Mental health, work and your business: how the right culture can help
How ‘healthy’ is your workplace? Not just physically, but mentally too. What’s your culture when it comes to your people’s wellbeing: is it inclusive, is it aware?
Sick leave due to poor mental health was the top cause of time off work in 2021, costing UK employers an estimated £43bn and making this year’s Time to Talk Day (3 February) more important than ever.
Run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness in partnership with The Co-op, the day aims to create supportive communities by encouraging people to talk with family, friends or workplace colleagues. And to seek professional help, when they need it.
So today, at JGA, that’s what we’re doing – making time to talk, along with thousands of others, as part of the UK’s biggest conversation on mental health.
Reducing the stigma
As individuals, we know how being more open about mental health can be useful. But why is reducing the stigma also important for organisations?
It’s the right thing to do commercially – poor mental health has a direct financial impact on your performance, through lost productivity, higher absence levels and increased staff turnover. Strengthening resilience will drive your success.
It’s the right thing to do culturally – it’s not rocket science: who doesn’t want to feel engaged and fulfilled by their work? A mentally healthy workplace will make this a reality for more of your people and sustain a positive mindset through good times and bad.
It’s the right thing to do for your brand – your employee wellbeing support is now on the radar of an increasing number of socially-conscious customers, investors and potential employees. It’s part of your commitment to ESG .
Whether your teams are on site, remote or hybrid working, your approach to your employees’ wellbeing is now a core part of who, and what, you are.
Creating a mentally healthy workplace
This shift has been accelerated by the practical and, for many, emotional impact of the pandemic on how we live and work – with more of us doing our jobs from home and/or caring for family members.
‘Organisations have long invested in supporting their employees’ physical wellbeing,’ explains JGA Executive Coach Corrine Thomas. ‘Now the importance of good mental health is being recognised in the workplace too.
‘It’s being talked about more openly and is on the agenda in team meetings. Many companies are investing in training to support their employees to stay mentally well.’
Sustaining an inclusive culture
So the message is clear: supporting your employees as ‘people’ makes good business sense.
But what does this mean if you’re employee-owned or considering EO transition? Does your model bring you a natural advantage when it comes to workplace mental health? Yes – and no.
There’s no proof that employee-owned businesses ‘do’ workplace mental health better. However, the energy that the best EO organisations invest in creating an inclusive culture, based on honest communication and effective employee engagement, should (in theory) give them a head start.
The same could also be said of other values-led businesses, where many would expect a commitment to ESG to put the quality of their employees’ experience of working with them at the heart of what they do.
‘Mental health exists on a continuum: we all have times when we feel low – and other times when we feel on top of the world’
Corrine Thomas - Executive Coach
Time to talk – and listen
As Corrine explains: ‘Employee-owned and other values-driven organisations consider their people to be their biggest asset. They invest in building a working environment where trust and respect are important, and where every person feels that they belong to a community that matters.
‘When things are tough for an individual the organisation will give them support and be available to listen. When the organisation is facing tough times, the individual remembers the support and is motivated to go the extra mile to make a difference.
‘In many EO organisations, teams will take action together, share their ideas and listen to each other around how they are feeling every day. Checking in on a personal level becomes a normal part of the working day.’
Small steps, positive impact
So on Time to Talk Day, what will Corrine be doing? Encouraging people to take small daily actions that contribute to their mental health. ‘It can be as simple as taking 10 minutes out of a busy day to do something you love, have a chat with a colleague, or pause and notice one thing you’re grateful for,’ she says.
‘Mental health exists on a continuum: we all have times when we feel low – and other times when we feel on top of the world. By taking a few simple daily actions everyone can create a set of tools that will support them when times are tough.’
If you would like to know more about how JGA can support you to create a more inclusive and fulfilling workplace culture through our Transition, People and Governance services, please get in touch here.