10 October is World Mental Health Day, each year media coverage of increases with the greater understanding of the prevalence and impact of mental health.  For 2024 the theme is workplace mental health.

Mental Health at Work

Much of the discussion relating to #WMHD is about poor mental health, which is important, however, it is also critical to understand the value in proactively developing better psychological (mental) wellbeing. 

                       Poor mental health detracts from performance.

                       Good mental health enables performance.

The Organisation

The data shows the impact of poor mental health:

• Reduced productivity, costing UK employers an estimated £45 billion per year through absence, turnover, and presenteeism (Centre for Mental Health). Arguably it is impossible to quantify the cost of employees not working to their full potential.
• Financial costs of approx. £1,652 per employee each year (Deloitte, 2020).
• 1 in 6 adults of working age experience mental health problems each year (Mental Health Foundation, 2023).

The benefits of good mental health:

• Employees that feel well are more productive. If they feel supported research shows higher levels of engagement and concentration (CIPD, 2022).
• Happier healthier employees perform better in all aspects of work including problems solving, creativity, accuracy, focus, etc.
• Engagement and wellbeing are intrinsically linked. Deloitte describe this as the wellbeing paradox as each support or negate the other.  As an outcome of being supported at work engaged employees are 17% more productive and their organisations are 21% more profitable (Gallup, 2020).
• Absenteeism and presenteeism is reduced through supporting mental health. Poor mental health is consistently a leading cause of long-term absence in the UK (CIPD, 2023).

A lot of the work I do is with organisations to develop a holistic approach to wellbeing, which includes all aspects of health.  Working with leadership teams it is vital to have a strategic approach and getting buy-in is linked to having an evidence-based, data-driven approach. 

Investing in employee wellbeing leads to more successful organisations – whatever the measure of success.  This might be profit, patient outcomes, NPS, etc.

The Employee

Behind every data point is a person.

Every statistic is the story of someone who is finding life challenging.  I have seen and experienced more of this that I would have chosen to do.  I have seen and experienced first-hand the distress and impact mental illness has on individuals and those around them.  It can be / is tough. 

                  Don’t under-estimate this, and if this includes you, be kind to yourself.

Without negating this point, it is also good to be mindful that people can have a diagnosed mental illness and still experience a good quality of life and would describe their health as good.  Taking ownership and developing a range of strategies to cope with mental illness are important for both coping and recovery – 50% of people with a diagnosis of depression recover and don’t experience it again.

Employees experience stress, anxiety, depression, and a range of other mental illnesses.  Often concerns around stigma and discrimination mean they do not feel able to share this and go to great lengths to mask what they are experiencing.  Arguably this is easier in an increasingly remote world.  Sadly, research shows that there is some validity to this with employees with a diagnosed mental illness twice as likely to lose their job as a colleague.

 Therefore, when we talk about mental health in the workplace a key part of this is having open conversations.  It is educating and increasing awareness and understanding amongst everyone in every organisation.

               Depression is not simply ‘cheering up’.

               Feeling anxious is not simply ‘calming down’. 

I vividly remember an attendee on a course saying, ‘people think an anxiety disorder is simply feeling a bit more anxious, it is not, it is dialling it up 1000 percent.’

Taking action

We may not all be able to bring about big changes in our organisations.  We may be in roles where we can influence changes, and we should exert this influence effectively to bring beneficial outcomes for both employers and employees.

However, regardless of our role, we can make a difference to another person.  Make a commitment to the action of checking in with someone to ask how they are – ask in a way that shows you genuinely want to know and are here to listen. 

                 Never underestimate the value of a supportive conversation.

                Don’t simply make this an action for #WMHD, make it  a habit. 

               Check in with those around you.

               Collectively we can make a difference.

#WorldMentalHealthDay #MentalHealthMatters #EndTheStigma #MentalHealthAwareness #ItsOkayNotToBeOkay

Get in touch to learn more about how we could work together to support end enable individual and organisational wellbeing.