Staff Wellbeing and Mental Health

Today marks the day of recognition of World Mental Health Day and I would like to point out some key elements to reduce the risk for you as the employer and your employees.

1. Conduct a risk assessment on the context of work being conducted for each employee.
2. Ensure you have a Mental Health policy in place; without one you can breach an array of workplace legislation, with potential claims under the Equality Act 2010 should the condition amount to a protected characteristic i.e. a disability.  Also, possible breaches of health & safety legislation and the common law of implementing a safe system of work.
3. Train Line Managers on how to be aware of mental health issues and the company framework to follow in the event of such condition, which will reduce high financial costs like sick pay and temporary replacement costs.
4. Encourage all staff to be transparent if suffering with a condition, reassuring them that they will be fully supported.  Being upfront and open will lead to a resolution much quicker and safer.
5. Implement a company framework, ensuring an open conversation within appraisals and one-to-one’s, address workload handling, participation at work, continuous evaluation of job tasks being most enjoyable and those least enjoyable and any conflicting problems.

Putting these safeguards in place now, can drive optimum wellbeing, performance and caring for the mental health of staff.