for employees to talk confidentially about their health mental health
• Provide employee assistance where possible
• Provide managers with training where possible to recognise the signs and symptoms of mental health challenges.
• Help employees develop resilience, acquire stress management skills to help employees to cope better.
• Appoint mental health champions who are experienced in listening, trained in counselling and who can tell employees where to get support.

Some benefits of identifying and helping employees with mental health issues

A company should try to build a supportive working environment where employees feel comfortable talking about their mental health. These conversations should be confidential, and it is a legal requirement that they remain confidential.

Benefits can include:

• More productive employees
• Less absenteeism
• Improved morale

Conclusions

Some of the conclusions from the above include trying to identify employees who may be having mental health issues. If they are identified, then try to be sensitive and sympathetic then consider the options available, some of which are outlined above. So basically, try to be nice and try to be supportive and empathetic!

Sources for this article include some material from the Charity MIND and from some available HR material.

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