Supporting mental health in the workplace

With 15% of UK workers estimated to have an existing mental health condition, the workplace has an important role to play in creating mentally healthy workplaces for everyone in the team.

As more conversations and positive steps are made in the mental health space, employers and colleagues can play an important part in the mental health journey for everyone in a business.

Whether you are having regular check ins or providing more complex support, each step can all play a part in supporting someone with mental health. We can all play a role in supporting the people around us.

This consolidated information is provided with thanks to the Mental Health Foundation. Read the full guide at the bottom of this page.

What is mental health?

It sounds simple, but the reality is mental health is highly complex and can vary from person to person. What is important is that the person is treated in the same way as if they had a physical health problem. Just because the health condition is invisible, doesn’t make it any less real.

Mental health conditions like anxiety and depression can impact daily lives, affecting people for days, months or years at a time.

One in six people experience symptoms of mental health in a given week, and it’s estimated that one in four people will experience mental health challenges in their life.

Ways to support your team

There are several legal rights to protect mental health at work. People with ongoing mental health problems who meet the definition of having a disability will qualify under the Equality Act (2010) and the Disability Discrimination Act (1995).

This means that people with mental health problems are protected from discrimination and are entitled to reasonable adjustments to their job or work.

Reasonable adjustments can include changes to working patterns, providing laptops over desktops, excusing someone from work functions and allowing access to quiet spaces.

Irrespective of organisation size, it can also be a good idea to train a mental health first aider in your team to empower your team to take action to support their wellbeing when required.

Small businesses may opt for external support for their team, while larger organisations can have a dedicated mental health support worker.

What is important is that it is recognised across a business that it is not a single person’s job to support everyone's mental health in a business. Encouraging your team to conduct check ins with their colleagues, and raising to managers or supervisors when they think someone might be struggling, can play a huge role in your overall support.

When a team member takes time off for their mental health, a phased return can prove helpful such as reducing the hours worked in a day and building back up to their contracted time.

If you provide health insurance, ensure that mental health is also covered in this policy and that this is clear for all employees. This will allow them to access support in a private but accessible way.

Further resources

• www.gov.uk/access-to-work
• www.acas.org.uk
• www.mentalhealth.org.uk/
• www.mind.org.uk/workplace

Read the guide