I thrive in a high energy, target-driven environment which usually is synonymous with stress', but this can be viewed positively if it's managed well. High on my agenda is that the old adage work hard, play hard' can now be viewed as live better, work better'.
At BMC Recruitment Group, we help clients and candidates make the perfect match when it comes to employment. As the majority of us spend more waking hours at work than we do with loved ones, mental health (the way we feel, behave and think) and feeling fulfilled at work are integral to the success of businesses and individuals alike and through successfully placing candidates across an array of industries we are finding workplace wellbeing is top priority for both employers and employees.
The World Health Organization define mental health’ as “a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.” This state of wellbeing is something employers need to actively encourage as part of staff-retention and growth and expansion plans.
A quarter of us in any given year will be affected by problems with mental health, including depression, anxiety, and, rarer problems such as PTSD, and schizophrenia. Sadly, Worldwide, in excess of 300 million people suffer from depression alone (that’s almost five times the population of the UK). Everyone experiences mental health problems in their own individual way so for managers, knowing your colleagues and what’s usual for them, through building rapport, is key to understanding if they need support.
As mental health problems at work result in an estimated £35 billion loss from the UK economy annually, Prince Harry’s observation that mental fitness is absolutely crucial to our wellbeing’ rings true in every walk of life, including the workplace, and it starts with creating an informed and positive culture where mental health and physical health are treated with equal importance. In some places, stigma still exists around mental health which amounts to a lack of acceptance and compassion for those suffering problems. Creating a safe place to work, where people can be themselves authentically and be respected for this will mean people don’t fake’ mental wellness and through self-awareness can freely ask for help if needed. Asking people how they are and taking time to hear their answer should form part of daily habit; all colleagues can help create and maintain this culture.
Many employers want to promote mental wellness but they don’t know where to start. Implementing an impactful wellness strategy as an employer, if you haven’t already done so, is a great idea as everyone in the business will understand the support structure in place. There are resources on websites such as (the newly launched) Mental Health at Work’ and Acas’ to help you with getting this off the ground. Training will help managers with getting on top of sources of workplace stress, having conversations about mental health, recognising when to signpost staff to professional (including medical) help, and, recognising if staff are in need of workplace support.
Will Smith, in his portrayal of Chris Gardner in the movie The Pursuit of Happyness’, was mindful to minimise loo breaks in order to maximise productivity. Remembering your co-workers are human beings with feelings and emotions means allowing them to be free to switch-off’ from the day job. Promoting employees’ mental wellness means encouraging a work-life balance which would include warding staff off over-working and discouraging excessive working hours. Be kind to each other, you never know who is struggling no matter how productive they are at work!
