Creating A Mentally Healthy Work Environment in a Pandemic
Consultant Author: Shazney Spence, Jan 2021
I leverage knowledge and experience and help businesses to engage with their staff by raising awareness of the mental well-being of their teams, thus helping them to grow & contribute without barriers. The ethos of my consultancy is “mental, emotional stability and balance which leads to aligned, intentional living” which can be symbolised by a lotus flower in reference to the remarkable strength it displays to thrive. It has the ability to grow in challenging environments and it emerges from muddy waters as an object of beauty and purity, leaving behind any attachment to its previous environment. This is true of the human spirit.
My aim is to help individuals to blossom and not to be restrained by past muddy waters or experience, to speak their truth and to live in alignment with who they truly are. We all have mental health just as we have physical health. We have the right to discuss our experience openly and without barrier or fear of discrimination. Showing up to a workplace (albeit remotely) that fosters such an approach makes life easier for both the staff member and the management team. The ethos of the organisation must be fair and clear, filtering through its leadership and policies. It must embed the fabric of the organisation in terms of its culture, and level of provision for its employees.
As we navigate through a new paradigm and experience new ways of working during a Global Pandemic, the focus on having mentally healthy teams and work environments has never been more crucial. The stresses and strains that individuals have experienced, as a result of COVID-19, have necessitated that organisations approach things differently, especially when they consider the impact that the virus has had on the mental wellbeing of individuals, and on the way that people work.
We are living in uncertain times with the Pandemic resulting in a large proportion of the population working from home 100% of the time. Remote working creates additional challenges for staff and businesses alike. These challenges need to be identified and addressed by each organisation. Special measures need to be taken and extra consideration given to the change in working environment of the workforce.
With the current need to support your workforce in unprecedented times, this article is designed to equip you with a greater level of awareness, and acceptance with encouragement for you to take productive action. As time is money, spending extra time on employees may seem contradictory to managing strained costs as revenues are under threat. However, supporting your staff, especially those affected by mental ill-health, promotes a more inclusive and diverse workplace, empowering them to bring their full selves to work that optimises productivity and performance for your business with stability and fulfilment for your staff.
Sharing practical insights around the engagement of staff members and ways that Companies can provide a healthier environment for its workforce will provide you with some tools to thrive as you look after the mental wellbeing of your staff working during the uncertainty of the Pandemic and will explore the following:
Effects of the Pandemic on mental health
How to recognise low mood or depression
Steps organisational leaders can take to promote workplace wellness
Avenues of support if you are struggling with your mental health whilst remote working.
So, what is a healthy workplace and how can this flow through to the mental wellbeing of your staff and culture of the organisation?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines a healthy workplace as: One in which workers and managers collaborate to use a continual improvement process to protect and promote the health, safety and well-being of workers and the sustainability of the workplace by considering the following, based on identified needs:
Health, safety and well-being concerns in the psychosocial work environment including organisation of work and workplace culture.
Personal health resources in the workplace; and
Ways of participating in the community to improve the health of workers, their families and other members of the community.
A healthy, supportive and safe working environment is free from psychosocial factors (psychosocial refers to the interrelation of social factors and individual thought and behaviour.) As mentioned in the outset, there are benefits to the organisation of creating a positive work environment. The business case for creating a mentally healthy workplace can be illustrated as follows:
With 1 in 4 people being affected by mental illness, it’s imperative that world-class companies prioritise the subject of mental health awareness and make it a key component of their Diversity and Inclusion Strategy especially in view of the current climate. Leading-edge companies recognise that breaking the silence on the topic of mental illness, removing the stigma and engaging their staff to openly share their experience is crucial. This achieves tangible results: staff who bring their best selves to work whilst gaining the requisite support to manage their mental well-being in the workplace. Such authenticity leads to a more empowered and motivated workforce.
There is also substantial evidence to support the positive impact that this has on the profitability of the organisation by minimising presenteeism (working whilst sick) and absenteeism. For instance, there is a strong business case for creating a mentally healthy work environment. According to analysis by Deloitte, poor mental health costs UK businesses up to £45bn a year. Absence costs equate to around £7bn, presenteeism costs up to £29bn and turnover costs of around £9bn.
Effects of the Pandemic on mental health
There has been a heightened level of uncertainty, resulting in panic, fear & increased levels of stress.
