Mental health in the workplace

Wherever we work, it takes up a lot of our time. If we’re spending most of our week in an environment that’s unhealthy for us, that causes us a lot of stress, where we may be undermined or even bullied on a daily basis, it can have a detrimental effect on our mental health.

Many of the clients I’ve worked with have come to me with issues that have arisen or have been significantly affected by a situation at work.

This is a widespread issue. According to the Office of National Statistics, the UK loses 18 million working days a year to poor mental health.

The best employers take mental health seriously and value the people that work for them.

We see things like flexible working, Mental Health Days (additional holidays that can be taken as needed), trained Mental Health First Aiders in the workforce, and Employee Assistance Programmes (outsourced professional mental health support for employees).

The question is, is it really enough? It is good to see initiatives like these, but employee mental health requires a serious ongoing commitment at all levels rather than simply paying it lip service.

Giving an employee an extra day off isn’t going to stop workplace bullying. Flexible working is meaningless if there’s the expectation that an employee is simply always available.

If supporting employee mental health means addressing fundamental issues in the organisation, then it needs to be prepared to pull up its trousers and get on with it. 

Through its Mental Health at Work Commitment framework, Mind gives some excellent information on how organisations can make a start and develop a roadmap to achieve better mental health outcomes for their employees. The most committed employers will genuinely reap the benefits.

If you would like to talk to me about working on your mental health, you can complete the online submission form or contact me directly at: mckellarCBT@gmail.com