You’re always on my mind – why mental health starts at work (World Suicide Prevention Day)
Each year, it’s estimated that around 703,000 people take their own life worldwide. And for every suicide, there are likely 20 other people making an attempt and many more having suicidal thoughts.
Alarmingly, research suggests that around 10% of all UK suicides are actually work-related.
Sadly, it only makes sense when the lines between work and home life have become so blurred over the past couple of years.
That’s why before this World Suicide Prevention Day (10.09) we’re taking the opportunity to put mental health front and centre in employers’ minds. Because when it’s hard enough to get devices to respect our boundaries, it’s worth addressing the source of these endless notifications first.
Mental health at work – recognising there’s a problem
When most full-time employees spend one-third of their waking hours at work, it’s no secret that this occupation would play some part in our emotional well-being – for better and for worse. But for some reason, it’s been long brushed under the carpet.
That is, until now.
For the first time in November 2021, the Health and Safety Executive, which is responsible for UK workplace health and safety, included suicide prevention guidelines on its website.
Here are some of the key takeaways from HSE’s advice to employers:
You can find the HSE’s full suicide prevention guidelines here and more on our website here.
But despite it being a step in the right direction there’s still work to do. The new guidelines are vague and reinforce a long-held stance that suicide is a personal event that is caused by problems brought to work, as opposed to something that is caused or exacerbated by workplace conditions or factors.
So what else can employers do?
Start by being mindful of the signs
Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to tell if someone needs help. Especially if they don’t want anyone to know they’re struggling.
And this is still overwhelmingly the case at work.
Research suggests that two-thirds of employees would not feel comfortable raising a mental or emotional well-being issue with their employer.
Despite progress being made, there’s still an underlying stigma about speaking up. So when someone’s seriously struggling, you’ve got to know how to read between the lines.
Support service Beyond Blue has some helpful advice on what to look out for. Although subtle, there might be some behavioural or physical changes that could indicate things aren’t OK.
Non-verbal indicators could include:
Also, look out for indirect verbal expressions like:
However, the support service suggests it’s important to remember everyone’s different. The above is not an exhaustive list, so just be guided by your instincts.
The problem is that it’s sometimes hard enough to pick up on someone feeling depressed in person – especially when many of us have become pretty adept at “putting the face on”. So how are employers supposed to manage it over a Zoom call?
Addressing the remote elephant in the room
Whether it’s financial instability, climate uncertainty or that constant dread of being furloughed or fired, so much anxiety comes from just not knowing what’s around the corner.
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And although remote working has brought with it an abundance of benefits, it’s caused many to get inside their heads from time to time.
Younger workers, especially, can be left either worrying whether they’re doing “enough” or what their manager is actually thinking; amplified massively by the fact they’re no longer sitting across the desk from them.
One study into workforce engagement and retention revealed that 51% of younger remote employees were worried their manager “had doubts about their productivity.”
The problem is that this leads to 44% of them working longer hours and 37% skipping lunch breaks.
Left unmonitored, this sort of behaviour can have dangerous consequences over time.
Supporting employees properly before they burnout
OK, it’s normal to feel unmotivated at work occasionally. After all, it’s hard to imagine a global movement like quiet quitting taking off if it wasn’t, right?
There’s just no reason for job burnout, though. This dangerous state of physical and mental exhaustion should never be normalised.
According to Suicide.ca, there are many factors that can contribute to burnout – and they vary from person to person. However, here are some examples of how it can surface:
This leads to symptoms like a lack of concentration, insomnia, anxiety, depression and, eventually, suicidal thoughts.
But what can you do to support healthier ways of working when employees are out of sight?
It’s about showing them you care – not just saying you do.
And to do that, you need to go further than a 10-minute check-in. Connect as a human being on a regular basis via video calls, not to micromanage or to display trust issues, but to gain honest feedback and opinions about how your mutual collaboration can be improved.
You can’t put a price on someone’s mental health. More than ever before, it’s important we let employees know the door’s always open. Even if it is just a virtual one for now.
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Know someone who’s in need of support? Here are some useful contacts in a crisis:
Support for anyone in emotional distress, struggling to cope or at risk of suicide.
116 123 (freephone)
Confidential 24/7 text service offering support if you are in crisis and need immediate help.
85258 (text SHOUT)
App with help and resources for people who feel suicidal or are supporting someone else.
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1 年https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/640961 - Create a National Suicide Prevention Office - Require suicide prevention plans, frameworks and training for public and private organisations - Support statutory local suicide prevention partnerships - Enable sharing of data on suicide deaths/attempts