How to talk about mental health at work

Why is it so important to have workplace that talks about mental health?

Only 17% of people in the UK have a diagnosable mental health condition.

Yet 87% of us describe our mental health as less than good.

Unfortunately, those with a formally diagnosed condition only form the tip of an ever-growing iceberg – and an estimated 56% of the total population form a group who are silently struggling.

We need to do more to support people in this silent group, and that starts with talking more in the place we spend most of our time with – our workplace.

Managers play a key role in the conversation

Supportive managers and leaders feature as one of the top drivers of employee engagement.

Tech giant Google found that – when reviewing their own company’s performance data – frequent conversations between a leader and their team members was a leading indicator of a team’s high performance.

Managers are often incredibly good at their jobs, it’s why they were promoted in the first place. But oftentimes it means that we can forget that they need support and training too.

If managers feel confident inviting and holding conversations, you will see a marked change in the way their team is thinking and feeling.

They are also closest to their teams and can often spot early signs of mental health concerns, such as burnout, before anyone else.

How to empower managers to talk about mental health

• Give them the tools to manage conversations
  Giving the right tools and training to managers means that they can spot warning signs of things such as burnout within employees because they are on the frontline.

• Help managers understand feedback is a gift
  Team leaders should enter every conversation assuming they have something to learn. True active listening requires managers to set themselves aside and be open to hearing feedback. By doing so, they will become comfortable inviting feedback into their day, without feeling criticised.
  

• Encourage managers to create a safe place to talk
  Encourage managers to specifically ask about mental health and wellbeing during one-to-one meetings with team members. Help them develop the right questions and cues to uncover potential signs of concern. When employees know they have a safe, private place to speak up – and that these conversations are normalised – they will be more likely to use that time to say something.
  

How to talk to your employees about mental health

• Prove it’s always worth speaking up
  If employees aren’t seeing (and hearing!) their voice is being listened to and acted upon they will stop speaking up. Over-communicate the changes you have made based on feedback so that’s it is really clear for your colleagues.
  

• Offer different channels for people to speak up
  Create plenty of ways for employees to speak up, including anonymously. The reality is, no matter how compassionate and approachable leaders are, not everyone will be comfortable to approach their manager or colleague to talk about something that is on their mind.

• Replace exit meetings with ‘stay’ meetings
  Rather than farewelling disengaged employees that have decided to jump ship, have ‘stay’ meetings before a goodbye is necessary. A stay meeting allows you to measure an employee’s job satisfaction and engagement on a regular basis, feeling out the pain points and positives of their role. This can help reduce employee turnover rates and address people issues before it’s too late.

Tips for normalising mental health conversations

If you’re not used to it, making yourself open and available for new and potentially difficult conversations around mental health can be unsettling…

‘What if I don’t know how to help them?’

‘Could I make things worse?’

‘What do I say?’

Remember, you don’t need to have a solution. The important thing is that your employees feel able to talk. And that becomes much easier if the conversation can be normalised.

If you have a concern about someone and you set a meeting with them to discuss what’s on their mind, they may feel put on the spot and won’t be willing to talk. By normalising the conversation, you can make it easier for people to disclose their worries or concerns as it will feel less formal.

Here are some things you can do to normalise the conversation.

• Take the conversation out of the office. Face to face discussions over a desk can be intimidating. However, in the kitchen during a coffee break, or walking to a meeting can take the formality out of it and allow for a more open and honest discussion.
• Ask open questions that invite them to talk a lot about how they feel. This gives them time to say more before asking another question.
• Avoid any language that may convey judgement or a lack of understanding or compassion.
• Don’t push for a quick fix. Mental health issues will not be mended overnight. It takes time to heal. Be patient, empathetic and most importantly, LISTEN.
• Prove you are listening and want to help. Be understanding and offer help and advice where appropriate. Don’t feel you need to do this straight away. You may need some time to find the resources and help required.

Important things to keep in mind when advocating for change

• Don’t try to reinvent the wheel
  You don’t need to create something new. Leverage existing resources and initiatives that have proven successful in other organisations. Explore established mental health programs, employee assistance programs (EAPs), or training courses for leaders that have a track record of improving mental wellbeing.

• One size doesn’t fit all
  Different groups of employees have different needs – and that’s okay. Inclusivity and diversity will only make your workplace stronger, so consider as many groups and demographics to ensure your approach is as holistic as possible for everyone.

• Words without action breeds cynicism
  You must act on feedback. If you don’t employees will become cynical and stop voicing their thoughts and ideas. Back up your words with actions – create change from their insights.

Have feedback channels in place to measure the success of changes

If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.

Make sure you agree on a few key numbers that will help you understand if the changes you are introducing around mental health conversations are working.

Having feedback channels will also help you harness the power of the employee voice and understand how your employees are thinking and feeling, so you can make work a better place for them.

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