Mental Health in the Workplace

In recent years more and more attention has been focused on the health and welfare of employees within companies of all sizes yet it is only very recently that businesses have began to address the mental health issues faced by staff.

A survey by the Confederation of British Industry reported that over 90% of its correspondents believed that the mental health of employees should be a concern of their company. Unfortunately, less than 10% of businesses actually have a mental health policy in place.

With people now spending more and more time in the workplace, the importance of their mental health is becoming an increasingly important issue. The stress of the modern day workplace means that the psychological and well being of both management and staff is just important as their physical health and safety at work. Arguably mental and psychological health issues should become a major part of a company’s health and safety policy.

On a positive note, an increasing number of employers are becoming more aware of stress and mental health issues in the workplace and are lending their encouragement to management and staff attending stress management and mental health in the workplace courses.

Such stress and mental health courses are crucial because it enables staff to recognise the impending effects of stress in themselves or workmates and also helps them deal with it.

It is important that businesses take advantage of the courses that are available as a stressed workforce will, in the long term, negatively impact on productivity and profitability. In the short term it will cause problems on the shop floor as well as a rise in absenteeism. Sending staff on a mental health training course will provide solutions for those already feeling the pressures of stress but will also be a pre-emptive safeguard to other employees who will learn how to identify the symptoms of stress and be able to take measures to ensure that stress doesn’t develop.

A huge benefit from attending mental health in the workplace awareness courses is that both management and staff will gain vital knowledge recognising stress and by learning what makes it occur.

Mindworks Training are based in East Yorkshire and offer corporate mental health training courses including Stress Managemnt Training for employers wishing to increase the effectiveness of their workforce by raising awareness of stress and other mental health issues

Tagged as: mental health training, Stress Management