How to overcome the 'm' word and break the mental health stigma at work
As an employer, you’re unlikely to have about qualms about asking how a member of staff is feeling after a bout of flu or a sickness bug but, when it comes to mental health, we tend to shy away and avoid the subject.
This feeling is reflected in how comfortable employees are when discussing the subject, with 45% saying they wouldn’t feel confident to share feelings of unmanageable stress or mental health issues with their employer or manager, according to a CIPD Outlook Survey.
To help break such a stigma, it’s important to first be aware of the signs of someone being under stress and potentially experiencing mental ill health:
- Psychological: Worry, distress, tearfulness, low mood, low motivation, loss of humour, poor concentration, pessimism, lacking in confidence.
- Physical: Tiredness, headaches, appetite and weight changes, shakiness, sweating, difficulty breathing.
- Behavioural: Increased smoking/drinking, irritability, anger or aggression, being late, uncharacteristic errors, increased sickness absence, overreaction to problems.
Of course, when broaching the subject of mental health with a colleague, there are certain dos and don’ts to consider…
Do:
- Share your experience if you’ve been through something similar or know someone who has.
- Ask how they are and offer a listening ear.
- Be mindful if they seem to be taking longer breaks than usual – it could be a sign they’re feeling overwhelmed and overstretched.
- Treat someone who’s had time off with a mental health condition the same as you would someone who’s had a virus or operation.
- Be sensitive to the fact that they’re recovering from a mental health condition and may never always feel ‘completely better’.
Don’t:
- Expect or demand they open up entirely.
- Lose confidence in the person or think they’re making excuses.
- Tell people to ‘man up’ or ‘get over it’.
- Treat them any differently (once they’ve opened up).
- Say that they’re ‘suffering’ – refer to them as ‘experiencing’ or that they ‘have’ anxiety or depression.
Find out more with Health Shield’s eBook, Understanding the Importance of Mental Health in the Workplace.
This article was provided by Health Shield.
Supplied by REBA Associate Member, Health Shield
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