"Employers are in a great place to advocate and encourage mental strength and resilience."
- Debra Clark - Everywhen
Everywhen says it is encouraging employers to put more emphasis on helping to build mental strength in order to improve overall mental health, ahead of World Mental Health Day on 10th October.
With the global theme of the day being 'it is time to prioritise mental health in the workplace', this year’s campaign aims to raise awareness about the critical need for mental health support in professional environments. However, the wellbeing team at Everywhen says that focusing on building mental strength is an important first step.
"An employer can have more impact in preventing mental ill-health and boosting mental wellbeing by first focusing on building mental strength," Debra Clark, head of wellbeing at Everywhen, said.
"Supporting good mental health strategies, including raising awareness and giving employees training on useful coping strategies, for example, can help to stop an employee from starting a negative spiral in the first place."
Everywhen adds that while it is vital to have policies in place for mental ill-health, including having access to good quality professional support and signposting employees to it, this must be based on the foundations of a good mental health strategy.
In addition, it stresses that a mental health strategy is about more than just having the right products and services; it is about having an approach that must be embedded in the culture of the business.
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Mental health charity MIND says that many people find that working is good for their mental health as it provides a source of income, a sense of identity, contact and friendship with others, a steady routine and structure, and opportunities to contribute and gain skills. These all help to provide a sense of self-worth and build self-esteem.
However, The Keep Britain Working Review, led by Sir Charlie Mayfield, identifies mental ill-health as a leading driver of economic inactivity and absence in the UK. The report stresses the urgent need for preventative workplace support to stop vulnerable workers, particularly young adults, from leaving their jobs.
Everywhen describes mental ill-health as forming a vicious circle, with an employee taking time off work and then not getting the benefits of being at work. The wellbeing team also stresses the importance of employers understanding the mental health of their workforce, including tracking reasons for absence, as employers can then put in place the most appropriate support and measures to help prevent this absence in the first place.
"Everyone has their part to play in supporting and building good mental health - society, the employer and the individual themselves," Debra continues.
"Employers are in a great place to advocate and encourage mental strength and resilience. Having a strategy in place, offering good support, ensuring it’s communicated and the results measured are essential steps in building mental wellness as a preventative measure."
