Andrew Berrie
Head of Workplace Wellbeing, Mind
Mental health is a leading cause of workplace sickness in the UK. Managers helping people stay mentally well should be a priority for every business.
There are many ways people’s mental health can be negatively affected at work, including stress, having poor relations with your colleagues or line manager or being treated unfairly because of your mental health problem (experiencing stigma).
Line managers can make a real difference
One of the biggest issues is the relationship between employees and line managers. Mind’s Workplace Wellbeing Index demonstrates a clear correlation between the mental health of employees who have effective relationships with their line manager and those who do not.
Line managers need to ensure they are fostering effective, professional relationships with their line reports. Ensuring team members are clear about what is expected of them and supported in the delivery of their work is key.
The first step is for managers to ask each
team member how they can support them.
What can managers do for their team?
The first step is for managers to ask each team member how they can support them. Adjustments do not have to be expensive. These may include flexible hours or changes to start or finish time; change of workspace; return-to-work policies, such as a phased return; changes to their role (temporary or permanent); changes to break times; increased support from managers in prioritising and managing workload; or provision of quiet rooms.
Being empathetic and person-centred is vital. This includes one-to-one conversations with employees to understand how they best perform at work and how managers can best support them to excel. Wellness Action Plans — available for free on Mind’s website — can be a useful starting point to facilitate discussions between managers and team members.
Change the mental wellbeing culture
We want employers to see promoting good mental health as more than a legal obligation but as part of being a responsible employer and sending a message to employees that they are valued and appreciated.
Changing the negative culture around mental health and tackling the causes of stress and poor mental health at work can benefit all employees — whether they have a diagnosed mental health problem or not.
