May has long been recognised as mental health awareness month, with Mental health awareness week starting every year on the second Monday in May. In a world that is increasingly opening up to, and learning to understand those with mental health issues, more so of late due to the global impact of the Covid19 pandemic. Mental Health Awareness Week is a firm fixture on calendars around the UK and beyond, with focus this year on nature and the circumstances relating to the pandemic.
What is #mentalhealth?
Everyone has mental health and, like physical health, it fluctuates along a spectrum. It can vary from good mental well-being to severe mental health problems. Work can have a huge impact on mental health, often promoting well-being or triggering problems.
What does poor mental health include?
- struggling with low mood,
- stress,
What are common mental health conditions?
- depression,
- anxiety,
- phobias,
- obsessive-compulsive disorders ,
- bipolar disorder.
Mental health problems affect around one in four people in any given year. Work related stress is a form of poor mental health, defined by the Health and Safety Executive as a reaction to excessive pressure or other type of demand placed on an individual at work. Stress can be a significant cause of illness.
#nature
The theme for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is #nature, both timely and appropriate given never experienced before challenges over the past year and the great outdoors being the only source of comfort and solace for the majority.
Research on the impact of the pandemic on mental health revealed that going for walks outside was one of the top coping strategies combined with being in ‘green’ spaces. Nature is said to be central to psychological and emotional health with even small contacts with nature reducing feelings of social isolation and being an effective tool to protect mental health and prevent distress. .
#Isolationnation
Guidance published by ACAS at start of the lockdown in March 2020 focussed on mental health support following a survey which found that half of people working from home felt isolated, and an even higher proportion were missing the social interaction of work. With the risks of covid19, lockdowns, struggles to have been able to manage childcare responsibilities and concerns of job and financial security expected to continue even as the restrictions start to ease, never before has mental health been more of an issue to consider.
Duty of care
Employers should recognise the risks that work-related stress can pose and be aware of other stress triggers even if at home. Employers have a duty of care towards their employees and to support those who may be continuing to work from home, or be planning a return to the workplace which is also often a cause of anxiety and worry, and put in place an adequate support systems to help those staff cope.
Employers tend to focus on managing physical health and safety, however it is a useful reminder that employers are legally required to ensure the "welfare" of their employees, and others, so far as reasonably practicable, when at work. This includes work-related stress.
There are people who might have been going into work since the start of pandemic, others might have recently returned to work after spending time at home or are about to return to work after an extended period of absence, all of which can present stressful and unusual circumstances.
Many share common feelings about going into work at this time, the charity @Mind have tips on taking care of your mental wellbeing and ways to help people cope with difficult feelings they are experiencing such as:
Stress
- Coming into contact with lots of people, worry if it involves people who may have coronavirus.
- Having more work or longer hours, taking on extra work for colleagues who are self-isolating. Dealing with lots of new rules and tasks to keep colleagues safe, on top of your usual job.
- Money concerns, due to reduced hours, or being uncertain about job security due to coronavirus.
Anxiety
- Personal safety and the safety of others, worry about keeping yourself safe from coronavirus or concern about the health of others.
- Seeing colleagues and worry of working with people who have coronavirus, or might have it.
- A lack of effective Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) or anxiety about being asked to wear a mask for long hours.
- losing your job
- working fewer hours
- problems with money
- furlough support coming to an end.
Guilt
- The risk of spreading coronavirus, worry about passing the virus on to others while going into work.
- Your response to the situation being different to those around you.
- Seeking help for a mental health problem.
Anger
- Situations that feel unfair, such as having to go into work when others do not.
- An unsafe workplace.
- A lack of support.
Wearing a mask at work
You may experience difficult feelings about wearing a mask at work, especially if you're asked to wear one for long hours. Across England and Wales, mask guidance differs slightly for types of jobs and sectors. For rules on face coverings for different workplaces, you can see guidance on GOV.UK – Work and face coverings in England.
Wearing a mask at work can be even harder for people experiencing a mental health problem.
Reasonable Adjustments
Employers and employees are reminded that if employees suffer from mental health conditions, there is a possibility that the condition would be deemed a #disability under the #EqualiltyAct2010, subject to satisfying the test required. Employers are under a duty to make reasonable adjustments. What could reasonable adjustments be?
- Home working (even if the workplace is opened in accordance with Government guidelines)
- Additional support from management
- Supportive equipment
Lifting #Lockdown
As steps begin to be taken to lift lockdown restrictions, employers should be even more mindful of the impact on mental health on returns to work. There may be individuals who feel compromised by coming to work, or vulnerable due to family reasons (living with or caring for a vulnerable individual), still have childcare responsibilities or are genuinely concerned about their health and safety; all of which can have adverse impact on mental health as set out above which can bring on or exacerbate stress and anxiety levels.
Join the Curwens Challenge
For the last 10 days of May, the @Curwens team will be taking on the challenge to walk 10k which is 100,000 steps per person, get creative and join us as we try relays and nature walks to reach our firm target of 3 million steps!
For further advice on how to manage mental health in the workplace especially given the extenuating covid19 circumstances; please contact Kaajal Nathwani Head of the Employment Department on 020 8363 4444.
This article has been prepared for guidance purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
