Increasingly, employers are introducing holistic strategies targeted at the health of the employee as a whole, and not just during their working hours.
This approach includes both proactive and reactive measures designed to mitigate and / or remove the impact of factors that can lead to poor mental health and overall wellbeing.
These can include initiatives, policies and procedures aimed at:
- Physical health;
- Physical safety;
- Mental health;
- Financial wellbeing.
Wellbeing
There was a time that the duty of care of employers was focused almost exclusively on health and safety, stress, and absence management. These issues all have one thing in common – they have a direct and measurable impact on the workplace. A shift has occurred, however, more recently, whereby a more holistic approach is taken to the protection and promotion of the employees as an individual. This is known as ‘wellbeing’.
Poor mental health is a serious issue that affects a growing number of individuals. Employers are therefore encouraged to incorporate mental health support into their wider wellbeing strategy, and follow an approach that proactively seeks to avoid mental health issues developing, and supports those in cases where poor mental health has developed.
The mental health of nearly half of British workers (47%) has suffered due to the rising cost of living, a new survey carried out by ACAS has revealed.
Participants were asked: “To what extent, if at all, would you say your mental health has been affected negatively by the rising cost of living?” In reply, 10% said significantly and 37% said moderately.
According to ACAS Chief Executive, Susan Clews, employers that create an environment where staff can openly talk about their mental health are better equipped to support them at work and offering practical tips such as signposting to financial advice can also help.
“Employees should also take steps to look after their own mental health and have coping strategies in place,” she went on, adding “ACAS has advice and training on how to support and manage mental health and wellbeing at work.”
ACAS advice for employers
With regard to managing staff mental health, employers should:
- be approachable, available and encourage team members to talk about their problems;
- keep in regular contact with their team to check how they are coping;
- respect confidentiality and be calm, patient, supportive and reassuring if a staff member wants to have a chat about their mental health;
- consider whether someone may need adjustments at work, eg working more flexibly to save on costs;
- look after their own mental health and get support if they feel under more pressure than usual — this support could be a colleague at work, a mental health network or a counsellor;
- clearly communicate the internal and external support available to staff — this can include offering practical help such as signposting to financial advice or bringing advice providers into work.
KEY POINTS
Employee wellbeing should be approached holistically, caring for the physical, mental, and even financial health of individual employees. Wellbeing and mental health support should be incorporated as part of an organisation’s people strategy. They are both relevant throughout the employee lifecycle, with employee’s offered support for their wellbeing and mental health at every stage of their career with the organisation. Focusing on wellbeing and mental health can bring many benefits, including increased retention and productivity, and decreased absenteeism.
How we can help
At S.E. Hunter Associates Limited we can help to embed measures to help employers consider the wellbeing needs of their employees.
Services we offer that can help with this include:
- Addressing problems in culture that prevent a proactive approach to employee wellbeing;
- Ensuring systems are in place to support the needs of employees who may be struggling with any element of wellbeing;
- Training managers on how to manage difficult conversations;
- Training on how to provide reasonable adjustments;
- Creating policies on:
- Supporting employees who are victims of domestic abuse
- Physical health
- Mental health
- Financial wellbeing
- Addiction
- Discrimination or harassment relating to mental health;
- Introducing ‘Stay Interviews’;
- Creating employee action plans to improve employee wellbeing.
If you would like to discuss any of the above, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us, either by mailing info@sehunterassociates.co.uk or calling 07838184094.