Are you taking the time to ask your staff how they’re feeling?

If staff members are off sick with potential mental health problems, how often do you think employers take time out of their schedules to ask them how they are? The answer is not enough.

If you’re one of those employers, you may notice the difference that simply asking can have on your team members, and their overall attendance and productivity levels.

According to recent reports, unsupportive managers can result in employees taking an extra 4.1 days off a year. Not only that, but people with depression were also found to take more days off if their managers did not seem empathetic. Increasing absence rates affects both the employee and the business, but is a detrimental figure that can easily be avoided.

Mind, the mental health charity, found that 56 per cent of employers said they would like to do more to improve staff wellbeing but don’t feel they have the right training or guidance.

Well, that’s where we can help.

Although the Healthy Worker arrives equipped with polices and refreshing consultancy services to help management improve well-being in the workplace, there’s nothing that helps more than taking the time to ensure you are caring about your staff and showing them that you’re putting important strategies in place to support mental health.

Why not try out some of these small, but effective changes:

 

Have an open-door policy

If your staff feel you are more open to having a chat, they won’t be more likely to bottle up any issues they may be having, whether it is work related or not. It can be difficult if you are time restricted or don’t have much face to face time with your employees as you’d like, but making small gestures to let them know you’re there, whether it’s via phone call or a one-on-one chat, can make all the difference in ensuring your staff know you value their feelings.

 

Dedicate your own ‘well-being champion’

As previously mentioned, sometimes it can be hard as a manager with time-restrictions. But this is where our expert knowledge can help! The Healthy Worker can support your staff to become ‘well-being champions’, a designated representative who will have the know-how to support staff with any issues they may be facing and know how to help or guide them through it.

They can work alongside HR, liaising or signposting staff, and be a direct link between the staff and managers to relay any issues in a secure and professional manner.

 

Break the taboo that surrounds mental health

If your office knows that you can talk about mental health openly and freely, then there won’t be so much pressure when somebody is dealing with something they perhaps feel awkward about. Break down barriers by implementing structures that allow staff to be open and honest and not feel mental health is such a taboo subject.

 

Get in contact with us with to update your work place policies

Yes, that’s right, here at The Healthy Worker we can provide a range of courses such as; Managing Sickness Absence Workshop for management, Managing stress in the workplace, personal health and coaching and an overall healthy worker course. We will work together with

you and your business to ensure you are up to date with any mental health work place policies and help motivate your staff by knowing they’re working in a safe and healthy work environment.

 

If staff attendance levels are a concern, or you want to revamp your businesses mental health policies, get in touch with us on 01684 231461 or email info@thehealthyworker.co.uk.

How do businesses benefit from employing a dedicated Wellbeing Champion?

In the last five years, we have seen a positive rise in the number of employers shining a light on wellbeing in the workplace, including mental wellbeing.

 

More organisations are sitting up and taking notice, recognising the direct link between employee health, happiness and levels of productivity.

 

One way that companies, such as Virgin, have shown commitment to this is through the recruitment of Wellbeing Champions.

 

So, what is the role of a Wellbeing Champion?

Wellbeing Champions are members of staff who have the aptitude and training to serve as an inspirational voice to promote the wellness of every person within an organisation.

 

Their work is often alongside HR colleagues, with Wellbeing Champions contributing to the development and implementation of a health and wellbeing strategy, instilling wellbeing into company culture and engaging with employees to promote healthy lifestyles and positive mental health both inside and outside of the work place.

 

Why is this a vital role?

Every year in the UK alone, a staggering 70 million working days are lost due to mental health problems, costing employers over £2 billion.

 

Research by Time to Change revealed that one in ten people have resigned from a job due to stress and that a further one in four had thought about it.

 

A national survey carried out by the charity Mind also found that 90% of working people who suffered from a mental health problem told their employer they were suffering from a physical illness instead and research suggests that only 50% of GP ‘sick’ notes for those with mental health reasons for absence actually reflect this.

 

By developing Wellbeing Champions, businesses can demonstrate that staff are a top priority. It provides a safe place for staff to say “I’m struggling” or “I need support” and encourages people to speak openly about their mental health without fear of judgement.

 

Organisations can also benefit in other ways, such as improving employee engagement as well as the recruitment and retention of staff.

 

As more and more companies invest in the health of their team, it highlights that workplace wellbeing is no longer a nice benefit- it’s a vital part of working life. All measures which help with reducing stigma and take us closer to ending mental health discrimination are valuable.

 

Interested in finding out more? The Healthy Worker is hosting a series of workshops including one dedicated to developing Wellbeing Champions in the workplace. Contact us today for more details.