In this feature are a cornucopia of tantalising tips around the subject of Employer's Mental Health Programs Approaches.

Employers should walk the walk, implementing humane work schedules and workloads so that their people can recharge their batteries and come back to work fresh and focused. You're enjoying your weekend after an exhausting week, walking in the great outdoors. But bad luck is about to hit you. You take an unfortunate tumble, and the awkward landing results in a broken leg. Work is a no-go given that you can't hobble to or sit comfortably at your desk. You're given time to recover, which is great. But what about illnesses we can't see? Nearly half of workers under 40 say they feel stressed or anxious all or most of the time. All. Of. The. Time. Not just at work, but in their everyday lives. So it comes as no surprise the vast majority of those workers seek out a workplace with mental health benefits in place, according to the American Institute of Stress. When mental health is considered a chronic health condition affecting workers’ well-being and workplace outcomes, depression and anxiety are leading drivers of lost productivity. Given advances in assessment and treatment for depression and anxiety, it makes sense to examine how workplace policies and programs can support and sustain worker mental health. Something that can lead to work-related mental health problems is when employees don't fully understand their role and responsibilities. A productive work environment relies on having happy and healthy employees. When teams feel valued and supported in the workplace they are more likely to perform to the best of their abilities.



Building a culture of health in the workplace involves all levels of the organization and establishes the workplace health program as a routine part of business operations aligned with overall business goals. The results of this culture change include engaged and empowered employees, an impact on health care costs, and improved worker productivity. anxious or suffering from stress – related problems at any one time. The bad news is that work can trigger or exacerbate such issues; the good news is that enlightened organisational practices and well-trained line managers play a powerful role in fostering wellbeing and sustaining good mental health. One in five people will experience ‘mild to moderate’ mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression. A smaller percentage will experience episodes of more severe mental health conditions; for example, psychosis or thoughts of suicide. When there’s flexibility in the workplace, it’s far more likely that people can get the help they need. Flexible work environments make it easier for employees to navigate work and life demands, which helps to maintain balance and avoid overload. Similarly to any change that happens within organizations, discussions around employers duty of care mental health need planning and implementing properly.

Using Organization-level Approaches

Employees have different perceptions, attitudes and behaviors toward mental health. Emotional health can be a sensitive topic. Employees may be reluctant to share their struggles, as they may be concerned their supervisors will see them as weak, unstable, or incapable. Instead, they may cope by disengaging, doing only the bare minimum and interacting with coworkers and managers as little as possible. Some proactive steps employers can take to understand and assess their employees’ mental health include using mental health calculators to estimate the prevalence and associated costs of untreated depression and alcohol and substance abuse at the workplace. Most employers will have policies and procedures in place for performance management, but where there are suspected or known health issues, these should also be explored, prior to any formal processes. If the root causes of poor performance are not addressed, any solutions are unlikely to fully resolve the issue, so problems can spiral into sickness absence. The most common impact of conflict at work is that people find it stressful – underlining the need for employers to foster healthy working environments that have a zero-tolerance approach to bullying. Don't forget to send out proper internal communications around workplace wellbeing support in your organisation.

Whether an employee is experiencing marital issues or insomnia, EAPs can help employees deal with the issues that detract from their performance. But they need reassurance that it's free of charge and completely confidential. Mental health issues such as anxiety can cause someone to lose concentration, making it very difficult to multi-task and carry out day-to-day work activities. An employee’s stamina could also be affected, making task deadlines difficult to meet. Mental health is just like physical health: we all have it and we need to take care of it. Discussions or meetings about performance should concentrate on the individual’s work and how it is being impacted, but asking simple, open questions about how the employee is and whether anything is affecting their performance can encourage people to talk about any health issues. It is also useful to explore any other potential workplace issues, such as negative relationships with colleagues, which may be impacting on the employee’s well-being and, in turn, their performance. Focus on the person, not the problem – don’t make assumptions about how mental health affects performance, because people with even a serious mental health condition can still thrive at work. For employers not investing in wellbeing initiatives, how to manage an employee with anxiety can be a difficult notion to comprehend.

Growth & Development

Mental health problems at work are common. At least one in six workers is experiencing common mental health problems, including anxiety and depression. You might not be talking about it, because mental health is still a taboo subject. And many people feel scared and confused about confronting the issue at work. Employers may not be fully aware of their employees’ mental health needs. Many impressively accomplished people have also had their own struggles with mental illness. Some of the most successful people I know have intense clinical anxiety, and their form of coping is by productively channeling it into their work. They remain passionate about their work, and impact their community in a positive way. The duty of HR professionals is laid out perfectly by the tackle mental health website which provides a very handy checklist that is superb for HR staff. It includes advice to avoid using general phrases about working under stressful conditions as well as warning against an emphasis on soft skills and personality traits. We all have mental health and we all have a responsibility to look out for ourselves and each other. Communication that emphasizes that leadership cares about concepts such as managing employees with mental health issues should be welcomed in the working environment.

Managers need to keep in mind that it is important for your employees to have somebody to talk to, but it doesn’t have to be you. If the answer is not you, rather than take it personally, be happy that they’ve got a resource. Companies that want to support mental health at work don’t just leave room for conversations on mental health, they start them. Employers who are vulnerable and open are more likely to convey authentic compassion, too, so don’t outsource these conversations. Employees might feel very happy to tell a colleague about a physical injury they’ve sustained, but when it comes to changes in their mental health, people can keep this to themselves through fear of being treated differently or judged. Provide employees with in-service trainings on self-care, stress management, and resilience. Hiring a therapist to provide half-day workshops a few times a year could go a long way toward preventing problems and emphasizing the importance of building healthy strategies into your daily life. You’ve got great staff? Then you want to keep them. Not just because it’s nice to have familiar and trusted faces greeting you when you turn up to work, but also because it saves a shed load of money. Brain drain has some serious cost implications. Subjects such as workplace wellbeing ideas can be tackled by getting the appropriate support in place.

Employee Perceptions

Having your employees getting along well is always a bonus and is something you should strive for. But, it can be particularly beneficial when it comes to their mental health, too. If two of your people are clashing, it’s likely to cause them both stress and – let’s face it – it’s not going to do their mental health any good. And let’s not even get started on business productivity and morale. In addition to talking about poor mental health, we need to talk more openly about what we can do to nurture our mental health, open up conversations about what it means to experience a positive state of mental well-being, and look after our mental health. The development of a strong evidence base through monitoring of performance can make the case to prioritise improving employee mental health and reduce the likelihood of action only being taken in a reactive manner. Furthermore it is a pre-requisite to inform changes in policy and organisational design. Uncover supplementary intel relating to Employer's Mental Health Programs Approaches at this Health and Safety Executive link.

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