Emma Mamo's talk at HR for Mental Health- an evening with Mind

1. Mental health in the workplace
Emma Mamo
Policy and Campaigns Manager
mind.org.uk

3. Mind is the leading mental health charity in England
and Wales
We have been campaigning for better mental health for all, for
over 60 years
We have a network of 160 independent local Minds providing
local services
Our vision: we won’t give up until everyone experiencing a
mental health problem gets both support and respect

4. Key Points
Mental health and work
-What is mental health?
-The current picture
Managing mental health at work
-Comprehensive strategy
-Case studies

5. What is mental health?
Flourishing
No
Symptoms of
symptoms of
mental
mental
health
health
problems
problems
Languishing

6. What is good mental health?
It is defined as a state of well-being in which every
individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with
the normal stresses of life, can work productively and
fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his
community
World Health Organisation

7. 1 in 4 people will experience a mental
health problem at some point each year

8. Mental health and work
The workplace can have a significant impact on mental health –
it can promote wellbeing or trigger distress
• Long hours and no breaks
• Poor working environment
• Unrealistic expectations or deadlines
• High-pressure environments
• Job insecurity or change management
• Negative relationships or poor communication
• Workplace culture

9. The current picture
• Conditions like anxiety, depression and unmanageable stress
affect 1 in 6 British workers each year
• Stress is the most common cause of long-term sickness
absence across all workers
• Yet eight in ten employers have no mental health policy to help
staff sustain good mental health
• Mental ill health costs UK employers over £26bn every year as
a result of absence, reduced productivity and staff turnover -
£1,035 per employee

10. Mind’s research
• 28 per cent of people are working longer hours
• One in ten had visited their GP for support due to recession-related
pressure on their jobs
• One in seven had started taking anti-depressants
• One in five workers had called in sick due to unmanageable stress, but 93
per cent did not tell their boss the real reason
• 54 per cent said stress and mental distress is a taboo subject in the
workplace
• One in five people fear mentioning stress to their manager would put them
first in line for redundancy
• One in four said they would be perceived as less capable than other
colleagues if they admitted to stress
• Of those who had disclosed a mental health problem, one in five had
either been sacked or forced out of their jobs

11. Culture of silence
• Employees feel unable to speak up about issues, for fear
of discrimination
• Employers fear broaching the subject, for fear of
exacerbating distress or any legal consequences
• If support is not put in place, problems can spiral into a
health crisis – with increased costs for individuals and
employers
Employers need to take the
first step in confronting the
elephant in the room

12. Managing mental health at work

13. Best practice for employers
A comprehensive mental health strategy will create an
open and supportive working environment
Three-pronged approach
1. Promote wellbeing
2. Tackle work-related mental health problems
3. Support employees with mental health problems
Senior leadership across the
organisation is crucial

14. Promoting wellbeing
• Promote work/life balance
• Flexible working where possible
• Employee engagement and consultation
• Promote positive working relationships
• Good communication
• Exercise provision and social activities
• Peer support/buddy systems
• Raise awareness of wellbeing and promote open discussion

15. Tackling work-related causes
• HSE Management Standards for Stress
• Training for line managers
• Regular one-to-ones
• Managing workloads among staff
• Stress risk assessments
• Physical environment
• Stress coaching and on-the-job support
• Publicise internal and external support pathways
• Communication with dispersed workers

16. Supporting employees
• Facilitating disclosure
• Responding to disclosure
• Tailored support
• Workplace adjustments

17. Facilitating disclosure
• Focus on the person not the problem
• Ask some simple questions
– How are they feeling?
– What would they like to happen? How?
• Work on the basis that they want to remain in/return to work
- the interaction will be more positive
• Ensure health needs are taken into account in any
performance management process

18. Responding to disclosure
• Avoid making assumptions – ignore stereotypes about
mental health and do not guess symptoms and impact
• Manage communication – sensitive personal information
• Respond flexibly – agree on tailored system of support
• Seek advice if you need to – Mind, local Minds, health
professionals, EAP, occupational health…

19. Tailored support
Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) – health tool
 Impact of mental health problem on performance
 Workplace triggers
 Early warning signs
 Steps for the line manager to take
 Steps for the individual to take

20. Workplace adjustments
• Flexible hours or change to start/finish time
• Change of workspace
• Return-to-work policies (phased return)
• Changes to role (temporary or permanent)
• Changes to break times
• Increased supervision or support
• Provision of quiet rooms
• Consider appropriateness of absence rules and limits
(disability absence)
Often about a change in attitude rather than a cost

21. Case study: three-pronged approach
BT operates support at three levels
• Level one: promoting wellbeing and preventing mental
distress - advice on intranet and training on soft skills
• Level two: identifying distress and intervening early to
prevent escalation - online stress risk assessment for
employees and training for managers
• Level three: range of support and treatments for people
experiencing mental health problems – employee and
manager produces an ‘advance directive’, identifying
early warning signs and a plan of action and support
Outcome: mental health sickness absence reduced by 30%

22. Case study: internal and external support
Deloitte embodies senior leadership
• Seven partners trained as Mental Health Champions
• Strong signal that employees can be open about their
mental health and access support at an early stage
• 40 people across the firm have sought help
• Well Now programme now focuses on managing
pressure, building resilience and offering early help to
colleagues

23. Case study: simple changes
Chloe was experiencing depression. Fearing the worst, Chloe
disclosed her condition but found her boss did everything to
support her:
• weekly catch ups to prioritise her workload
• flexible working
• afternoon naps to cope with the side effects of medication.
This aided Chloe’s speedy recovery and ability to stay in
work.
“It doesn't feel like I've been punished for being
depressed, it almost feels like I've been rewarded
for being honest.”

24. Taking Care of Business campaign
• Long-term campaign to transform attitudes to mental
wellbeing at work
• Raising awareness, building relationships and
providing tools to support employers and employees
• Calling on employers to create open workplace
environments, where people feel confident disclosing
a mental health problem will lead to support, not
discrimination

25. How Mind can help
• Free resources for employers
• Free resources for employees
• Mind Workplace – training and consultancy
• Local Minds – counselling services, job retention services
• Mind Infoline and Legal Advice Service
• Information on Mind website

26. To find out more:
mind.org.uk/work for information and resources on
mental health at work
mind.org.uk for general information
Contact: e.mamo@mind.org.uk