In the modern world of work, companies are gradually starting to understand the importance of safeguarding their workers’ mental wellbeing, just as much as their physical health.

Under health and safety legislation such as the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers are obligated to assess and manage risks to employee mental health. Despite these expectations, not all employers are successfully fostering a working culture where mental health can be discussed frankly and openly.

A recent Lanes Group survey of 1,047 professionals revealed that 27% - more than one-quarter - did not feel able to speak to their manager about their mental health at work, making it difficult for these workplaces to provide any effective support for these individuals.

As such, any company that is truly committed to improving their staff’s mental health will first need to examine how to properly talk about this subject in the workplace, and how to create a working environment where employees feel encouraged and empowered to do so.

At Lanes Group, we have award-winning expertise in developing effective workplace wellbeing strategies and are keen to share it, which is why we’ve put together some advice on some of the most important steps to take in order to foster a truly positive approach to mental health conversations. This information outlines how to talk about mental health in the workplace and support workers if you're an employer.

Put in place employee assistance programmes and points of contact

When it comes to mental health needs, a proactive approach is always better than a reactive one. Rather than waiting for staff to ask you how you can help them, make it clear from an early stage that compassionate support services are available to them whenever they might be needed.

This could mean assigning the role of mental health champion to a specific member of staff, assigning anyone experiencing workplace stress with a named point of contact they can speak to directly, rather than having to go through their manager. It could also mean introducing regular wellbeing assessments that monitor the overall happiness of the workforce, with those who are shown to be persistently unhappy offered the opportunity to talk.

The latter approach has been used by our team to great effect. We use a pioneering app that asks staff members to tell us how they feel at the start of every shift, and offer those who are ‘unhappy’ or ‘very unhappy’ the option of speaking to an in-house wellbeing practitioner. Since the app was introduced, the number of unhappy or very unhappy colleagues has fallen from 8% to just over 1%, and our recent staff survey revealed that 93% of our workers feel able to talk to their manager about personal wellbeing issues.

Avoid creating pressure or obligations to talk about poor mental health

Although offering proactive support is important, it’s equally vital to never make staff feel pressured to talk about their mental health concerns if they do not feel comfortable doing so.

Nobody has any obligation to reveal a mental health problem to their bosses or colleagues, and even if an individual does decide to speak up, it’s entirely up to them to decide how much or how little they wish to reveal. To establish trust, it’s also best to let anyone disclosing a mental health issue to choose who they tell, with assurances that the information will not be shared without their permission.

This is an essential issue to bear in mind, given that many mental conditions are considered protected disabilities under the Equality Act 2010, and preventing mental health information from being inappropriately shared can be crucial in preventing discrimination. On the other hand, workers themselves should remember that the more they share, the easier it will be for bosses to help them, which is why open conversation is usually seen as an ideal goal.

Allow staff to speak privately and openly about mental health problems

If a member of staff does feel the need to come forward with a mental health issue, then employers should do everything in their power to provide that individual with a compassionate forum in which to share their feelings and concerns.

Most often, this takes the form of a one-to-one meeting between the worker in question and a supervisor with decision-making capabilities. This could be their line manager, a member of the HR team or a designated mental health champion who will relay their concerns to the upper management.

During this meeting, the troubled worker should be encouraged to share as much relevant information as they are comfortable with disclosing, with a focus on their current mental health, the ways in which this relates to their work and the measures that might be required to help the person manage their health and perform well in their job.

Remember - it’s likely that they will be best placed to understand their own condition, so bosses should take this as an opportunity to use active listening and fully comprehend what they have to say.

Don’t stigmatise anyone who talks about their mental health conditions

One of the main reasons why people are often unwilling to talk about their mental health experiences is the fear that they will be stigmatised, marginalised or discriminated against as a result. 9 out of 10 people who experience mental health problems face stigma and discrimination as a result across all areas of their lives, including work.

As such, it’s essential that companies do everything in their power to avoid becoming part of this problem. If bosses are unhelpful or dismissive of someone's mental health concerns - or choose to be less willing to provide those staff members with opportunities to progress or develop - then they will be seriously damaging their relationship with their workforce, as well as opening themselves up to accusations of illegal discrimination.

There will be certain circumstances in which it is appropriate for a company to adjust the way an employee is handled due to mental health concerns, but this should always be done with sensitivity, for the betterment - and with the full agreement - of the staff member in question.

Be prepared to make changes and adjustments for those who are struggling

Encouraging staff members to talk about their mental health is an important forward step for any organisation, but any goodwill generated by these conversations is sure to be lost if they are not followed up by robust practical support.

People with mental health conditions are capable of achieving professional excellence in any role, but will sometimes need their employer to offer reasonable adjustments to help reduce stress they're under and perform at their best. Making reasonable adjustments might include offering flexible working hours and home working options, or potentially a shift in job responsibilities to help the individual steer clear of tasks they find hard to cope with; it could also include allowing time off for appointments or recuperation.

Sometimes these changes may be permanent, or could only be temporary; the important thing is for employers and staff members to be willing to experiment with different methods, and to maintain a healthy dialogue to find an approach that works. By showing patience and compassion, companies can help staff to manage stress healthily and achieve their best performance, thereby cultivating a workplace culture of trust and mutual appreciation.

Read on to find out more about how Lanes Group’s wellbeing programme has helped to change the lives of our workforce; if you’d like to find out more about working with Lanes Group,click here.