HANNAH MILNE SHARES WHY WE NEED TO TREAT MENTAL HEALTH LIKE ONE OF OUR CLIENTS
Did you know that approximately one in four people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year? Or that 9 out of 10 people who experience mental health problems say they face stigma and discrimination as a result? A further 60% of people report that stigma and discrimination are as damaging, or more damaging, than the symptoms of their mental health problem. The scale of this issue is sobering.
It’s just been Mental Health Awareness Week and, like many other organisations across the country, we took part in a series of activities to help raise awareness and increase understanding of mental health.
We work in a fast-paced and sometimes stressful industry – not least, as we are almost entirely focused on keeping our clients happy. On top of this, initial reports are showing that mental health issues are on the rise as a result of the current Covid-19 crisis. As we ran our mental health workshops last week, it got us thinking about how we can better support industry wellbeing. Because research has shown that policies that address mental health at work not only result in happier, healthier employees but can also increase productivity by up to 12%, which makes for better business too. What if we treated mental health with the same time, respect and resources that we do with our clients…?
Get the right training and education in place
One of the first things we do with a new client win or when working on a pitch is investigate the landscape - we seek to understand the client’s world, its pressures and intricacies. Mental health is a complicated topic and there isn’t a one size fits all approach, but training and education are fundamental pillars to addressing mental health stigma in the workplace. We need to ensure that our staff and line managers are equipped with the knowledge, tools and resources to be able to identify, support and understand mental health issues – and that comes with proper training.
Have regular check-ins
We’re in the business of communications and regularly catch up with our clients – whether by phone, in person or now via Zoom. We want to know when things are going well for them or be able to predict a potential issue. So, what if we took the time and checked in on our colleagues and our own mental health like we check in with our clients? We encourage all Tin Manners to take some time out and self-reflect on what keeps them happy and healthy. That’s why we have introduced Wellness Action Plans for every employee, regular line manager wellness check-ins and weekly meditation sessions.
Plan into resourcing
We’re a time-based business and assign hours to each client, but truly addressing mental health in the workplace also needs dedicated resources. At Tin Man, we put hours against our mental health initiatives so that we have time to plan and run training sessions for everyone, and so that our workplace champions can attend external training sessions, organise events and have the space to read up on the latest studies or programmes to get involved in.
Be open and honest
The best client relationships are ones where we are an extension of our client’s team and where we can give honest advice as a two way dialogue. The same goes for our mental health. We need to create a situation where staff feel they can share their mental health experiences and can be honest about everything from the real reason behind their time off, to their day to day experiences, to what support they need longer term.
Evaluate
Like any good client campaign, a thorough evaluation is essential. And one that doesn’t just focus on what went well but also takes a look at what didn’t work, or what could have been done better. We’re at the start of our journey on addressing mental health in the workplace and are by no means perfect. We have a lot to learn and our practices can be adapted and changed. As well as check-ins with staff, we run a survey to garner anonymous feedback on training sessions and our programme so that, with the help of our staff and those with lived experiences of mental health issues, we can create a working environment where people feel comfortable being open and honest about their own mental health and supported to do so.
It was great to be a part of Mental Health Awareness Week last week, but it’s important that we keep up our commitment every week of the year. So next time you go to make a client call, delve into some client research or plan your week’s hours out – just ask yourself, have you checked in on your mental health in the same way recently?
For more information visit https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/
Hannah Milne, Associate Director