Promoting positive mental health in your workplace is hugely beneficial. Although it can take time to change an organisation’s workplace culture, opening up to your staff and publicising your commitment to promoting positive mental health begins to normalise the subject and in turn encourages staff to talk about their mental health.
The first thing you can do as a manager is make it clear that mental and physical wellness are respected and treated in the same way in your organisation. Making this clear is the first step for colleagues to feel they can come to you.
It’s also helpful to have strategies and an environment in place that supports when people aren’t feeling quite on par. Very often people with mental health problems can’t face work, not because they aren’t capable but they might feel emotional; if they know there is a quiet room where they can work for the day they may choose to come into the office rather than stay at home. At Make Events, this is something we are pleased to be able to offer our employees if they need it.
If a colleague chooses to go onto medication, as an employer you must be aware of the initial side effects such as forgetfulness or lack of attention span; try to work around these. Ask the question, how can I support you to be your best during this time?
At Make Events, mental health is very clearly put in the same bracket as physical health, with an open door and share policy as part of the culture. The management team is passionate about helping those suffering with mental health in the company, to get the right treatment.
As it is Mental Health Awareness Week, Make Events were privileged to be invited to the #thisisme event with PWC, Mind and Barclays. Make Events are looking into 100% implementing this campaign. At Make Events HQ it is definitely ok to not be ok. Business owners should encourage open dialogue, spaces for quite time and an environment where employees can talk.
Read more about the #ThisIsMe campaign here.
Read more about mental health in the workplace here.
Samaritans | MIND | NHS | ReThink
