Mental ill health is often invisible in the workplace and surveys suggest that line managers often underestimate its prevalence in their team. Common mental health issues include stress, depression and anxiety. Less common ones include bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
Employers have an important role to play in tackling stigma at work by raising awareness of and encouraging openness about mental health. Employers should create a culture of openness and support and adopt a positive approach by developing strategies for managing mental health, underpinned by the fact that most people who experience mental ill health can stay in work if they are provided with the appropriate support.
A Manager’s Role
Managers and supervisors should be trained to notice signs that someone is struggling with mental health. Frequently this can be spotted as a change as follows:
– Change in a persons behaviour or mood or how they interact with colleagues
– Changes in their work output, motivation levels and focus
– Struggling to make decisions, get organised and find solutions to problems
– Appearing tired, anxious or withdrawn and losing interest in activities and tasks they previously enjoyed
– Changes in eating habits, appetite and increased smoking and drinking.
Managers need to know how to have a conversation with any employee they believe may be struggling with their mental health. Training may be needed to ensure a manager is able to fulfil this important role. They should make an employee feel comfortable and safe and then really listen to what they have to say.
It is also important that managers have knowledge of resources available and should know how to access appropriate help, i.e. advising on specialist sources of advice, making quick and effective referrals to occupational health, and encouraging employees to contact their GP where appropriate.
Managing Absence
Where an employee is absent due to mental ill health, managers should agree with their employee when and how regular contact will be maintained during the absence and discuss and agree what the employee would like their work colleagues to know about their absence. A phased return to work may be encouraged and an employee not pressured to return before they feel ready.
Discrimination
A mental health issue can be considered a disability even if there are not symptoms all the time, or the symptoms are better at some times than at others. If an employee has a disability, employers must not discriminate against them because of their disability and must consider making reasonable adjustments. For example, allowing flexible working, amending the employee’s workload, providing paid time off for counselling.
Managers should address any discrimination on the grounds of mental health and encourage staff to report this.
Charlton HR 