November means Movember and so this week, we thought we’d look at Men’s Mental Health in the Workplace, what we need to know, what employees should be looking out for and how we can help men open up about their mental health within the workplace.
So, what are the stats on Mental Health for men in the workplace?
According to a survey carried out by Mind, men are more likely to experience work-related mental health problems than problems relating to factors outside of the workplace. The data was collected from a survey of 15000 employees across 30 organisations. The survey also found that men were less likely to seek advice and help relating to their mental health than woman and were less likely to take time off work for the same reasons.
Further finding saw that three in five women felt supported by their workplace with their line managers checking in on them regularly but only 50% of men felt the same.
Emma Mamo, head to wellbeing at work at Mind said that their research had found the workplace to be the main factor for poor mental health. She continued to say that many men work in environments where a macho culture very much prevails or where a competitive environment may exist, making it harder for men to open up about how they are feeling.
What can Employers do to help men and their mental health within the workplace?
In the last few years, employers have become very aware of mental health within the workplace and many organisations have put in great measures to ensure they are doing the best they possibly can by their employees but there is still much to do to ensure that everybody feels supported.
Mind continue to encourage employers to sign up to the Workplace Wellbeing Index.
– Ensure the company has a robust and effective wellbeing and mental health policies that have been carefully thought out.
– Ensure that all Mental First Aid training is up to date and at least one mental health first aider is on site at all times.
– Encourage line managers to be observant. Anxiety and other mental health issues are not immediately obvious so taking the time to check in on staff on a regular basis or if you feel something isn’t quite right can have a huge impact on mental health in the workplace.
– Ensure that line managers and employees alike are informed of help lines and support networks available to them in times of need.
– Implement workplace benefit that encourage employees to stay active and healthy. At Employees Health we run HIIT sessions within many organisations that are offered as a perk to the employees.
– All mental health issues within the workplace are protected by common law and so where possible, adjustments should be made. Adjustments such as flexible working hours, support with workload and time off are some of the most common.
With people spending so much time at work, it’s crucial that employees feel supported within their role. If you want to do more for your employees’ health and wellbeing, let us help you. Here at Employees Health, that’s what we do, so contact us today.