In light of Stress Awareness month in April, it’s important we reflect on how we can continue to support the mental and physical wellbeing of our teams and vitally ourselves. I have attended a few sessions this week by Sir Cary Cooper, CBE FAcSS, Psychologist and 50th Anniversary Professor of Organizational Psychology and Health at the Manchester Business School, University of Manchester. The story is not a new one, we have been talking about stress at work being the leading cause of absence for my whole HR career (20+ years). The statistics remain one of concern. Are you listening?
People Management (2020) reports a recent poll of 2000 workers by Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England, 25 per cent said their workplace had not checked in on their mental health since the crisis hit a year ago. Similarly, nearly a third (29 per cent) have never had a conversation with their line manager about their mental health.
Whilst a third (32 per cent) of employees said mental health and wellbeing support improved over the pandemic, 43 per cent of respondents said their support stayed the same or worsened. Two-fifths (41 per cent) said they had less frequent wellbeing check-ins or none at all. I bet you check the battery level on your phone more regularly than you do your people – think about that.
It’s not about low hanging fruit, tick boxes engaging the odd wellbeing day or simply adding in mental health first aiders. We need to see a more strategic focus on health, mental health and wellbeing. Employers must create, embed and implement a strategy across the workforce. Investment in specialists such as Moonstir can guide and support employers to recognise what employees need to sustain productivity and performance through meaningful consultation and action planning. You’ve invested in PPE for COVID protection, you’re reviewing your physical working procedures to ensure a safe return to work, please, think heads too. It is a matter of life and death.
Be positive about people and psychology and the performance change will follow.
For a meaningful conversation about wellbeing at work, contact Morag@moonstir.co.uk.
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