Four benefits of investing in mental health training

A new year brings new exciting opportunities, as well as challenges for every business - meeting set targets and goals, as well as improving organisational strategy and productivity. However, the mental wellbeing of employees and workforces shouldn’t be left out.

There is still a great deal of ignorance and stigma surrounding mental health issues at work. Many people are uncertain about how to recognise mental illness and how to respond when faced with it. This might result in unwittingly stigmatising behaviours and attitudes, meaning that those in need of help and support do not receive it or may even find the workplace exacerbates their symptoms.

Employers and business leaders who are open and have a willingness to talk about mental health with employees represent exactly the kind of support that so many people want and need at the start of the year.

Here are four reasons why mental health training should be at the top of the agenda for every business:

1. It raises awareness of mental illnesses
When employers implement mental health training, they normalise meaningful conversations around the most common mental health illnesses such as depression and anxiety. Often, mental health is seen as ‘invisible’, but organisations have the power to transform how we show up for our colleagues, so no one must suffer in silence. When people feel comfortable talking about their mental health, they’re less likely to become disengaged or withdraw.

2. It encourages early intervention to aid recovery
Taking steps to prevent poor mental health from developing is more effective than waiting until people become ill. In troubling times where an employee needs additional support, employers must be equipped with the skills to recognise the early warning signs and be confident enough to encourage professional help where necessary. By becoming more informed and aware, employees and managers can spot the signs sooner. This reduces the risk of mild symptoms becoming more severe and can make recovery easier.

3. It increases confidence in dealing with mental illnesses
From research we conducted in 2021, we found that 39% of employees aged between 18 and 29 are most likely to leave their job and move to an employer that provides better mental health support. If managers can have confident conversations about mental health without feeling they may overstep boundaries, they can reduce the risk of presenteeism, absenteeism and staff turnover. Finding that line between offering support and providing solutions can be more straightforward with training.

4. It reduces stigma around mental health issues
Someone with poor mental health may not realise it, making it harder for managers to address. Even if they do realise they have an issue, they may be reluctant to seek help or might not know where get care. For an employee experiencing a mental health issue, your organisation’s informed and supportive response is likely to lead to a much more beneficial outcome. Sometimes it’s the small things that make the greatest difference.

Here are some ideas on how to implement small workplace changes to support employees and promote good mental health.

Tea and chat
Set up a weekly tea and chat meeting for teams and departments outside of usual break times. Go outside or do it remotely, whatever works best for your employees.

Conversation starters:

Talk about their hobbies
Talk about their weekend or after work plans
Ask what made them smile today
Talk about any new books, films or TV series.
Their favourite foods and recipes

Appoint a mental health first aider
Enrol one person (or several if you have a big team) to become your mental health first aider. All businesses have first aiders who you can go to in case of a physical medical issue, but many don’t have a mental health first aider who people can talk to and confide in. Providing a peer-to-peer network support creates an environment in which the individual may feel more comfortable to discuss any issues they may be having at work.

Managers need mental health training too
Training helps everyone from employers to executive leaders learn the tools for providing a mentally fit workplace that is good for business. There is an opportunity to learn about early identification principles, bolstered with cognitive behavioural therapy evidence-based interventions to support employees. This will help to remove taboos surrounding mental health, vital to early detection and future-proofing employee mental wellbeing.

Author is Shamira Graham, director of clinical and business operations and cognitive behavioural therapist at Onebright.

This article is provided by Onebright.