Written by Nicki Pritchard, Managing Partner, Anderson Quigley
Are we seeing a mental health crisis in our workplaces? Recent research shows young Britons feel unable to work at least one day a week due to mental health problems. Poor mental health has a detrimental impact on all aspects of people’s lives and must be treated with seriousness and compassion.
There is a plethora of wellbeing strategies on offer that companies can adopt, from mindfulness workshops to professional counselling or coaching services. All of these have a place and can have great benefits to teams, and yet at Anderson Quigley we have found the initiatives that work are not always the most costly but can be the simplest and cheapest.
Getting mental health initiatives right starts with the recruitment process. At Anderson Quigley we provide global executive search and interim management solutions. We spend our days helping organisations hire the right people so we hope we’ve got our own hiring nailed down.
We want candidates to understand the culture of the company before they join us. How do we do this? We ensure prospective talent meets and interviews with a number of the existing team giving them a chance to ask different questions of different people and to get a feel for the culture. We also spend time creating Q&A’s with team members to give a real insight into what it is like to work here, including a run down of their average work day. Having a tool like this means candidates don’t have to guess what a culture might be like based on what they can find out about our company online, they can find out first hand from the people who work here.
Candidates should have an understanding of the culture and if it is the right fit for them as they move through the recruitment process. Where and how we work has an impact on our mental health. It is vital to know if the organisation supports flexible hours, favours remote or in person working or if there is an expectation to be in the pub on a Thursday night. All of these things feed into a candidate’s decision to take a job and if they’ll be happy in the role when they get it.
Like many organisations we have flexible and hybrid working options which supports the mental health of our team. Our policy has always been to empower the team to work wherever they choose as long as the job is done. The ability to govern their own day helps with juggling responsibilities and commitments outside of work too.
Another point we always spend time considering is our management structure when a new employee joins. A line manager can make or break someone’s work experience. It’s an important relationship, one in which difficult conversations are had and where employees should feel comfortable to seek extra support should they need it.
We think carefully about matching new team members with a line manager. Logistically it might be easier to assign based on workload and seniority, which of course comes into it, but having a line manager who gels with an employee is very important to consider. Having a line manager who specifically suits an employee and supports them in their role can make a mammoth difference to mental health.
Another asset which businesses should consider having is an internal mental health website. Our website provides employees with a huge number of resources. We developed the site with the knowledge and expertise of mental health charities who also delivered our mental health at work team training. As part of this work, we signed the Mental Health at Work Commitment which set out six clear standards on the best practices needed to truly make a difference.
On the site employees can access a number of resources including a wellness action plan, a list of helplines should anyone need crisis support, as well as details on the mental health support that is available as part of their healthcare insurance. This hub works in tandem with the individual help and support they receive from their line manager and the wider team.
Lastly, creating an open environment at work where employees feel comfortable to ask for support or share their worries and concerns is no easy feat. But it starts with the most senior members of the team who should lead by example. For example, if a senior member of the team is comfortable saying in a meeting, “sorry I’m not firing on all cylinders today” it helps to create an understanding, compassionate environment. All teams have days when things might not go to plan but how a manager handles set backs sets the tone for the rest of the organisation.
To create a workplace that prioritises employees, mental health policies must constantly evolve, as the company itself grows and changes. Needless to say, the initiatives that suit and work for one team might vary wildly from another. What is important is to spend time considering how to make the organisation a place that supports every employee regardless.
