MANY workplaces adopt a ‘culture of connectivity’ nowadays, whereby employees are expected to be constantly connected to their clients and colleagues via their smartphones.
On the face of it, this may seem attractive, as it ostensibly increases productivity. However, in the long run, it could affect employees’ wellbeing and mental health.
According to research from the mental health charity Mind, nearly two in five people check their work emails outside of office hours[1].
The charity said these findings were ‘indicative of a culture of working round the clock, leaving many of us unable to switch off and achieve a healthy work/life balance.’
This is essentially why, in 2016, French workers won the legal right to avoid dealing with work emails outside of working hours. Campaigners for the ‘right to disconnect’ law, which came into effect on 1 January, 2017, had argued that those who were expected to check and reply to their work emails out of hours were at greater risk of stress, burn-out, sleep problems and relationship difficulties.
Businesses in the UK must also recognise that working practices like this can contribute towards mental health problems such as stress and depression.
Not only is there a strong moral imperative to change the way our companies operate, it also makes perfect business sense to do so. If employees’ mental health suffers, it may lead to them taking more time off work, or not firing on all cylinders when they are on the clock.
So, how can we go about championing mental health in the workplace?
For anyone experiencing any sort of mental health issue at work, human resources (HR) is the first line of support, so HR professionals need to know how to handle these situations. However, a general awareness among workers can also be highly beneficial.
At Hewitsons, we take pride in championing mental health awareness. We recently appointed our first mental health first aider, with another soon to follow. The firm also has a training programme in place for all partners and the management team.
Mental health first aiders are members of staff who are professionally trained – in our case, by the organisation Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) – to spot mental health issues among colleagues when they arise, and then act on them appropriately.
This may involve alerting an HR professional, who can talk to the person involved tactfully and confidentially, and, if necessary, arrange a GP appointment and contact family members. Alternatively, it might mean simply making oneself available as a person to talk to.
If you are suffering from a mental health problem, or you are worried that someone you know might be, including a colleague or employee, visit Mind’s website, www.mind.org.uk/work, for more information. Alternatively, call the charity’s information hotline, 0300 123 33939, and/or consider visiting your GP.
For more information about Hewitsons, visit www.hewitsons.com
