Mental Health Awareness Week 2023 takes place from 15-21 May and this year focuses on anxiety. In this briefing, we examine who has a role to play in improving psychological wellbeing in the workplace.

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health problems we can face. In a recent mental health survey carried out by the Mental Health Foundation, a quarter of adults said they felt so anxious that it stopped them from doing the things they want to do some or all of the time. Six in ten adults feel this way at least some of the time. The pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis have only exacerbated these feelings.

On a positive note, anxiety can be made easier to manage – and the workplace has a key role to play. The Mental Health Foundation’s approach is preventing mental health problems before they happen and supporting everyone to thrive.

What is anxiety?
It’s normal to feel anxious sometimes. It’s how we respond to feeling threatened, under pressure or stressed - for example, if we have an exam, job interview or doctor’s appointment.

Anxiety isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It can spur us on, help us stay alert, make us aware of risks and motivate us to solve problems.

However, anxiety can be a problem if it affects your ability to live your life. If your anxiety is ongoing, intense, hard to control or out of proportion to your situation, it can be a sign of a mental health problem.

Anxiety can affect both body and mind and behaviour. Sufferers may withdraw from friends and family, feel unable to go to work, or avoid certain places.

What can employers do?
Every person in the organisation has a responsibility and role to improve psychological health and safety in the workplace. It is a joint responsibility between employer and employee. It is important for the employer to clearly articulate the expectations, roles and accountability of different people in the organisation, from senior leadership, to head of human resources, board and management, all the way to employee.

Discussing whether mental health is the responsibility of the manager, Pam Loch, Employment Law Solicitor and Managing Director of Loch Associates, says:

“Clearly the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated awareness of mental ill health in the workplace. However, the law has been clear for some time now that an employer has a legal obligation under health and safety legislation to care for the mental, as well as the physical, safety of staff at work.

“Looking after physical safety has been with us for many decades. Employers with more than five employees must have a health and safety policy and for all employers there are obligations under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSW Regulations). What is often overlooked is that this applies to mental health and that there is also a legal duty placed on employees under Regulation 14 of the MHSW Regulations to look after their colleagues’ health and safety. Under health and safety legislation, employers are required to carry out risk assessments and provide employees with relevant training and information on the risks they face, and the measures put in place to control these risks.

“This is where there is a potential problem with mental health as opposed to physical health. While many managers are aware of their obligations to look after the physical safety of their teams, many are unaware of their and their teams’ obligations to look after the mental health of their colleagues. This is partly due to the lack of awareness and training provided by employers to their managers. Many managers therefore may also genuinely believe it is not their responsibility.

“While it has been a positive move by employers to train mental health first aiders, doing so may have reinforced managers’ views that it’s not their problem or responsibility. This is why employers need to revisit their obligations and update their approach to health and safety. Training for all staff (but especially for managers) is essential, so they recognise it is their responsibility to look after mental health, as well as physical health and safety. Managers also need to be informed and trained to know what to look out for and to spot any signs or issues and how to deal with the situation. Managers should then, as a minimum, cascade that downwards to their teams so that each employee shares the obligation to look after the mental, as well as physical, health of each other.”

Training
Taking into account that businesses have both a legal and moral duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees, training senior staff to deal with mental health issues should be a top priority. Employers are already required by law to provide proportionate advice or training on health and safety. It is only a matter of time before regulators sharpen their focus on mental health. Line managers can be a key asset in creating healthier, happier and more productive workforces and helping their employers comply with the law, providing they are equipped with the relevant skills.

The role of the line manager
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that organisations should strengthen the role of line managers in promoting the mental wellbeing of employees through supportive leadership styles and management practices. This might involve the following:

• Promoting a management style that encourages participation, delegation, constructive feedback, mentoring and coaching.
• Ensuring that policies for the recruitment, selection, training and development of managers recognise and promote these skills.
• Ensuring that managers are able to motivate employees and provide them with the training and support they need to develop their performance and job satisfaction.
• Increasing understanding of how management style and practices can help to promote the mental wellbeing of employees and keep their stress to a minimum.
• Ensuring that managers are able to identify and respond with sensitivity to employees' emotional concerns, and symptoms of mental health issues.
• Ensuring that managers understand when it is necessary to refer an employee to occupational health services or other sources of help and support.

How to frame conversations around mental health

• Time and place. Choose a suitable time and appropriate place – this should be somewhere private and quiet.
• Encourage people to talk. It can be difficult to talk about mental health. Asking simple open questions and letting people speak about their issues in their own words will help.
• Don’t make assumptions. The person may not need help or may feel they are able to manage their condition themselves. They may just need support every now and again when they are going through a difficult period.
• Listen to people and respond flexibly. Make sure that the person, rather than their problem, is the focus. Adapt the support to suit them and make sure they are involved in finding solutions to any work-related difficulties they have.
• Be honest and clear. If there are concerns about high absence levels or low performance, these need to be addressed at an early stage.
• Ensure confidentiality. People need to feel that anything they say will be kept as confidential as possible and in accordance with any data protection laws.
• Develop an action plan. An individual plan can identify the person’s mental health problem, what their triggers are, possible impacts on work, who to contact in a crisis, and what support they need.
• Encourage people to seek advice and support. The employee should be encouraged to seek help themselves if they haven’t already. Many organisations have employee assistance programmes that can offer counselling, or helplines.
• Reassure people. Remember that people may not want to talk straight away. It’s important to let them know what support is available and that whenever they feel able to talk, you will make sure that they get the support they need.
• One size does not fit all. Many people are able to manage their condition and perform their role to a high standard. Avoid guessing what symptoms they might have or what support they will need.

Line managers have a fundamental role to play in the promotion of positive mental health in the workplace. The positive impact they can have on the wellbeing of their direct reports is huge, therefore it is vital they receive the best possible support from their organisations to empower them to champion positive mental health within the workplace.

Much more work needs to be done from the top. Organisations need to take a more proactive approach to building and maintaining a positive, supportive workplace culture, as early action can make a vast amount of difference in helping avert any issues or nip them in the bud before they escalate.

Businesses also need to work hard to break down the taboos surrounding mental health and create more open lines of communication. They need to support their managers to fulfil their role by equipping them with the skills and knowledge to promote positive mental health, but without placing unrealistic expectations on them. In return, they will reap the rewards of happier, healthier, more engaged and productive employees.

International Workplace has produced a series of guides around the issue of mental health and wellbeing, including:

Mental health in the workplace: a line manager’s guide
Wellbeing in the workplace: a line manager’s guide
Stress in the workplace: a line manager’s guide