eLearning Courses
Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace with Emma Parnell
Our mental health and wellbeing expert, Emma Parnell discussed with us how Mental Health and Wellbeing in the workplace is important for businesses to address and offer support in. Hybrid working, the stresses of life such as the cost-of-living crisis, demanding workloads and anxiety can all contribute towards a poor mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.
Over the past 12 months we have seen organisations invest in training, launch campaigns, and offer support programmes for their employees.
Below, Emma shares her guidance on what you can do as a business to support your employees with Mental Health & Wellbeing.
What would you say have been the biggest developments in how SMEs approach mental health and wellbeing over the past 12 months?
The biggest developments have been the investments in wellbeing at work. For example, organisations have been implementing campaigns, providing awareness training and wellbeing apps that anyone across the organisation can use to measure their own wellbeing and seek help and guidance, be that from their employer or from external organisations.
How do you think the widespread shift to remote and hybrid working will affect the way we think about mental health and wellbeing in the next year and how can business be prepared?
Organisations will need to ensure their leaders and managers have the right level of understanding and skill to recognise where a team member might be experiencing a mental health related issue, be that by noticing a lowering of engagement with team members via things such as MS Teams, reduced interest in team goals, participation in meetings or reduced productivity in their work and then by asking the right questions in the right way.
Managers then need to take what information they have and carefully plan conversations, seeking advice and support from HR where necessary.
HR need to ensure there is adequate policy and guidance in place to fulfil the duty of care and other obligations and that managers are aware of this too.
Want to find out the true value of mental health and wellbeing training to your organisation?
A recent study found that 914,000 workers across the UK are suffering from work-related stress, depression and anxiety. How can organisations do a good job at looking after the wellbeing of their employees?
The fundamental way that organisations can do a god job is by knowing how to recognise what causes stress, depression and anxiety. These 3 things are very different and will require different approaches. Being able to recognise signs / symptoms is important.
If an employer fully understands the causes, then it is far easier for them to ensure working conditions are correct in the first place.
So, an overall understanding of each is key, followed by knowing the duty of care required to ensure that each employee is supported correctly.
It is important to say that it is not the responsibility of an employer to be able to treat the condition, but it is the responsibility of the employer to ensure that working conditions are resolved where they are contributing or causing the conditions and that employees are offered the right options to flex their working patterns while they are treated for their mental health issues.
Why is it important for businesses to have a psychologically supported workforce?
Psychological support / safety in a workplace is fundamental to employee well-being as it promotes a safe environment for employees to be themselves, to voice their opinions, set boundaries with colleagues and feel valued. These things are the hallmarks of a good company culture and make for an honest, open workplace where employees feel they can talk to their managers about even the most sensitive of things, including their mental wellbeing.
Finally, what are your quick tips for business leaders to create a successful mental health and wellbeing culture within their business?
Ensuring HR and Managers have a strong awareness of mental health related issues, how to recognise them and provide the right support.
Invest in good awareness training and employee support such as EAP and Wellbeing Apps
Carry out wellbeing campaigns with all staff, that provide information on awareness of mental health challenges. Centre key messaging around awareness days / events for example, Mental health Awareness week.
Promote the benefits of being mental health aware, the relevant training / resources available and the use of internal and external support (including things such as employee assistance programmes, wellbeing Apps and signposting to orgs such as the Samaritans).
Start the conversation! and normalise mental health. Open and honest conversations and sharing experiences are powerful ways to engage your workforce and show them that this is safe environment to talk about it, encouraging staff to talk to their managers when they feel comfortable to do so and promoting that’s its normal to experience challenges and that support is there when they need it.
With Access Learning training, you will enable your employees and management to recognise and manage different aspects of personal mental health and wellbeing and be able to support others.