I feel very proud to be celebrating 25 years of working in mental health this month.
It has been an interesting ride, starting in research for the University of Cambridge, working in the NHS and county council for 14 years and setting up and running a training business. I have seen huge developments such as greater awareness and treatment options, but huge steps back, where access and funding have got worse.
What has changed over the last 25 years and what do I hope for the future of mental health at work.
MENTAL HEALTH CONVERSATIONS
It is wonderful to see the changing conversions around mental health over this time. 25 years ago, only the very brave would consider mentioning the word ‘mental health’ or talking about their own wellbeing. I remember a meeting where there was a huge debate about changing the word ‘mental health’ to something else, as it had too much stigma around it and people wouldn’t engage. We all agreed what we needed to do, was to challenge the stigma around the words!
During this time, we have seen huge changes in people talking more openly about mental health. This has led to people feeling less alone, more likely to open up about their challenges and more able to seek support. It has led to an improvement in workplace culture and the development of psychological safety in the workplace.
SUPPORT AVAILABLE
Support services have widened, with tailored support for at risk groups such as ethnic minorities, young people, men and the LGBT+ community. However, we are seeing waiting lists at an unacceptable all-time high, and lack of funding or government support for improvement.
Workplaces are seeing the importance of embedded support that can be accessed more quickly. However, the uptake of Employment Assistance Programmes (EAP) is still low, with many employees not fully understanding the programmes. There is a lot more we can do about upskilling, education and confidence at work, and much more we can put in place beyond EAP.
THE WORKPLACE
Even 10 years ago there weren’t many job roles on mental health and wellbeing outside of the clinical sector, and now they are everywhere. Businesses themselves are starting to understand the importance of mental health at work, particularly following the pandemic. But we are still seeing many workplaces being reactive rather than proactive. It is often business as usual, until they hit a crisis point. Mental illness is now the top reason for long term sickness absence, and poor mental health costs businesses 51 billion a year, but it’s still hard to get these messages across and translated into action.
GOING FORWARD
So, what do I hope for going forward over the next 10 years.
- Government and workplace governance making mental health and wellbeing policies compulsory in the workplace, along with standardised measures.
- Basic mental health awareness training made mandatory for all employees.
- Mental health skills for new managers training made mandatory for anyone in a manager or senior position
- Mental Health First Aiders, and a clear promotion and implementation plan, to be made mandatory in all workplaces in the same way it is set out for physical first aid.
- An ongoing improvement among communities and education around mental health and the support available, embedded and supported more by Ofsed.
My passion for working in the area of mental health awareness continues to grow. I know there is so much more we can do to upskill employees with knowledge, skills and confidence around mental health. For more details on the training and consultancy I offer at Promote Mental Health send over an email today and we can discuss your workplace needs.
Claire Harris
Claire@promotementalhealth.com
