According to the Mental Health Foundation, 19.7% of over 16s in the UK showed anxiety or depression symptoms in 2014.
Considering the constantly switched on lifestyles we lead almost 5 years later, that statistic has almost certainly risen.
That’s a scary statistic. That’s not far away from being a quarter of the UK adult population.
It’s quite likely that many of you reading this also suffer from a mental health condition of some kind. Remember, depression isn’t the only condition under this umbrella, and there is a long list of other issues to take on board, such as anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, the list goes on and on. What we need to do is break down the stigma that is unfortunately still attached to mental health problems, and bring more awareness. With more awareness, more people will seek help, and as a result more people will see brighter days once more.
Does your office have a mental health awareness policy or plan in place? Do you include this type of training or awareness in your health and wellbeing package? Do you even have a health and wellbeing package? If not, it’s time you did.
To give you an overview of why mental health awareness in the workplace is so vital, check out this eye-opening infographic.
Source: www.elearninginfographics.com/mental-health-in-the-workplace-infographic
Sit and take in those statistics. Only 11% of employees sitting at their office desks felt they needed to discuss their mental health problem with their manager. Why? Perhaps they didn’t feel able to, perhaps they felt ashamed, whatever the reason, it needs to change.
In addition, only 22% of managers have had training on employee wellness, but many would welcome it. The big hitting statistic?
Better support for employees in terms of mental health could save UK businesses a massive £8 billion annually. That’s a lot of cash!
Ways to Raise Awareness And Support Your Employees
Of course, it’s not about saving money, it’s about supporting your employees. It’s about choosing the right office desking system to get the best out of them and help them feel valued and supported. It’s about having regular catch ups and having an open door policy, so that if anyone feels the need to talk about anything, they can do so easily, without feeling worried or judged. Remember, your employees are human beings.
Many high end office environments have time out areas, where staff can go to blow off steam if they need to, and this is great for reducing stress. Incorporating natural elements into the office space can also reduce anxiety and tension.
How about offering confidential counselling services free of charge to your employees? Fostering a team working environment where everyone looks out for one another, and supporting employees when they’re going through a tough time is also a fantastic way to ensure everyone is happy and healthy, but also to increase morale overall.
Look towards modular office booths to give people the privacy they need from time to time, and office partition screens which can be moved around accordingly.
Knowing your employees well is the key to understanding when something is wrong. It’s also vital that you foster an environment which makes it easy for people to reach out for help if they need it. Remember, someone who is suffering with a mental health condition of any type is not going to find it simple to just ask for help, but making the process easier will encourage them to do so.
The final idea is to have mental health awareness incorporated into mandatory training for your employees. This means that everyone is aware of what to look out for, what to do if they suspect someone is struggling, how to handle a situation, and what to do if they themselves feel they need a little extra support. By being more aware, offering more support, and knocking down that stigma, we can do a lot to reduce those terrible statistics we mentioned at the very start.