In 2021, mental ill health was the most common cause of lost working time in nearly every industry, with absences averaging at least three times longer than for COVID-19-related reasons, according to GoodShape's UK PLC 2021 Workforce Health Report. Mental health is still stigmatised, especially in the workplace. However, the changes forced upon employers and employees during the pandemic seem to have brought to the forefront the importance of mental health awareness at work. In this briefing, we address the significance of talking about mental health.

The importance of conversation
Says Alun Baker, CEO of wellbeing and performance experts GoodShape:

“The last year has seen a continued positive shift in workplace culture that’s allowed for more open conversations about mental health. It’s encouraging to see more employers acknowledge that meaningful and targeted wellbeing support is crucial for the ongoing health of their people and business. Yet, the pandemic has meant that across all industries, more is being expected of people and budgets. The good news is that the business community is realising that performance is inextricably linked with wellbeing and insight.”

Those conversations about mental health appear to have helped both employees and employers through the pandemic. A survey by Vitality and RSA found many homeworkers have found working from home helpful for managing mental health, wellbeing and stress levels. Four in ten (44%) remote workers have found it “much” or “somewhat” easier to manage their mental health and wellbeing as a result of remote working.

Says Vitality/RSA:

“Most senior leaders we interviewed suggested that clear communication and shared safe spaces to discuss emerging issues have been a key part of their crisis management strategy, for both wellbeing and productivity purposes. This idea - that colleagues can openly and respectfully share their feelings without the fear of negative consequences - is called ‘psychological safety’ and is the key ingredient in the individual bonds that ultimately lead to a healthy workplace culture.”

Line managers should know their team better than anyone, agrees Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) in its report MHFA Line Managers Resource. They are therefore ideally placed to spot the early warning signs that someone is mentally unwell:

“There will be times when you notice that someone whom you manage is behaving out of character or seems unhappy. Some of the key things to look out for are changes in an employee’s usual behaviour, such as poor performance, tiredness or increased sickness absence. You might notice they are smoking or drinking more, or taking drugs, or experiencing problems with colleagues. A normally punctual employee might start turning up late, or, conversely, they might start coming in much earlier and working later. Other signs might be tearfulness, headaches, loss of humour and mood changes.”

Recognising colleagues' difficulties at an early stage makes it easier to help them and provide appropriate support. Investing time and effort in promoting the mental and physical wellbeing (the two are linked) of your staff will be repaid many times over in terms of enhanced morale, engagement, loyalty and productivity. Last year International Workplace created a free download on mental health for line managers. To download your copy, click here.

How to talk to your employees
Today (3 February 2022) is Time to Talk Day 2022, run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness in England, in partnership with Co-op. The day is all about creating supportive communities by having conversations with family, friends, or colleagues about mental health. The campaign says:

“If we noticed a colleague had a bad cough or had started to limp, we would ask them how they’re doing and show our support. But sometimes we can be nervous about asking someone how they are doing mentally if we’re concerned about them. We may worry that we’ll make the situation worse or that we’re overstepping professional boundaries. Especially if someone has already said they are 'fine'. We may need to make extra effort to look out for signs while many of us are still working from home. There are no perfect ways to start a conversation about someone’s wellbeing. Being non-judgemental, kind and empathetic is key.”

The campaign offers the following pointers on how you might approach someone you manage if you’re worried about them:

Create the right conditions
Give some thought to how, when and where you might broach the conversation:

• Choose a place and time where you can speak privately – perhaps suggest a walk outside, or suggest you go grab a coffee. Or you could suggest a quiet meeting room.
• Choose the right time – a break, lunchtime or perhaps a private meeting where you won’t be interrupted.
• Create the right conditions for active listening – it may be better to sit or be beside them. Give affirmative physical and/or verbal nods.
• If you’re working from home be aware you may need to demonstrate active listening more verbally on a phone/video call.

Ask open questions

• Ask them “How are you today?” – Sometimes making it about the present can prevent the ubiquitous “I’m fine” response.
• “I’ve noticed you haven’t seemed yourself lately, tell me how you’re feeling.”
• How do you look after yourself?
• What support do you have in place? Are there people you can talk to?
• Reassure them it’s ok to talk.
• “I want you to know that I’m here to listen and help if you need me to.”

Put mental health at the centre of your organisation
Develop an approach to mental health at work that supports mental health for everyone, allocating responsibility for mental health within the workplace. Review your everyday working culture to ensure it is as mentally healthy as possible, including making positive approaches such as exercise and mindfulness available to all staff. Carry out regular staff surveys to inform your approach to and policies on mental health.

The effect on performance
According to Vitality/RSA, research by Google’s Aristotle project has found trust and shared psychological safety to be the most consistent feature of high performing teams:

“As we move further away from the acute crisis, organisations should not throw these gains away. Informal shared spaces set up to manage wellbeing and productivity through the pandemic should continue and, where relevant, new formal employee representation forums should be set up to protect against backsliding. Employee voice and representation can help provide employees with a shared space of their own to express concerns about management and unhealthy hybrid behaviour. But in an organisation that is committed to psychological safety they can also provide a quick and constructive feedback loop between employees and senior leaders, that can help to lock in healthy behaviours.”

Research by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) found evidence that 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 – early action can make a vast amount of difference in helping avert any issues or nip them in the bud before they escalate.

Line managers have a fundamental role to play in the promotion of positive mental health in the workplace. Says IOSH:

“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. 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.”

Management tools
In discussing how to use how to use routine management tools to identify problems early, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) advises:

“Use scheduled work meetings, appraisals or informal chats about progress to find out more about any problems an employee may be having. You could have health and safety as an agenda item at meetings. As well as things like display screen equipment assessments, etc., this can be used for stress or mental health issues. If you have specific concerns about someone's health, talk about these at an early stage. Ask questions in an open, exploratory and non-judgemental way. These conditions affect people differently, so making adjustments to their job could relieve symptoms. You should be positive and supportive while exploring the issues and how you can help.”

Two years ago, IOSH developed a new course designed to help line managers proactively address psychosocial health and safety risk before the need for first aid might arise. International Workplace has since developed a special version of the IOSH Managing Occupational Health and Wellbeing course for delivery via eLearning and virtual classroom. The course is aimed firmly at front-line managers, to help them understand how to deal with fluctuations in people’s health and what to consider in a health needs assessment.

Says CEO David Sharp:

“It’s not trying to turn anyone into a mental health expert, but it fills a very important gap that links the risk management principles used in health and safety with the people management practices used in human resources. It seeks to address a concern around MHFA training, to ensure that any support given to colleagues is part of an integrated risk management plan for the organisation as well as the individual.”