Elaine Woodward, MSc, Dip SW and Mental Health First Aid trainer advises that one in four adults are affected by mental health issues at some point in their lives, and recommends managers being trained to recognise and cope with the symptoms.

In 2016 the Government agreed to provide £1billion for mental health services as they were very concerned about the increase in stress (Financial Times 2016) and because mental health at work is the leading cause of absence in the UK. Mental health issues, such as depression or anxiety account for almost 70 million sick days in the UK, with many staff reluctant to be open about their mental ill health due to the fear of stigma. The total cost of mental health to the UK economy is £37 billion; people with mild to moderate mental illness, such as anxiety or depression are twice as likely to be unemployed.

Furthermore absence from work due to apparent physical health problems may in fact be due to underlying mental health issues as employees often feel uncomfortable admitting to stress, anxiety or depression. The stigma around mental health results in people’s reluctance to both discuss and disclose any issues they may have. This leads to the continued perpetuation of the cycle of poor mental health unless managers’ learn to spot the early signs of mental health in the workplace.

Research carried out by the mental health charity Mind (2016) confirmed that a culture of fear and silence around mental health is costly to employers:

• More than one in five (21%) agreed that they had called in sick to avoid work, when asked how workplace stress had affected them
• 14% agreed that they had resigned and 42% had considered resigning when asked how workplace stress had affected them
• 56% of employers said they would like to do more to improve staff wellbeing but don't feel they have the right training or guidance.
• 30 per cent of staff disagreed with the statement ‘I would feel able to talk openly with my line manager if I was feeling stressed’

The charity Business in the Community launched a report called Mental Health at Work, in October 2016. The report shares findings from a national survey undertaken with research partner YouGov that heard from nearly 20,000 people in work across the UK.

The findings showed:

• 77% of employees have experienced poor mental health - 33% in the last month alone
• 62% of employees have experienced poor mental health where work was a contributing factor
• Managers felt underequipped and unsupported to respond to mental health in work
• Bosses are disconnected from reality of employees’ experiences of mental health

Poor mental health in the workforce can lead to reduced productivity, ineffective communication, inability to make decisions, unusual displays of emotion. These behaviours can also be misinterpreted as those of a disengaged employee, when they are actually the early signs of a mental health issue. Unless addressed this can lead to absenteeism or staff leaving their job, with the resultant costs, in time and money associated with staff recruitment. Employees who are experiencing mental health issues may resign because they feel that they cannot improve their mental health whilst they are still at work or because they feel that their work is causing them to have poor mental health.

The solution for many companies is to develop a mental health and wellbeing strategy and revised policies and procedures that focus upon early warnings systems in respect of mental health. By engaging and promoting positive mental health at work there are benefits to the employer and there is a causal link with increased productivity.

In recent years a number of employers have begun to train line managers in Mental Health First Aid, for example WH Smith and Unilever. WH Smith, with around 14,000 employees, has pledged that by the end of 2017 all of their 1,100 line managers will have received Mental Health First Aid training.

The 2 day accredited Mental Health First Aid course trains those attending to become mental health first aiders by enabling them to:

- Spot the early signs of a mental health issue
- Feel confident helping someone experiencing a mental health issue
- Provide help on a first aid basis
- Help prevent someone from hurting themselves or others
- Help stop a mental health issue from getting worse
- Help someone recover faster
- Guide someone towards the right support
- Reduce the stigma of mental health issues.

Everyone who attends the course will receive a manual and workbook, which are both excellent support resources, together with a certificate to confirm that each delegate is a trained Mental Health First Aider.

The course can be “open access” with delegates attending from a range of companies or be commissioned by one organisation.

As someone who has worked in the field of mental health and substance misuse for over 30 years and for the past 15 years in senior management roles in the NHS and Local Government I would encourage organisations to develop mental health and wellbeing strategy. I also feel that all organisation should train their managers in Mental Health First Aid as it providers very practical information, such as which services and treatment are available.

Email elainewoodward@hotmail.co.uk