The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has joined forces with MIND to launch guidance to help managers support good mental health at work.
The People Managers’ Guide to Mental Health aims to help managers facilitate conversations about stress and poor mental health.
It also provides information on how to spot the warning signs of poor mental health and how to offer the right support early on.
The guide follows recent CIPD research which found that less than 1 in 3 organisations (32%) train line managers to support staff with poor mental health.
According to the professional body, mental ill health is now the primary cause of long-term sickness absence for over one in five (22%) UK organisations. A recent Mind survey of over 44,000 employees also found that only 2 in 5 (42%) felt their manager would be able to spot the signs if they were struggling with poor mental health.
“Mental health is still the elephant in the room in most workplaces, and a culture of silence can have a damaging impact on a business as well as individuals,” said the CIPD’s Rachel Suff.
“This can include an escalation of someone’s condition as well as higher levels of sickness absence, presenteeism, turnover, conflict, and disengagement. There’s also the risk of potential legal action from employees who feel discriminated against,” added Ms Suff.
“The role of line managers in employee well-being is vital. They are often the first port of call for someone needing help and are most likely to see warning signs of poor mental health among employees. With the right capabilities and tools in place, they will have the ability and confidence to have sensitive conversations, intervene when needed, and signpost to the right support when needed.”
“The positive impact that this can have on people’s well-being is enormous, but the business will also reap the benefits of happier, healthier, more engaged and productive employees.”
To download a free copy of the guide, please click here:
https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/culture/well-being/mental-health-support-report
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