Concerns around finances, health of self & others (physical & mental)
Remote working can result in a more sedentary lifestyle & lethargy
Lack of “micro-lifts” during the day can result in despondency
Feelings of boredom & isolation can lead to unhealthy behaviour around diet & exercise
Sleep patterns can be disrupted which has a knock-on effect on productivity & wellbeing
Re-entry Anxiety - return to office environments after prolonged home working
Lack of work-life balance.
How to recognise low mood or depression
Working from home or remotely can heighten feelings of anxiety, especially if it is not something that is familiar to the individual. Low mood lasts less than two weeks and can be fleeting with some common observations defined as:
They may not be feeling their normal self, feel tearful or more emotional than usual
They may lack concentration and experience “brain fog”
They may use alcohol, exercise or food as a way to cope with things
They may retreat from other people and also feel burnt-out.
Conversely, depression lasts for longer than two weeks and is more severe where individual’s may feel extreme irritability or low energy or may experience mania or have thoughts of self-harm or suicide. With low mood or depression, it is imperative for the individual to speak to a therapist or your Company Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). Here are my top tips that leaders can employ to create a mentally healthy work environment within your organisation:
1. Develop & review existing HR policies and procedures around mental health- as well as ones focused on good wellbeing practices. Having a clearly defined return to work and work-place adjustments policies
2. Develop policies that are focused on encouraging healthy behaviours, such as work-life balance, fair treatment of employees suffering mental ill-health, working hours
3. Conduct confidential interviews with staff members who are suffering mental ill health to assess how to offer the right level of support. Encourage feedback for all staff.
4. Survey the organisation to assess what the current culture is regarding mental health awareness to keep a check on the pulse point and overall status of staff mental wellbeing
5. Provide empathetic organisational support. Mental health focus groups catered around Diversity & Inclusion, & 1-2-1 support. Promote the Company Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and showcase the confidential support that it offers to staff.
6. Create a network of Mental Health Champions – trained ambassadors or advocates who signpost to the right support as well as a clearly defined mental health programme.
7. Demonstrate good practice from senior leaders, HR and occupational health. Embed mental health awareness training into manager on-boarding and induction
8. Promote and facilitate a positive culture towards mental health and well-being by encouraging open discussion and disclosure. Understand the causes of mental ill-health & seek ways to alleviate work-placed stress
9. Offer flexible working which fosters trust and balance
10. Create space for well-being – coordinate activities – well-being days, internal portals / intranets containing mental health information. Offer talks from Mental Health professionals
Authentic Leadership
Staff show higher levels of engagement when they feel supported by their leadership team and organisation. When leaders do so authentically and set a positive example, the impact is significant. Having a Board and top Management sponsors who support individual mental health initiatives will positively reinforce the inclusive culture of the Company. Publicising to staff that the organisation has signed pledges in an attempt to end mental health discrimination shows true commitment and is likely to increase staff engagement provided that leadership clearly communicate this and signpost their staff to the right support.
Call to Action
When the demands of the job workload lead to a less than desirable work-life balance, it is often difficult to entertain the thought of a) seeking help if you are feeling overwhelmed or b) volunteering your time for initiatives which raise awareness on mental health. When stress is a regular feature of an individual’s life, it stands to reason that they are absolutely going to benefit from reaching out to a trained mental health advocate or professional.
If remote working is creating pressure and affecting your staff’s mental health, don’t allow fear of judgement to prevent them from obtaining the help and support that they deserve as your most valuable asset. Remember, there is no shame in vulnerability, and this should be embedded in the Company’s culture. To do this, guide your workforce to be open and honest with their feelings and circumstances and encourage them to access the resources available through your organisation. This will get them on the road to recovery quicker if you have infrastructure and services supporting them to take the appropriate action.
Explore implementing or frequently promote use of the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and provide multiple ways to access the telephone number. Similarly, implement Mental Health Programmes that protect and improve mental health of all employees as a preventative measure to as an enabler of long term stability for your workforce. Further to this, make mindfulness & exercise available to all as they are one of the most cost effective yet powerful enablers for stress management and good mental health. You can also conduct regular staff surveys to understand the stresses on staff that can impact their wellbeing and allow for contingencies to be planned. Finally, recognise & celebrate the impact of existing employee benefits & Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities on the mental health & well-being of staff.
There are a plethora of activities and strategies that can be deployed to create a positive mental health workplace fostering a supportive, caring environment for all resulting in deeper employee engagement with increased Company performance that is a win-win for all.