By Charlotte Copeland
Workplace Culture starts with leadership from the top, rippling down. It’s therefore crucial for managers to incorporate an open approach when talking about mental health.
Some of our suggestions for introducing the topic within the workplace are:
- Start to discuss mental health within team meetings
- Include mental health within the organisational health and wellbeing policy
- Back up with the messages ‘support will be offered, not discrimination’ and ‘mental health is as important as physical health’
- Develop a strong, planned strategic approach, rather than reacting ad-hoc
- Encourage and support those who can share their experience of mental health challenges to become mental health champions
- Communicate messages that individuals’ strengths will still be recognised, even if there are periods when they may be affected
- Engage the workforce by educating them about the importance of looking after emotional health, in a similar way we do physical health (diet, exercise, relaxation)
- Support a mental health charity; this is a good way to raise awareness
- Encourage line-managers to organise regular one-to-ones, including mental health conversations within the agenda.
- Acknowledge heavy projects/increased workload, and the possible implications for mental health and increased stress.
- Encourage peer support
- Normalise mental health – it’s part of every single one of us!
Ask us about how mental health awareness training can help.