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Every single person, no matter their age, gender, race or where they work, has to contend with their mental health and wellbeing. Until the last few years, mental health was seen as a “taboo” subject and unsuitable topic of conversation for the workplace. Today, we are finally beginning to recognise the impact mental health struggles can have on personal and professional lives, and more and more companies are putting support structures in place to help maintain a happy and productive workforce. Having a mental health and wellbeing policy in place is not only good practice, but a great way for managers and senior leaders to demonstrate their commitment to employee health and welfare, open up important conversations around mental health issues, and help build an inclusive and supportive company culture. In this article, we’ll outline the importance of prioritising employee mental health and wellbeing in the workplace, explore the benefits of implementing a policy, and provide a guideline for anyone wanting to write their own.
To add to this, we’ve seen firsthand how HR managers can often feel under-equipped and undertrained to deal with the mental health concerns oftheir employees. Surveys conducted in 2023 by MHFA England found that one in three managers felt out of their depth supporting their team through mental health struggles, and 70% cited organisational barriers (such as company policy, poor workplace culture and a lack of training) as preventing them from providing their employees with the support they need.
As a company, you can help tackle these issues through the support and measures you put in place, including writing and putting into practice policies that prioritise the health of employees.