Why is mental health in the workplace so important now?
Why is mental health in the workplace so important now?
Gill Wooldridge, head of Human Resources for Bradley Haynes Law, looks at the importance for employers of considering mental health in the work-place.
What is mental health?
We all have mental health that needs to be nurtured, whether good or not so good. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological and social wellbeing. For those who are already battling with mental health issues, the pandemic of COVID-19 has brought additional challenges. Even if employees are not experiencing poor mental health, they may have concerns and fears about continuing to work from home, or the return to a physical workplace. This could include the use of public transport or staying safe in the work environment, or the impact of prolonged social distancing which has become part of the “new normal”.
It is important to look at the effects over time on people’s capacity to cope. This can be a very different experience for everyone. We are all in the same storm, but we are not all in the same boat.
Why is mental health awareness so important during the Coronavirus pandemic?
Loss of control? Not knowing what the future may hold? Time spent alone or with fewer contacts? Working in constrained circumstances? These are all factors that could trigger, or exacerbate, mental health issues.
Mental health and well-being can be a difficult topic to discuss at the best of times, but in the unique environment of the current pandemic, it’s never been more important to your workforce or your business to support employee well-being.
Stress and anxiety may have increased as a result of lockdown and concerns over being on furlough and the threat of redundancy arising from the pandemic. Whether your business is looking to bring employees back into the workplace, or continuing to support those still working from home, there are factors relating to the mental health and wellbeing of staff that need to be considered.
How does poor mental health impact on small businesses?
Mental health-related absence is the most common cause of sickness absence in the UK workplace. According to the Mental Health Foundation (mentalhealth.org.uk), a staggering 70 million workdays are lost in the UK due to mental health-related absence. This can be more difficult to manage in a small business due to the effect of paying Statutory Sick Pay and the impact of lost productivity.
A study by the Mental Health Foundation (https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/how-support-mental-health-work) has shown that good mental health at work and good management go hand in hand. There is strong evidence that workplaces with high levels of mental wellbeing are more productive. Addressing wellbeing at work can increase productivity by as much as 12%.
What are the legal implications?
Employers have a legal obligation to provide a “duty of care” to their employees. This means they must do all they reasonably can to support their employees’ health, safety and wellbeing. This includes:
- Making sure the work environment is safe
- Protecting staff from discrimination and harassment
- Carrying out risk assessments.
A mental health issue can be considered a disability under the law if specific criteria are met. More information about this can be found on the Acas website (https://www.acas.org.uk/supporting-mental-health-workplace). Where this is the case, employers:
- Must not discriminate against them because of their disability
- Must consider making reasonable adjustments.
Where a disability is identified, Access to Work is a government-funded scheme that can help towards equipment, software and other support, if cost is an issue.
What can employers do to support their employees?
As the pandemic continues to manage our lives, staff will be looking to employers to provide guidance during these uncertain times. Many businesses have been getting workers back into the workplace and are now being told that, wherever possible, people should work from home for the time being.
Whether working at home or in the workplace, employers can develop practical frameworks for their employees. Promoting positive mental health at work involves creating a supportive environment, where staff feel able to talk openly about mental health. This includes:
- Understanding mental health
- Creating a mental health strategy
- Educating the workforce.
It is important to check in regularly with employees to establish whether there are any issues. These could arise at any time, due to ongoing concerns or a change in circumstances. Needs fluctuate and might require different support. It is important to have an up-to-date sickness absence procedure.
Nurturing team morale has never been more imperative.
Where can employers go for help?
The charity, Mind, have produced the Mental Health at Work Commitment Guide for Employers during Coronavirus, available at https://www.mind.org.uk/media-a/6173/employers_coronavirus_guide-final.pdf. On their website they also have blogs, tips and toolkits to support employers and employees. Mind have a 24 hour helpline at 0300 123 3393 which can be shared with employees. Businesses may also provide external support for wellbeing through a confidential employee helpline.
Useful guidance for employers and employees can be found on the Mental Health Foundation’s website (https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/how-support-mental-health-work).
In conjunction with Mind, the Royal Foundation has been developing the Heads Together Workplace Wellbeing Programme (https://www.mentalhealthatwork.org.uk/). This delivers much of the help and support recommended by the government-mandated report “Thriving at Work” (Stevenson/Farmer, October 2017). It also contains access to the free online training aimed at organisations with fewer than 250 people (SME Employee Training).
As part of their campaign, “It’s okay to talk about mental health”, The Federation of Small Businesses and Self-Employed (FSB) have created a guide to help small businesses navigate workplace mental health (https://www.mentalhealthatwork.org.uk/toolkit/small-businesses-and-the-self-employed-taking-care-during-the-pandemic/).
Public Health England, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Acas all have guidance on supporting mental health in the workplace on their websites. This may also be available from your union or professional organisation.
We are all operating in a new normal. The only certainty is that Coronavirus has created a lot of uncertainty, both for individuals and for many organisations. Supporting everyone’s wellbeing throughout this period is a priority in any firm, no matter how big or small, and regardless of the type of industry or location.
Please contact Gill on 01905 900919 or email gill@bradleyhayneslaw.co.uk if you need any employment or HR advice on mental health, or on any other issues relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.