Improving employee health & wellbeing at our work place
There is no one size fits all approach to mental health at work
As a company IPS are committed to Improving employee health & wellbeing at our work place with our “wellness warriors”.
we sat down with our three Mental Health Champions to discuss improving mental health in our workplace.
Michael Potter has worked for the company for almost 4 years in our sales office dealing with customers in the UK & Ireland.
Michael, how important is Mental Health?
Although many people wouldn’t consider it so, it’s just as important to look after your mental health as it is your physical health. Often, the same methods for maintaining good physical health are the same methods which can be used for maintaining good mental health e.g. eating healthily, exercising, getting out in to the fresh air etc.
Why is MH and raising the awareness important to you?
For too long now, mental health is an issue which has been “swept under the carpet” and not considered to be a serious issue. As I mentioned before, looking after your mental health is just as important as looking after your physical health. I believe one of the reasons it’s not been taken seriously is because there has never been enough understanding about it. Now that we, as a society, are gaining a better understanding of it, it can be diagnosed and managed much better. The most important thing in raising awareness is simply having the conversation and not being afraid to talk about it with others.
What can we do to support colleagues suffering with mental health?
As colleagues, I believe the key thing is to be approachable and show empathy. If someone looks like they might need help, or even just someone to talk to, stop what you are doing and listen to them. Sometimes, all a person wants is a conversation and to offload something they’ve been bottling up. Other times, they might need help from someone more qualified, but there are plenty of resources out there for people.
Can poor mental health be prevented?
I’m not so sure poor mental health and the related conditions such as anxiety and depression can be prevented. Perhaps if you look after your health from a young age then maybe it can. I certainly believe it can be managed. I think once you acknowledge the issue, discuss it with someone, and work out ways in which you can try to manage it, then you can learn to live with it and cope with it much better.
Can mental health effect your work ethic?
Poor mental health can have a huge impact on your work ethic and productivity, in the same way a good mental health and have a hugely positive impact on your work ethic. If someone is suffering from anxiety or depression, they may struggle to get out of bed in the morning, to motivate themselves at work, to remained focused on a task and keep concentration, to engage in discussion with others, amongst other things.
What tips could you give to help the workforce alleviate the effects of stress they experience at work in order to improve mental health?
If someone is feeling stressed at work then the best thing they can do is talk to someone about it and begin to address the problem. If you feel stressed and bottle it up, it will only make the situation worse. Each person has their own ‘stress vessel’ which is only capable of containing a certain amount of stress. If the ‘vessel’ becomes full, the stress will pour out in the form of angry outbursts, physical frustration and even verbal abuse towards others. As the old saying goes- “a problem shared is a problem halved”.
