One of the most engaging topics at the Organisational Learning Peer Network meetings has undoubtedly been the key challenges that organisations face when implementing actions to tackle stigma and discrimination around mental health in their workplaces. And, most importantly how have they overcome these.
Here are the top five challenges identified by our Network members and their suggestions of how to overcome these.
1. Securing senior buy in
It’s important to get buy in from the top, as well as from key departments (for example, Human Resources) and business units across your organisation who will play a key role in delivering your various anti-stigma activities. Personal stories, persistence, passion and providing an evidence base have all helped our Network members secure the buy in they need to challenge the stigma around mental health, sign the Time to Change pledge or take part in the Time to Change Healthcheck. Evidence shows that anti-stigma activity in the workplace bears fruit; so highlighting the business benefits around increased productivity; improved employee engagement; and reduced sickness absence rates can help secure the buy in you need. You can find out more in Mind’s ‘Introduction to Mentally Healthy Workplaces’ which you can find more detail on here.
2. Turning words into action
Central to the Time to Change pledge is a commitment to deliver tangible anti-stigma activity in the workplace. But some organisations are unsure about how best to turn their aspirations into action. A great starting point for this is to consult with staff and encourage them to think about how they can get involved and translate good intentions into meaningful activities. For example, by embedding messages about mental health into daily office activities such as induction, training, team meetings and supervision sessions.
3. Building awareness and momentum
For many organisations, signing the Time to Change pledge has given focus to their aim of raising awareness around mental health in the workplace and tackle the stigma surrounding it. The pledge signals commitment from senior management and can be the starting point for anti-stigma messaging reaching line managers and team members, as well as identifying mental health and wellbeing as a priority.
One of the most productive and inclusive ways to build awareness and a good foundation for sustained delivery of activity can be to encourage the creation of an employee mental health or wellbeing network, formed of ‘champions’ who may have direct or indirect lived experience of mental health problems. Creating the space for a network can help people with lived experience feel empowered to share their story and bring the campaign to life. It also sends a clear message to all employees that this is workplace where stigma and discrimination around mental illness or mental health problems has no place.
In order to maintain momentum, it’s beneficial to align your communications and activities with key dates in the mental health calendar such as World Mental Health Day on 10th October, National Stress Awareness Day in November and Time to Talk Day on 5th February. This can really help keep mental health on the agenda. And, remember to make use of all internal communication methods; Tailored mail signatures; Posting material on your intranet; and even utilising internal social media such as Yammer, can all help to sustain the anti stigma message.
4. Finding time
Many of us are operating in a climate with limited time and resources and we don’t wish Time to Change and mental health to become just another pressure on the to-do list, so it’s about being realistic and smart with the time you have. With this in mind your employee networks are a key resource through which to engage staff and managers. You could look at creating a working group to help drive forward change in a focused and driven way. Time to Change also has a host of resources including posters and leaflets, digital content, filmed workshops and myth-busting activities to buttress your internal messaging.
5. Opening a can of worms
One of the biggest ‘fears’ around drawing attention to mental health in the workplace and starting to run anti-stigma activity is whether this will ‘open a can of worms’. Yet in reality, a significant number of people are experiencing mental health problems in every workplace, including yours. They just might not be speaking about it due to the perceived or real stigma and discrimination they might face in that environment. But we know that being able to talk about mental health, and being able to disclose a mental health problem if support is required, can directly help prevent absenteeism, can keep someone in work, and if reasonable adjustments are helpful, enable them to remain productive in their role. Lastly, it’s important to think about the signposts to support you can incorporate into your activities. This can help ensure that those experiencing mental health problems know where to go for support.
What have your key challenges been and how have you overcome them?
We’re interested to hear about the key challenges you have faced or are currently facing when delivering anti-stigma activity in your workplace and how you have overcome these.