How to support mental wellbeing at work

Business leaders have called for mental wellness at work to be communicated top-down, saying that all companies should promote a culture of openness and visibility around mental health and include it when considering engagement at work.

It is suggested that strong strategies include:

1. Promoting mental wellbeing

Companies that undertake a preventative approach to mental wellbeing see significantly higher levels of employee engagement and satisfaction. Leading by example, managers should support sensible working hours, encourage employees to take lunch breaks and annual leave, and to recuperate after busy periods. Benefits should focus on the financial and emotional – as well as the mental and physical – wellbeing of their employees

2. Tackling the cause of work-related mental health problems

Regularly monitoring and assessing the mental health of your people might seem difficult. But when you know what to look out for, anonymous company-wide employee surveys and line manager check-ins can give you an idea of the company and individual mood. Survey data can be used to establish wellbeing benefits and strategies, while one-to-one feedback allows managers to take positive action on an individual level.

3. Supporting staff with mental health problems

Mind estimates that one in six workers are dealing with a mental health problem, yet less than a quarter of managers have received any form of mental health training. Organisations should have clear policies on workplace adjustments for those suffering anxiety, stress or depression. Any adjustments to the employee’s role should, of course, be discussed and agreed with them, but often the most effective changes are of attitude, expectation or communication on the line manager’s part.