Mental Health Awareness Week 2024 will take place from 13 to 19 May, on the theme of “Movement: Moving more for our mental health”

Movement is important for our mental health but so many of us struggle to move enough.?We know there are many different reasons for this, so this year, the Mental Health Foundation want to help people to find moments for movement in their daily routines. Going for a walk, putting on your favourite music and dancing around the living room, chair exercises when you’re watching television – it all counts!

That’s great, but how can employers support staff to exercise?

Exercise is a good way of dealing with anxiety.?Remember, activity doesn’t have to be vigorous; encourage staff to try some gentle stretches, or seated exercises or to go for a walk at lunch time. Taking part in a fitness class or other sports can give staff something else to think about. It needs a bit of concentration, so takes your mind of the anxious thoughts.??Consider organising an event to get staff active and improve team morale.?At Spectra we have undertaken several activities together ranging from getting our steps in at a gentle pace to running 100 miles throughout February.?We even managed to burn off some calories and raise money for some great charitable causes in the process.

Reducing anxiety in the workplace

Anxiety can lead us to ruminate and often to worry unnecessarily.?If staff are worried about their job, maybe they’ve heard on the grapevine that there are changes afoot; a business sale, a possible takeover, a relocation, or a restructure, this can weigh heavy?on people’s minds.?An anxious employee may struggle to sleep, become unwell and end up having to take time off sick.?This can lead to lost earnings, which brings on more anxiety and so we end up in a vicious circle.??To break the cycle and reduce the risk of anxiety escalating and staff going off sick, communication is key.?Be as transparent and open as possible as once the office rumour mill starts grinding it’s difficult to stop.??

Be proactive, consider how best to communicate changes within the business, when will be the best time to deliver potentially worrying news, who should the news come from, how will it land and what steps will you need to take to ensure staff are supported and their concerns are dealt with in the correct way.

How common are mental health problems?

According to the mental health charity MIND, every year 1 in 4 of us will experience a mental health problem.?Over 2 million people are waiting for NHS mental health services and since 2017 the number of young people struggling with their mental health has nearly doubled!

You may not realise that you have staff who are living with mental health problems or neuro diversity.??It’s important to develop a culture where staff feel able to be open and discuss their health and wellbeing at work as soon as possible, without the worry of repercussions such as discrimination.

Early intervention is key to resolving any work-related issues that impact the health and wellbeing of employees and staff should be encouraged to raise concerns as soon as possible.?Consider introducing an employee assistance programme, which staff can access on a confidential basis for expert advice.??The cost of this benefit is generally outweighed by the value it can add to your staff and your business.??Also, review your own absence, health, and wellbeing policies to ensure that staff are aware that you will take reasonable steps to support them.?