Mental Health Awareness Day - Supporting Your Colleagues

It's important to raise awareness about helping our coworkers who might be struggling with mental health challenges in recognition of World Mental Health Day.

Mental well-being is an integral part of our overall health, and creating a supportive workplace environment is essential to ensure the mental wellness of everyone.

In this blog post, I’m going to take you through the steps on what you can do to provide support to anyone struggling around you.

Understanding Mental Health

First up is understanding what mental health actually is.

The Oxford Dictionary (2023) describes it as “A person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being.” In other words, it's about how we think, feel and behave in different situations, for example, our mental health can affect the way we handle stress, relate to others and decision making.

Recognising and understanding mental health is the first step to creating a heathier work environment.

Common Mental Health Challenges in the Workplace

It’s no secret that working in an office can often be demanding and high-pressurising, this can lead to stress which can lead to further mental distress.

According to a 2022 study by the Mental Health Foundation, 2 out of 5 offer workers experience mental health problems. This is higher than the rate for the general population, which is 1 in 4.

The study also found that offer workers are more likely to experience stress, anxiety, and depression. They are also more likely to have suicidal thoughts.

How to Extend Support to Your Colleagues

Educate Yourself: the more we understand mental health, the better equipped we are to support our colleagues and the people around us. Learn about the common mental health challenges and how they could present themselves.

Create a Safe Space: Establish a workplace culture that encourages open conversations about mental health. Colleagues should feel safe to speak about their mental health concerns without worrying about what other people might say.

Be a good listener: Most of the time, all a person needs is just for someone to listen so they can get their worries off their chest. Offer your time and ear to colleagues who need to talk, that doesn’t necessarily mean you need to provide them with in-depth advice, they may just need to voice what it is their feeling.

Encourage Self-Care: Suggest taking breaks and doing self-care exercises. Encourage your coworkers to place a high priority on their physical and emotional wellness.

Offer Professional Help: If a colleague is struggling, gently suggest seeking professional help. Therapy and counselling can be immensely beneficial. This could possibly be a benefit your company could offer to further show your employees how much support their mental well-being.

Respect Privacy and Boundaries: While it’s important to offer support, it is important to respect the privacy of your colleagues. Don’t press for any information they’re not comfortable with sharing.

Promote Mental Health Programs: Advocate for mental health benefits/initiatives at work. Workshops, seminars and counselling sessions can create awareness and help reduce the stigma associated with mental health.

Mental health is a crucial aspect of our lives, and it impacts how we function both personally and professionally. Making a workplace that priorities mental health and is willing to provide assistance to those who may need help, can make a significant difference.

If you know someone who is struggling, here are some websites which could offer them help: 

UK: 

Mind - https://www.mind.org.uk/

Samartans - https://www.samaritans.org/

Germany:

DGPPN - https://www.dgppn.de/

TelefonSeelsorge - https://www.telefonseelsorge.de/

Vienna:

OGPP - https://www.oegpp.at/home/

Pro Mente - https://www.promenteaustria.at/de/home/

The Netherlands: 

MIND Korrelatie - https://mindkorrelatie.nl/

113 Zelfmoord Preventie - https://www.113.nl/