Prevent workers from declining mental health and wellbeing

With the number of mental health problems on the rise, perhaps it's time that Employee Assistance Programs become a standard workplace benefit with an opt-out mechanism to ensure everyone has access to the support they need in times of crisis? We also know that there is a direct feedback loop between money worries and mental health concerns. I'd like to see more employers proactively talk about financial anxiety and strategies for coping as part of their mental health awareness initiatives.

It makes sense for any employer to support their neurodivergent employees, and the first thing they can do is ask what they need. Everyone is different and it's wrong to assume everyone with ASD will have the same needs, for instance. Someone may be very sensitive to sounds and light, and work well in a well-ordered and calm office with few distractions, while another employee on the autistic spectrum may work best when communications and information are visual, rather than written or verbal. Creating a culture where people feel heard, and where the subject of "what do you need to feel good and do your job well?" is common currency, is good for everyone. Isolation is a common issue for those off sick, which can lead to depression if it's not there already. How can you ensure that they still feel they are part of a team, connected, and wanted, without making them feel pressured? The answer will be different for everyone and, again, the solution is to ask them.

Mental fitness is critical to everyone, everywhere. It is integral to our overall well-being and and goes beyond the absence of a diagnosed condition. We prioritise this and have strengthened our approach and response to this crisis, by breaking it down into three areas of focus: emotional wellness, psychological status and social well-being. This enables us as a team to observe, respond, commit, and deliver support and solutions on a 1-2-1 basis. By investing into services and resources to support each area of focus, we are able to liberate each person, driving healthy and stable personal and business growth.

Employers have a responsibility for their employees' health but it also makes business sense. Investing in insurance can be a very wise decision in more ways than one. Income protection plans available to businesses can not only cover the cost of wages, but also offer staff access to support services such as mental health resources to prevent them needing to be signed off in the first place. If these resources are part of a wider support process, businesses and staff will benefit, especially during times of uncertainty. We have seen some businesses also providing support services related to the cost of living crisis. These range from tips and hints regarding cost savings to full blown employee benefit packages that provide discount cards and corporate savings.

The tsunami of mental health problems that employers face is overwhelming. SMEs account for 99.9% of the business population, they don’t have deep pockets for fancy corporate wellbeing programmes and are time poor. To turn around the tide of the economically inactive, Government policy must provide bespoke support for SMEs to tackle this crisis. SME business owners are walking a tightrope of running a business, and providing mental health support, paradoxically often to the detriment of their own mental health. We’ve been recommending practical tools such as MIND Wellness Action Plans that facilitate mental health discussions between employers and employees.