In the right environment, work will have a positive impact on mental health. Aside from paying the bills, employees should feel a sense of fulfilment through developing new skills, building social connections, and boosting personal identity.

What’s promising is that businesses increasingly recognise the value of nurturing a positive and supportive working culture for their employees.

But unfortunately, there’s still a way to go...

We spend almost half our waking hours at work. It’s a big part of our lives whether we like it or not. So when contributing factors (pressure, deadlines, office dickheads) get too much, it’s no real surprise employees can start to feel the strain.

A shocking 48% of people experience mental health problems in their current job. While 1 in 4 workers struggle in silence without the help they need.

 “At SupaReal we want work to have a positive impact on people’s lives - boosting their confidence, energy and capability - not damaging it. We do a lot of things to deliver this, especially on ensuring stress reduction and a sense of being safe. Anxiety is a bitch. I should know, having suffered terribly for a few years. The journey of improving my own health and wellbeing has massively influenced what we do here at SupaReal.” - Liane Grimshaw, MD.  

SupaReal’s motto is ‘Make it Meaningful’, this way of thinking goes beyond our marketing and extends to our team, and our personal lives.

Marketing is a high pressure, knowledge-based industry packed full of challenges and deadlines. It’s why we, as a collective, are in a prime position to lead change against mental health stigma. How? Through cultural transformation and open communication.

Growing awareness around mental health is opening eyes, minds and hearts. It’s forcing us as a society to take the matter seriously and push it up the boardroom agenda. 

To mark World Mental Health Day 2018 we’ve pulled together some go-to mental health resources for both employers and employees.

MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES FOR EMPLOYERS

Employees are people, not robots. And it’s the responsibility of the company to recognise this and take a proactive stance when it comes to mental health. Change starts from within.

MIND: TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS

Mental health charity Mind have put together a variety of ‘how to’ guides for employers covering topics like how to manage stress at work and useful guides for smaller businesses.

Find out more here.

MENTAL HEALTH AT WORK: YOUR FIRST STOP

Mental Health At Work have a big selection of online toolkits and resources for employers, including some interesting case studies from multinational companies that demonstrate how to move the focus onto mental health as part of a strategic business change.

Find out more here.

MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION: INVEST INTO GOOD MENTAL HEALTH

Mental Health Foundation claim “a staggering 70 million work days are lost each year due to mental health problems in the UK, costing employers approx £2.4 billion per year.”

The organisation has put together a downloadable PDF on how to support mental health at work. Along with online training and ideas on how you can become more involved.

Find out more here.

MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES FOR EMPLOYEES

While employers are taking steps to improve the way they approach mental health, employees can also seek ways to manage their own wellbeing and support others who might be suffering. 

MIND: EVERYDAY LIFE

Mind have also created support guides for a variety of personal situations, including, money, work, university and more.

Find out more here.

CALM ZONE: WORRIED ABOUT SOMEONE?

The Calm Zone provides some useful information on what to do if you are worried about someone else. The worry of saying the ‘wrong thing’ can prevent people from talking to each other at all. This guide gives you 5 Steps to Help a Mate.

What to say, how to say it, and how to get help.

Read more here.

MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION: LOOKING AFTER YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

Mental Health Foundation offers useful ‘how to’ guides that outline specific and actionable methods to improve mental health including exercise, mindfulness and improving sleep quality.

More info here.

THE FUTURE’S BRIGHT

No-one deserves to suffer with mental health problems in or outside of the workplace.

No business is perfect (hell, we’re not). But mental health is something close to our hearts and a very real issue that needs to confronting head-on in the workplace. It starts when we spark conversations and keep them open. Stigma dies through awareness and education, and solutions come from empowering and supportive environments.

The good news is recent research from the Department of Health indicates that general attitudes towards people with mental health issues are beginning to improve.

Now over 60% of people with common mental health problems are in employment, and this figure is set to rise with the reduction of stigma.

The future’s bright.