Employers have a duty of care to their staff to look after not only their physical health at work, but their mental health as well.
It is important that mental health conditions are treated just as seriously as physical injuries or illnesses, and that the right support is provided.
Keep reading to learn more about managing mental health at work.
What do managers need to know about mental health?
It is important for business owners and management to tackle mental health as under the Health & Safety at Work Act (1974), employers have the responsibility to ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of all their employees.
Promoting mental health awareness at work is an important factor in helping both employees and management to tackle any issues as they arise.
Many people in the UK find it hard to discuss mental health so breaking the ice on this issue is an important first step.
Promotion campaigns can take many forms: internal emails, company meetings, posters or informing employees of internal and external sources of support.
Support can come in the form of mental health first aiders, courses to help people better understand coping strategies or contacting charities who can provide further assistance.
How do you manage mental health at work?
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to managing mental health.
However, integrating mental health check-ins into routine checks and appraisals can help to identify problems before they overwhelm people. Early intervention can help reduce the chance that employees may need more in-depth care.
Training is also a very important tool. The right training for management staff can help managers to spot warning signs, implement strategies to create a supporting environment and to know when they need further help.
Sometimes an employee will need more help than a manager can give. Ensuring that management is properly trained in mental health awareness can help them to identify these moments.
Further assistance may be talking to a GP, accessing support through employee mental health assistance schemes or making reasonable adjustments where necessary.
If an employee ends up taking time off from work, they may need help when they return. This can be done through creating a structured reintegration process with the employee that takes into account their unique needs.
How can managers handle ongoing conditions?
The key way to handle ongoing conditions is to listen to your employee and understand their coping strategies. Don’t make assumptions!
Each situation will need a flexible approach that is clear and easy to understand for all parties involved.
Flexibility is key as recovering or enduring ongoing conditions don’t have a set timeframe for recovery.
How can WA Management help?
WA Management offer a Managing Mental Health online training course suitable for those in a management role, along with a general Mental Health Awareness course suitable for all employees including managers, to help identify and manage mental health and mental illness.
We also offer three levels of QNUK accredited in-person Mental Health At Work training which provide increasing levels of complexity in understanding mental health.
Mental Health Awareness and Healthy Living training courses are essential tools in improving physical and mental wellbeing. Make sure you don’t miss out on our 10% off deal on these courses, available until the end of January. Simply enter the code ‘wellbeing10’ at checkout to save!
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