Mental health has typically been viewed as a taboo subject, with many people uncomfortable discussing or addressing it. But this has begun to enter the mainstream media, with influential public figures recently starting to open up about their own personal struggles.
Prince Harry recently revealed he sought counselling after coming close to a breakdown following more than 15 years of internalising his mother’s death. Similarly, footballer Rio Ferdinand has appeared in a BBC One documentary exploring the grief and anxiety he experienced following his wife’s passing.
These public admissions of mental health problems have reignited the debate over the NHS’ ability to provide people with the help they need.
In July, a survey of NHS trusts illustrated the endemic nature of this problem. Seven in ten mental health leaders expect demand for mental health services to rise this year, but fewer than one in three are confident they have the staff to deliver these services.
Awareness must be backed up with support
Making mental health ‘mainstream’ could convince more people to seek help if they are struggling, but there cannot be positive change if there aren’t enough forms of support available to meet increasing demand.
With the NHS under persistent strain, other alternatives for mental health support must be considered. One of these – the workplace – can be a root cause as well as a source of help.
A recent BUPA survey revealed a 53% increase in the number of workplace claims for mental health treatment over the past 10 years, with stress and anxiety cited as the main drivers.
Our own research also revealed a third (33%) of employees believe their employer approaches mental health issues in a negative way, describing their organisation’s approach as secretive, awkward or dismissive.
With workers spending a large chunk of their time at work, there is the potential for employers to make a real positive difference to mental health provision.
But big changes are clearly needed for this to become a reality. We ask our managers and supervisors to deliver, deliver, deliver but they worry an employee with poor mental health will not, consistently. Is that view right? Can it be changed?
Steps you can take to provide mental health support
As an employer, the first step is to assess employees’ views on mental health in your organisation. An anonymous survey, for example, will help measure whether your staff feel it is being dealt with positively or poorly. This should then lay the foundations to tackle the problem head on. Feel the fear and do it.
You may want to consider setting up an action group of employees interested in changing practices around mental health, or developing an internal campaign to promote and reinforce the importance of mental health.
If you don’t already have one, be sure to develop a mental health policy, perhaps in consultation with employees who have suffered from mental health issues in the past. This must be communicated to staff properly to ensure they feel comfortable coming forward with any issues.
Reviewing existing resources is a cost- and time-effective way of providing practical support. Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) offer confidential counselling and instant access to advice and support for mental health concerns, and are provided for free alongside most group income protection policies.
These policies may also offer day 1 support for managers and supervisors where complex absence, such as stress or depression, is reported.
If discussing mental health in the mainstream media encourages more people to seek help, I’m all for it, but help needs to be accessible and easy to find. Employers have a duty to provide proper support and guidance to ensure their people’s mental wellbeing needs are being met.