Supporting Mental Health in the Workplace: 3 Key Benefits

In recent years, and following the coronavirus pandemic, there has been a sharp increase in the number of companies taking action to support mental health in the workplace. In fact, the CIPD Health and Wellbeing at Work Survey has found that since the pandemic, 81% of workplaces have increased their focus on employee mental health. 

But is this enough? The same CIPD survey highlights that one third of employees feel they need, or would like, more mental health and wellbeing support from their employers, while 66% of managers wouldn’t know what to do if an employee told them they were struggling with their mental health. 

Fortunately, this information can be easily and effectively delivered to HR professionals, line managers and all employees through a mental health at work course.

With National Stress Awareness Day on November 2, our expert training team have outlined three key benefits of attending a mental health awareness course and supporting mental health in the workplace. 

Reduce costs and risk with early prevention 

With various stressors such as workload and deadlines, work can sometimes feel stressful. Whilst some pressure is normal, and may even help overall performance, it’s essential that you educate your workforce about healthy ways to cope with stress – especially as we spend over 60% of our time at work. 

It can help to address issues before they impact the day-to-day duties of your employees and become costly for your organisation. Poor mental health is one of the main reasons for employee absence, and so implementing a strategy to manage mental wellbeing can have a cost saving effect by reducing absenteeism and presenteeism. 

In fact, research conducted by the Center for Mental Health suggests that improving UK workplace mental health management could reduce employers’ losses attributed to mental illness by 30%, collectively saving £8 billion a year.

Raise awareness whilst reducing mental health stigma 

Even though more people are talking about mental health than ever before, when discussed in the workplace, it is often still stigmatised. As an employer, it’s therefore essential that you help to break the stigma and raise awareness, and this can be achieved by educating employees about mental health. This education can be executed via a range of mental health at work sessions, such as our mental health in the workplace course and mental health awareness half day live session. This type of training provides the necessary knowledge so that your organisation can create an accessible and positive workplace for all employees.  

This approach will also encourage empathy and allow employees to be more aware of how they can help their own wellbeing too, both inside and outside of work. This then allows you to foster openness in the workplace. 

Improve workplace productivity and engagement 

Mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, can cause your employees to have difficulty with concentration and carrying out day-to-day work activities. By working with your employees to support their mental health, you can improve thinking, decision-making, and relationships, and therefore increase productivity. According to the Mental Health Foundation, addressing wellbeing at work increases productivity by as much as 12%. 

When your employees feel that you look after them, they will become more engaged with your business. This can lead to higher levels of employee retention and can even attract new candidates as your reputation as a supportive employer grows.

Are you ready to support mental health at work?

When it comes to mental health at work, it’s unfortunately not a one size fits all approach. Each workplace will have its own unique stressors, so it’s important you consider what they may be for your specific organisation. 

The implementation of a mental health strategy that incorporates the opportunity for employees to access a mental health in the workplace course can support you with the development of a robust mental health action plan. 

At Busy Bees Training and Education, we offer two different mental health training courses, which includes our full day live session, mental health in the workplace and our half day mental health awareness course.

Our half a day course outlines:

• Training on how your business can recognise possible signs and symptoms of a person that has mental ill-health
• Information on mental health and its stigma
• How to access help for those in crisis or need.

Our full day course, in addition to the above, also provides information on: 

• Using a Mental Health Action Plan to help those in crisis or need
• Finding external professional help and guidance
• The law in relation to mental health and the workplace
• Best practice in the workplace.

Our mental health in the workplace course

To find out more information on our mental health at work courses, please call us on 01543 71150 or email us on hello@busybees.com.