Today is National time to talk day. It is a day that helps people to become more aware of mental health issues and how to talk about them. Mental health problems affect one in four of us, yet too many people are made to feel isolated, ashamed and worthless because of this. Time to Talk Day encourages everyone to be more open about mental health – to talk, to listen, to change lives. The need to deal with mental health in the workplace is becoming increasingly prominent. According to the Mental Health Foundation, one in seven people are experiencing mental health problems in the workplace and 13 per cent of all sickness absence days in the UK can be attributed to mental ill-health. Therefore, we created this guidance blog to help employers understand and learn how to manage mental health in the workplace. Encourage conversations Starting a conversation with an employee about mental health doesn’t have to be difficult. Encouraging an open culture where employees feel like they can talk to each other and/or managers will help alleviate stress in the workplace. Dealing with sick notes It is important for you to deal with a medical certificate stating mental ill-health […]
There is a desperate need in the workplace for more mental health and suicide awareness. Every year between 5,500 and 6,000 people in Britain end their own lives – well over three times the number of people who die on our roads. Suicide is the leading cause of deaths in men under the age of 50 and men are 3 times more likely to commit suicide than women. Women in their early twenties are more likely to try and end their lives than other female age groups. And anyone who falls into a protected characteristic group (such as race, religion, sexual orientation etc) is also more susceptible to suicide due to possible previous experiences of bullying and harassment because of discrimination. Fortunately, this is something that most employers will never encounter, however, the potential risk of suicide is an important one and can often be linked to issues such as workplace stress, bullying or harassment. Suicide and work is a growing public health concern. There are a number of things that employers can do to try to prevent any employee feeling that they need to end their own lives. There are plenty of specialist organisations who can help employers to […]
