Statistics tell us that stress, anxiety and depression affect one in six workers at any given time, yet only 10% of people say they have spoken to their employers about mental health. This means that many people are suffering in silence.
Of course this is bad for the individual concerned, but the impact on their productivity and morale is bad for the organisation too. Research suggests that 45% of all working days lost to ill health are related to stress. On average, poor mental health costs around £1,000 per employee per year. So it’s vital that organisations – and managers in particular – create a cultural climate in which emotional wellbeing can be discussed, and where support can be offered.
A big part of the problem is that for many people, talking about ‘mental health’ can make them feel vulnerable. However, if managers learn to approach the issue using different language, colleagues are much more ready to talk: Do you, from time to time, struggle to concentrate, experience a lack of energy or have problems sleeping? Have you experienced stress or mental fatigue at work? Asked questions like this, many more of us will answer, ‘yes’, and a conversation around how to support mental health and emotional wellbeing can begin.
This short course provides an opportunity to start the conversation in your workplace around mental health. It equips managers with a deeper understanding of the prevalence and experience of mental health problems, and shows them how they are in the perfect position to make a difference to the mental health of those around them. They will leave with a greater awareness of the impact of mental health on their team and with a raft of ideas about how to improve communication and support going forward.