Written by Mike Thakoordin, MHFA Instructor and Suicide First Aid Associate with FirstAid.co.uk and Safety First Aid Group
to the Health and Safety Executive (1), 914,000 workers in the UK are suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety. Now, experts at Safety First Aid Group’s FirstAid.co.uk are sharing top tips for mental health first aid in the workplace.
– In 2022 stress, depression or anxiety accounted for 51% of all work-related ill health cases and 55% of all working days lost due to work-related ill health
– For several years prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the rate of self-reported work-related stress, depression or anxiety in the UK was increasing. The current rate is higher than the 2018/19 pre-coronavirus levels.
“Mental and physical health are connected and equally important components of overall health. For example, depression and anxiety can increase the risk of a multitude of serious physical health issues including heart disease, diabetes and stroke. It works vice versa as well, as chronic physical illnesses can increase the risk of mental illnesses such as depression.” Says Mike Thakoordin, MHFA Instructor and Suicide First Aid Associate with FirstAid.co.uk and Safety First Aid Group.
Mental health first aid is the first step towards giving a friend, family member or co-worker the support they need to overcome any difficulties they may be experiencing.
“Mental health first aid in the workplace is beneficial to both business and employee, and is crucial to a functional, efficient and happy workplace,” says FirstAid.co.uk’s Jo Stokes. “Support from colleagues and senior management is vital in helping individuals overcome mental illnesses, and mental health first aid gives employers and employees the knowledge they need to respond to someone in a moment of need.”
You can follow these actionable tips to improve mental health in the workplace:
#1 – Prevent workplace stress by following the Management Standards
In the Management Standards (2), the HSE have set out six key areas of work design that need to be properly managed to improve health, wellbeing, productivity and sickness absence. These cover the primary sources of stress at work and can be used by employers to complete a stress risk assessment and put in place strategies to reduce work-related stress.
#2 – Register employees for a mental health first aid course
Taking the simple steps to improve the management of both mental and physical health in the workplace allows employers to save considerably on the negative costs associated with all health conditions, financial or otherwise. Consider registering your employees for a Mental Health First Aiders Course (3) to foster a strong support network in your workplace.
#3 – Provide actionable information to your team
While a dedicated Mental Health First Aider is the best person to help someone experiencing a mental health crisis, any employee may be in a situation where they need to step into action. Providing mental health first aid guidance such as on a poster, leaflet, or guidance card may empower your employees to help those around them (4).
For information on how to recognise stress in the workplace, and advice on dealing with stress, visit FirstAid’s Stress In The Workplace page: https://www.firstaid.co.uk/stress-in-the-workplace-how-to-recognise-it-and-how-to-help-/
Other useful resources
– A Guide to First Aid for Mental Health: https://www.firstaid.co.uk/a-guide-to-first-aid-for-mental-health/
– Signs that someone is experiencing poor mental health at work: https://www.bupa.co.uk/health-information/workplace-mental-health/signs-poor-mh
– Guidance for employers on supporting staff who are experiencing a mental health problem: https://www.mind.org.uk/media-a/4661/resource4.pdf
– Information about NHS mental health services: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/
– Samaritans support helpline: Call 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org for a reply within 24 hours. Website: https://www.samaritans.org/
– SANE support helpline: 0300 304 7000 (4:30pm – 10:30pm every evening). Website: https://www.sane.org.uk/
Sources:
(1) https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/index.htm
(2) https://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/standards/
(3) https://www.firstaidtraining.co.uk/courses/mental-health-first-aiders-course-2-day/
(4) https://www.firstaid.co.uk/posters/mental-health-first-aid-postera661/ https://www.firstaid.co.uk/health-safety/mental-health-first-aid-leaflet/ https://www.firstaid.co.uk/health-safety/mental-health-guidance-card/
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