Healthy Living > Mental health > Support mental wellbeing while working from home
Blog Article | | | By The Simplyhealth Team | 19 May 2020 |
Mental health challenges affect us all
One in six people in the past week experienced a common mental health problem[1]. That's a statistic we can't escape. And when you look at the current lockdown situation, it's hardly surprising work is a significant contributor. You've got workforces up and down the country facing the challenge of remote working, coupled with increased stress, anxiety, and confusion.
As well as having an impact on your employees, mental wellbeing issues can also impact on you as an employer. Companies can suffer lost productivity, decreased motivation, and increased long-term absence. The 2020 CIPD and Simplyhealth Health and Wellbeing at Work report found that 59% of the UK's long-term absence is caused by mental ill-health and three-fifths of organisations have seen an increase in reported mental ill-health over the past 12 months.
The CIPD Report 2020 has emphasised the importance of having line managers and senior leaders engaged in an organisation’s efforts to manage stress[2]. At Simplyhealth, we've come up with a list of signs to look out for in your workplace, and actions to help support your colleagues who are battling a mental health illness.
How to spot the signs of poor mental health
First of all, ensure you’re supporting line managers by providing them with guidance and education on how to spot the early signs of possible mental health problems within their teams. Put plans in place for managers or your HR team to help support and/or broach the subject with any employees who may be struggling.
Signs of someone suffering could include but not be limited to:
How to support a colleague suffering from low mental wellbeing
More information and resources for Mental Health Awareness Week from the Mental Health Foundation are available here.
References
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