Under the current guidelines you should work from home wherever possible. Making time to relax can have a really beneficial effect on mental wellbeing. If someone has broken their leg, its easy to understand why they cant run. Tidying your living space can also make you feel calmer and more positive. This may make people more comfortable using these systems when they need it.
It is important that employers and employees challenge stigma in the workplace and develop awareness of mental health in the workplace. You are the first official contact between the employer and the individual and you can set the tone and set an example. Whether you work with 10 people, 10000 people or just yourself, paying attention to managing and supporting mental health at work has never been more important. The tribunals have made it clear, though, thatlabels such as stress, depression and anxiety cannot be relied upon alone to substantiate that an employee suffers from a disability within the meaning of the Equality Act. Prioritise your teams wellbeing. Piggybacking off initiatives such as Mental Health Awareness Week or World Mental Health Day is a great way to demonstrate you are taking a genuine and sincere interest to improve mental health at work.
This is particularly important as employees continue to be separated from their colleagues and normal methods of communication may no longer be feasible. Try talking to people at work or try to meet new people with common interests by joining a club, class or by taking up a new hobby. But there are things your company can do to increase EAP usage. A reaction to a difficult life event, such as bereavement, can make workplace mental health higher on the agenda. Many Health and Safety people see this as an extra task to have to do. Health and safety regulations are also to be reviewed to provide for first-aid training, and needs assessments for mental health as is the case for physical health risks.
Less is known about how employers can assist people in their transition or return to work. A workplace that has an effective and embedded employee engagement strategy can lessen the likeliness of workplace stress. The thing that was disappointing for me more than anything else was that when I was ready to go to work my employer became quite disruptive. If it is affecting you, try to limit the time you spend watching, reading, or listening to media coverage of the outbreak. If you are a manager then mental health in the workplace is a subject that you will be aware of. The WHO has issued multiple warnings and provided resources to deal with workplace harassment.
Many employees feel they cannot take short term absence for mental health or mention their feelings to their manager. Worry can affect our sleep and we become tired and irritable. While many fit notes are used for physical conditions like having a bad back, they can also be used for mental health issues including depression, anxiety and work-related stress. Access the full NHS Health and Wellbeing framework for more information on how you can support your staff to feel well, healthy and happy at work. If your employees arent needed in the office every day, you can work out a timetable in which they can do certain amounts of work out of the office if they work better that way. There are small, simple steps you can take to make workplace wellbeing initiatives something that people can talk about.
It can even bring you closer together. Getting outside regularly and at the very least, daily, will be sure to keep your mood up. Staff with good mental health are more likely to perform well, have good attendance levels and be engaged in their work. Staying aware of your moods, feelings and thoughts can help you notice when things start to change, and you take action earlier. This is particularly helpful if employees feel anxious about discussing their struggles with a team member or manager.
Encourage working from home or days out of the office to change up their routine and avoid over working or burnout. Everyone should feel safe and supported to talk about mental health first aid in the workplace with their line manager. Concentrating on a hobby like gardening or listening to music can help us forget our worries for a while and change our mood. But away from the glare of publicity what’s actually going on – what are employers actually doing? Managers should learn to be aware and to practice sensing. This includes ways to find local volunteer and support groups, and links to information and advice from the NHS.
These resources are a vital way for people to help protect their mental health and prevent issues from getting worse. While mental health problems are common, most are mild. Recent reports have discovered a crisis around dealing with depression at work today. If you have an underlying health condition, such as diabetes or heart disease, its especially important that you focus on your self-care routine and keep taking your medication. While it’s important to tread carefully where mental health problems are concerned, it’s good for employers to openly acknowledge the importance of dealing with them. This will leave them feeling isolated and could result in their condition increasing in severity.
While The Competencies for Canada’s Substance Abuse Workforce was developed for the addiction field, they provide a valuable resource that helps identify specific and measurable skills, knowledge, attitudes and values important to good management of people. This scheme provides support for employers who can offer some work to their employees but not necessarily full time work or the employees normal hours. The impact of mental health problems in the workplace has serious consequences not only for the individual but also for the productivity of a company. In this period of heightened anxiety, and with a lack of personal contact with loved ones and access to therapists and counsellors somewhat restricted; it begs the question, can technology be a good enough replacement for human interaction? If you already feel under pressure, its hard to distinguish when that stress turns into a mental health problem and when an existing mental health problem becomes aggravated by stress at work.