1. Mental Wellbeing in the Workplace
Sarah Williams
Cardiff Mind

2. Why is mental health important?
It improves the quality of our lives
To have healthy relationships
To maintain our responsibilities
To make good life choices
To maintain physical health and well-being
To handle the natural ups and downs of life
To discover and grow toward our potential
To develop positive and sustainable coping mechanisms
To stop a mental health illness developing

3. Statistics 1 in 4 1 in 6 at any one time
1 in 12 adults currently being treated for asthma
53% of Welsh women experience low levels of mental illness
The Office for National Statistics found that in 2013, 6,233 suicides were recorded in the UK for people aged 15 and older. Of these, 78% were male and 22% were female
In the UK, mental illness is responsible for the largest burden of disease– 28% of the total burden, compared to 16% each for cancer and heart disease

4. Why is mental health important?
Mental health conditions cost UK employers an estimated £26 billion a year:
Absenteeism (£8.4 billion)
Presenteeism (£15.1 billion)
Staff-turnover (£2.4 billion)

5. Striking the right balance
Compensation Claims
Political Correctness
Friend
Empathy
Human
Professional
Sympathy
Colleagues
The Future
Targets
Personal Beliefs
Team Morale
Business Needs
Setting a Precedence

6. Physical Health
Mental Health
Intrinsic part of health and safety regulations
Not many organisations have a stress management policy
Work related injury = not the employee’s fault
Work related stress = the person ‘can’t cope as well as others’
Medication and physiotherapy will cure the problem
Self-help tools are needed
Easier for managers to communicate to an individual – matter-of-factly
Emotions come into the conversation, especially if there is visible upset
People can see the problem
People can not see the problem
An end to the problem can often be seen (e.g. broken leg)
Worries and concerns by the manager will often remain for the remainder of the employment
Managers will be able to know limitations of the role in consideration of the illness
Managers may be unsure of a person’s limitation

7. How can you become a Mentally Health organisation?
Training and education
Awareness Raising
Workplace agreements
Talking about mental health in team meetings
Time to Change talks
Fundraising
Having a Mental Health First Aider on site
Understanding reasonable adjustments

8. Reasonable Adjustments

9. Reasonable Adjustments – Mental Health
Allowing the person to concentrate on a specific piece of work
Same amount of breaks but in shorter, more frequent chunks
Flexibility – some mental health conditions can be sporadic and episodic
Training for other staff
Adjusting the environment of the workplace
Mentoring; coaching; peer support
Mental well-being work agreement

10. Available Training Mental Health First Aid
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training
Mental Health Awareness
Suicide Awareness
Self Harm Awareness
Basic Listening Skills
Stress Awareness
Mental Health at Work for Managers

11. Mental Health First Aid
Fear of insulting someone
Fear of not understanding
Fear of the response
Signs and Symptoms
Empathy
A process to follow which can be documented

12. How to cope Remembering our own mental health Diet Exercise
Communicating
Social network
Awareness of self
Positive coping mechanisms
Daily routine – including sleep patterns
Understanding your own limitations

14. Thank you
Any questions….