It's World Mental Health Day. It feels like awareness is rising and many people have started talking more about mental health. Now we need to really walk that talk. Increasingly organisations grasp the theory ('mental wellbeing in our workplaces really matters') but some still fall short on the practice.
If the message employees are hearing about their employer's "100% commitment to the mental health and wellbeing of our workforce" doesn't fit with their lived experience on the ground, then the message is seriously undermined.
To be blunt - the lunchtime yoga class doesn't mean much to someone who hasn't been home before midnight for the last three nights.
And managerial mutterings about 'that snowflake' who is 'playing the stress card' do huge amounts of damage.
Many individuals - even where their organisation does have a strong policy on mental health at work - say they still wouldn't raise it if they had an issue because they believe it would have a negative impact on their career. There's a disconnect between what the employer is saying and what individuals believe. It's about trust and reinforcing the message in the lived experience that people see.
There's some great resources.
And of course our website!
The theme for World Mental Health Day 2017 is workplace wellbeing. So whether you're an individual looking to boost your own wellbeing or an employer seeking advice on supporting your staff, we've got a range of ways you can get involved.
Related Articles
I wanted to leave the house and never come back….
Wellbeing. Troubleshooting. Impartiality. Our three essentials for reimagined HR
It isn't all about resilience
People Management: HR must protect workplace investigators from the threat of vicarious trauma
Head of Resolution Zoe Wigan shares how to recognise and mitigate this risk for investigators of distressing subject matter.
Personnel Today: Six ways to kickstart conversations about team stress at work
Rachael Forsberg shares six steps for workplaces properly discussing team stress, as a crucial first step in tackling it.
Reworked: The 3 Best Ways to Invest in Employee Mental Health and Well-Being
Investing in wellbeing can boost both productivity and profitability. Where should leaders begin? Mark O'Grady shares three key focus areas for workplace leaders in his latest piece for Reworked.
