Mental health is no longer just a personal concern; it's essential for businesses to recognise the profound impact mental ill-health can have on their teams and make a commitment to improving and prioritising their employees’ mental health and wellbeing.
Investing in comprehensive mental health training and resources for managers is crucial. By doing so, organisations can create a more supportive and inclusive environment, where employees feel valued and understood. This not only enhances individual wellbeing but also fosters a more resilient and productive workforce.
If managers lack the necessary resources and support, they will struggle to address mental health issues effectively. This will ultimately lead to increased stress, burnout, and lower job satisfaction among employees. As a result, your business may experience a higher turnover rate, lower morale, and a negative impact on overall performance and company culture.
Global Managing Director, Reed
In collaboration with SANE, this guide will provide you with the tools and strategies you need to build a workplace that is supportive, inclusive, and prioritises mental health, ensuring that every employee feels valued and supported.
Why use this guide?
Promote employee wellbeing: Our guide can help managers and HR professionals understand the importance of mental health, leading to initiatives that promote a healthier, more supportive work environment.
Increase productivity: Employees who feel supported in their mental health are more likely to be engaged and productive. Our eBook can provide strategies to create a workplace where employees can thrive.
Reduce absenteeism and turnover: By addressing mental health proactively, you can reduce the rates of absenteeism and turnover, saving costs associated with hiring and training new employees.
Enhance company culture: A focus on mental health can foster a culture of openness and support, making your workplace more inclusive and attractive to potential and existing employees.
Legal and ethical compliance: Understanding mental health issues and how to address them can help ensure that your company complies with relevant laws and regulations and upholds ethical standards.
What’s covered?
Understanding mental health and common mental health issues
The consequences of not prioritising mental health
What a positive workplace looks like
Five steps to creating a mentally healthy workplace
Our survey of 2,000 workers
To help inform this guide we commissioned a survey of 2,000 UK workers with OnePoll to gather insights into their experience of mental health in the workplace. Highlights from our research include:
Eighty-five per cent of UK workers have experienced symptoms of burnout or exhaustion due to work.
Almost half (47%) of workers have needed time off work due to their mental health.
Over a quarter (26%) who haven’t taken any time off due to mental health admitted they’ve needed to but felt they couldn’t.
Almost a third (31%) have felt discriminated against or stigmatised at work due to their mental health.
Plus, get access to our additional mental health toolkit
To help you implement positive changes in your workplace, we have created a free mental health toolkit, accessible from within the guide, which includes:
An editable mental health policy template
A wellness calendar schedule, featuring key national awareness days and suggestions for webinars and workshops
A mental health checklist for managers
A mental health and wellbeing feedback survey to help you gather valuable insight from your employees
There is often a conspiracy of silence surrounding mental health in the workplace, to the detriment of both employers and employees. Stigma surrounding mental ill-health can lead to reluctance to speak openly about it and potentially hinder career advancement and overall wellbeing. It is important that people realise that treatment is available and seek help if they are struggling, and that employers receive support. A key factor in recovering from depression, anxiety or other conditions can be regaining self-respect and the knowledge that the individual is playing their part in the world of work.
CEO of SANE
About SANE
SANE is a leading national mental health charity set up in 1986 by its Chief Executive, Marjorie Wallace CBE, following her pioneering articles, The Forgotten Illness, in The Times. These articles famously exposed the way in which society neglected individuals and families affected by mental illness and the lack of information, treatments and strategies for prevention.
The charity, which is independent of government, campaigns to improve the quality of life of people affected by mental illness.
It aims to:
Raise awareness and understanding of all mental health conditions.
Fight to improve frontline mental health services for individuals and carers.
Provide support, information and guidance through its helpline, SANEline, ongoing support service, Textcare and Online Forum
Promote and host research into causes, treatments and therapies at the Prince of Wales International Centre for SANE Research in Oxford.
For more details, visit www.sane.org.uk