According to the Centre for Mental Health based in the UK, mental health problems at work cost UK economy £34.9bn last year. With the Covid-19 pandemic, and the ensuing restrictions on social interaction, furlough schemes, potential unemployment, and a rise in illness and stress related disorders, this figure is likely to see a dramatic increase throughout 2020 and beyond.
Firms need their employees to be self-motivated, resilient, with good communication skills, and who have a high level of emotional intelligence in order to maintain a healthy, productive workforce.
Poor heath, stress, depression and other mental health problems costs UK businesses more every year, so how can employers help their workforce maintain positive mental health and how can we, as individuals, do our bit to keep ourselves mentally healthy?
Promoting Positive Mental Health
Promoting positive mental health in the workplace makes for good business sense, as you can see from the figures above.
Employees that feel emotionally supported and have good mental health are happier, more productive and perform better.
They are more inclined to be resilient – they take risks, challenge themselves through tough periods, stay healthy and active, and tend to engage well with those around them.
An employer that supports their workforce and promotes positive mental health will reap the rewards but it can take time and effort to instil a workplace culture which commits to promoting positive mental health.
The following steps will help to raise awareness, promote acceptance and encourage understanding:
• Create a Mental Health Policy – create, or review an existing mental health policy, which gives clear guidance to managers and employees regarding where to get support and what help is available.
• Support Network – set in place a support network for staff experiencing mental health problems. This might include having named mental health support mentors, managers trained in mental health awareness, or a specific HR team who deal with problems of this kind.
• Eliminate the Stigma– removing the stigma attached to mental health problems is the first step to encouraging people to talk about their mental health problems. Advertise the fact that your firm has measures in place to help and signpost employees to the right people. Organise activities to help educate staff about mental health issues, encourage healthy mind events (such as, mindfulness) and endorse fitness, healthy eating and a good work/home balance.
• Team Training and Personal Development – when a team works well together everyone benefits. Promoting personal and professional development among employees helps to foster a positive mental attitude and encourages emotional intelligence.
Improving our Own Mental Health
Having support from an employer while suffering from mental health problems is vital, but there are lots of steps that we can take as individuals that will help stop mental health problems from occurring, alleviate the symptoms and reduce stress and tension.
The Mental Health Foundation UK suggest the following tips can be useful for reducing mental health problems:
1. Talk about your feelings – talking to a friend, therapist, or relative when you are struggling to cope can be beneficial but it isn’t always easy to know where to start. Make time to sit down with someone who will listen to your problems without judging you and who you know has your best interests at heart.
2. Keep fit and Active – we aren’t all keen on running or going to the gym but we can all find the time and enthusiasm to go for a short walk in a park or the countryside. Fresh air and breathing deeply can help relax a tense body and taking time to appreciate your surroundings will relax the mind. Exercise releases endorphins into the body which make you feel happier and relaxed, improves confidence and gives a sense of achievement.
3. Eat well – caffeine and sugar are known to have an immediate effect on the body, increasing the heart rate, stimulating the central nervous system and producing excess stomach acid. Try avoiding stimulants whenever possible and opt for fruit, vegetables, whole grains, water, fish and dairy instead.
4. Sleep – lack of sleep makes just about everyone feel tense and less able to cope with the usual pressures of life. If you can, aim for 7 – 8 hours of sleep a night, with a regular bedtime so your body and mind know when it is time to switch off.
5. Accept who you are – we are all different, with diverse abilities, preferences, lifestyles and habits. These differences make us unique individuals and accepting that we are what we are is the first step to feeling good about ourselves. Focus on your strengths, enjoy the things you are good at and be proud of your achievements, no matter how small they may seem.
6. Challenge Yourself – when we challenge ourselves (especially if it is something that takes us out of our comfort zone) we often have a sense of anxiety. However, by overcoming these feelings, and challenging ourselves to achieve the result we want, we are building new belief systems within our minds which can increase self-confidence and reduce anxiety. Take up a new hobby, raise money for charity with a sky-dive, take that training course at work that your boss has been encouraging you to do, learn a new language – or do all of the above!
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