to workplace stress and
anxiety. Taking regular breaks
throughout the day, enjoying a
quality lunch break and getting
outside can help employees
reduce stress and recharge.
Shift work is another key
stressor in the manufacturing
industry as it can interfere with
the body’s circadian rhythm, as
well as potentially impacting
relationships and social life.
The importance of
proper training
So, what can be done?
Our research found
that 91% of managers
felt that stigma
around mental health
still existed within the
workplace but only 41%
had actually been trained
in how to talk to teams
about it. Clearly, more training
needs to be given to managers
to better equip them with the
resources and confi dence they
need to respond in a positive
and helpful way when a team
member takes the step to open
up about their mental health.
Many employees are
promoted to a managerial role
because they’ve excelled at their
job and it’s the next natural step
in their career but too often,
they aren’t given the formal
training they need. If they don’t
have experience of mental
health or training, it’s unfair
to expect managers to know
how to deal with these complex
issues when they arise in the
The signs of poor mental health
It is important to be able to spot the signs that someone may be struggling with their mental
health. Hosting regular mental health sessions will help create a culture of openness around
mental health amongst your employees. Bupa suggests the following as potential early signs
of someone struggling with their mental health (https://bit.ly/38AunEz):
Poor concentration
Being easily distracted
Worrying more
Finding it hard to make decisions
Feeling less interested in day-to-day
activities
Low mood
Feeling overwhelmed by things
Tearfulness
workplace, as well as notice the
signs of someone struggling
with their mental health.
Managers might be nervous
about doing or saying the
wrong thing when someone
talks about mental health
so more needs to be done to
give them the confi dence to
manage that conversation.
As a manager, the pressure of
trying to deal with issues
you haven’t been trained
in, can cause a great
deal of stress so we
need to consider
the impact on their
mental health too.
It’s crucial that we
train our managers
to give them the skills
to support, listen and
empathise with those
who are experiencing mental
health issues, which in turn will
encourage people to talk out.
Create an open culture
Business leaders must take
responsibility of ensuring their
organisation has a mentally
healthy environment where
people can talk about mental
health in the same way they
talk about physical health
without fear of consequences,
creating an environment where
it’s OK not to be OK in the
workplace. It’s important that
all organisations – no matter
what industry they operate in
– create confi dential and safe
places where employees can go
to talk through their concerns.
APRIL 2020 MENTAL HEALTH
Tiredness and lack of energy
Sleeping more or less
Talking less and avoiding social activities
Talking more or talking very fast,
jumping between topics and ideas
Finding it di cult to control
your emotions
Drinking more
Irritability and short temper
If we’re going to make any progress, mental
health needs to stop being seen as a taboo in the
workplace and there needs to be an understanding
and acknowledgement that people with mental
health issues can often thrive at work with the
right support.
Build awareness & conversation
For us to breakdown the stigma that exists
around mental health, we need to talk about it
more to raise awareness and normalise what
people might be going through. Whether it’s
internal communication on emails or the
company’s intranet, posters and fl yers around
the building, regular one-to-ones, or wellbeing
surveys, businesses should constantly be talking
about mental health and reminding staff why it’s
vital to talk out.
It’s also important to bear in mind that male
colleagues might fi nd it especially diffi cult to
open up in person, so signposting employees
to external helplines and online resources can
encourage them to get the advice they need.
Leadership
Let’s not underestimate leadership behaviours
and the impact they can have on a team member’s
mental health. More training is needed to help
leaders understand how they can infl uence mental
health (in a positive or negative way) through
their words and actions. As well as the workday
pressures and deadlines that we all experience,
work-related stress and anxiety can be caused by
bullying, harassment, toxic masculinity and even
a lack of managerial support.
Negative leadership behaviour will often
have a ripple eff ect throughout an organisation,
creating a culture of fear which will only serve to
stop people talking about how they feel in work.
Employees become de-motivated and productivity
and morale drops. Leaders are role models and, in
order for a mentally healthy culture of openness
and trust to exist, this has to be demonstrated at
the highest levels in the organisation.
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