Developing Awareness

No matter how well people are managed in the workplace, we all face different challenges in our lives. Some people will experience poor wellbeing and potentially poor mental health. Regular catchups or supervision meetings that talk about the wellbeing of the employee are essential. It is best practice to schedule these meetings to ensure that a person is aware that time is being made for them. It is important to listen to people and notice any change in behaviour – this could be a change in either direction.

Managers need to be alert to the potential workplace triggers. Examples include:

• Working long hours with limited or no breaks (including not eating)
• Unrealistic expectations or deadlines
• High-pressure environments
• Unmanageable workloads
• Poor communication
• Job insecurity

External triggers may also influence an employee’s mental health and wellbeing. Examples include:

• Social isolation or loneliness
• Poverty or debt
• Bereavement including grief over long-term illness of another
• Having a long-term physical health condition
• Drug and alcohol misuse
• Caring responsibility for others

It may also be helpful to have an understanding of health inequalities.

Engaging in conversations are the key to maintaining overall wellbeing. Purposeful and meaningful connections with others support us with our emotions, reduce internal stress and can be a preventative measure. The act of talking offers validation, creating an environment where individuals feel heard and understood, contributing to a stronger sense of self-worth. In times of difficulty, conversations serve as a vital support system, reducing feelings of isolation and encouraging open dialogue about mental health and wellbeing.

Open and honest conversation about wellbeing can reduce stigma in the workplace. There are many resources to help with these conversations please see some examples below.

See Me created their Let’s Chat Tool to provide guidance and tips in particular relation to mental health in the workplace.

Mind have their Time to Talk Day on the first Thursday of every February which encourages people to talk. Their website has a variety of resources including conversation starters.

When a member of your team discloses that they have a problem, what do you do?

Do not try to fix any problems immediately – It is natural to want to solve the problem, to make a person feel better but a person has just told you something that was probably very difficult, at this stage you don’t know what they want from you. You may not be the right person to fix anything. Give them space and try to avoid making assumptions.

Listen – the power of listening cannot be underestimated. The employee may have been anxious about telling you, give them time and space to truly express what is going on in their lives.  Be comfortable in the silence, the person may be trying to find the right words to express how they feel.

Be aware of empathy verses sympathy – empathy and sympathy are both ways of showing support to someone. It is essential in the situation that you understand this is the person’s problem and they need your support. Distancing yourself from the emotions and issues can help you to be a better listener.

Know who the expert is? No matter how well trained you are in the areas of wellbeing, the expert in a person’s life will always be themselves. Your role is to offer them reassurance that it is ok to tell you what ever they need to.

Confidentiality – You should make it clear what the boundaries of confidentiality are for your organisation. Where possible and in many cases a conversation should be confidential but there are occasions where you may need to disclose to others and it should be on a need to know basis. If this the case, you need to be clear with the person from the outset.

What’s next?

In many cases when a person has disclosed a wellbeing issue there comes a point in the conversation whereby you can start to consider options. For mental health at work, you may want to consider to a Wellbeing Action Plan (WAP). A WAP can help you work with your employee to understand what keeps them well at work and what causes them to be unwell. A WAP provides a framework for the discussion and a document to refer to. Some organisations work with all their employees to create a WAP during their induction to the organisation.

Performance management should fundamentally foster a positive and supportive environment. It's in the best interest of both the organisation and the employee to openly discuss potential adjustments, provide necessary support, and enable individuals to reach their full potential. Despite the misconception that individuals with mental health conditions can't excel in the workplace, many not only show up but thrive. There might be instances where performance is impacted, especially if individuals are hesitant to share their condition and seek support when needed.

It's crucial to create an atmosphere where employees feel comfortable disclosing any health conditions that could potentially affect their performance. Line managers should explicitly communicate that revealing a mental health condition will be handled supportively, without triggering disciplinary measures.

You may also consider an Employee Assistance Programme to help support the employee.

If employees need to take time off work, it's crucial to consider their wellbeing on their return to work. A carefully managed return will mitigate the likelihood of prolonged absence, the HSE has created a Return to work questionnaire (hse.gov.uk) to help facilitate the discussion and ensure risks are managed.