Written by Nathan Morihovitis, HR Consultant at Melbourne HR
Take a moment to think about the topic of tough conversations in the workplace, generally people will answer with - performance, disputes, mistakes, warnings and ultimately termination. A significantly misunderstood conversation is about addressing Mental Health Problems, and this doesn’t only relate to the workplace.
A sensitive subject for most - I cannot emphasise enough how greatly misunderstood these mental health problems are and that those who are impacted are often stigmatised because of this. If you look at the statistics, 45% of Australians will suffer from a type of mental health problem throughout their life. Now let’s look at that figure from a workplace perspective, that’s nearly one in two employees.
Now I ask, do you honestly think you could identify which of your colleagues are suffering from mental health? Most likely no. Mental health will always be a prevalent issue, but it’s how we identify and help these individuals which is important.
In this blog I want to take a personal deep dive into:
The common types of mental health problems
The importance of open communication within the workplace
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What is Mental Health in the Workplace?
Firstly, let’s clearly define this issue:
Mental health in the workplace’ can be defined as “an employees’ psychological, emotional, and social well-being within a shared work environment.
It doesn’t matter if you are male or female, young or old, or work an office job or in construction, these mental health problems can happen to anyone. I was lucky enough to talk anonymously to two people that have faced different mental health problems in the workplace, and I want to share their narratives with you.
“As a retail worker, I was often posed and made fun of for my colour and this makes you feel small. Normally I can easily look past this and put a brave face on, but when you are having a bad day, these are the things you think of, and it can be damaging. It is hard to talk to people who haven’t faced the same sort of thing.”
“Personally I have found the workplace to be a major triggering point for my mental health. I have been lucky to have great support network at work, it allows me to comfortably open up when I’m feeling down. My network gives me the opportunity to speak about how I am feeling or take a break to clear my head. They are really understanding.”
In comparison these examples are just grains of sand compared to the millions of mental health problems around the world. Some people are lucky enough to have that support, whilst others will suffer on their own.
Types of Mental Health Problems
Let’s dive into the common types of mental health problems an individual can face and how these problems can impact the workplace.
Depression
The most common mental health problem, depression, can affect 1 in 16 Australians every year. Depression not only influences how you feel, but also how you think, behave, and interact with other people.
Employees are more inclined to hide their symptoms in the workplace due to fear of losing their job and they tend to feel like their workplaces do not offer adequate mental health support options. This shouldn’t be the case.
Anxiety
It is normal to feel anxious time to time, but for some people this anxious feeling never goes away. It is that feeling of rapid breathing, butterflies in the stomach, a pounding heart rate and those excessive fears that are around all the time.
Anxiety is seen as the most prominent mental health problem in the workplace, due to feeling stressed and burnout out from their work.
Stress
Often perplexed with anxiety, stress is not a diagnosable illness. It is normal for employees and everyday humans to feel stressed; everyone will experience it at one stage or another. It’s when this stress is sustained for a long period of time an individual’s mental health will deteriorate. There is a direct link with high stress levels and increased risk of depression and anxiety.
There is a metaphor I like to use when I think of these mental health problems that being ‘the snowball effect’, they start at a small state of significance and eventually build upon themselves to become larger and potentially dangerous or disastrous to the individual.
Once these problems reach a large state of significance, they will then impact the workplace. Some of these implications include:
Change in behaviour
Absenteeism
Loss of concentration
Productivity issues
Dividing the workplace
Which brings me to my next point.
Importance of open communication within the workplace
Workplace wellbeing should be one of our top priorities; so, we need to ensure that employees do not feel isolated and alone within the workplace. The first course of action to prevent the implications listed above is to understand the importance of open and transparent communication in the workplace.
Tough conversations are not an unfamiliar scenario for some. Everyone has experienced one in some way, shape or form, however, starting a conversation about mental health can be daunting and most of the time people feel challenged and awkward doing it.
I want to share with you some tips to how you can create a more open and transparent workplace when it comes to talking about mental health:
Identifying the purpose – firstly, before even starting the conversation think about what the objective of the discussion is, there is no point going in unprepared. Think about the potential issues at hand and resolutions. Talk about the changes you’ve noticed and ask if they want to talk about anything.
There is a place and time – the environment in which the conversation is taken place can alter how comfortable a person is when opening up. A private place where you both have time to talk is highly recommended.
Finding the right person – not everyone is a professional or qualified when it comes to talking about mental health. It is important to choose the right person for the conversation, this is usually someone in a HR department, direct management, or someone external. Ensure you can trust and respect this person.
Keeping in touch – at the conclusion of your conversation you may think your job is over, but this isn’t the case. Checking in regularly is crucial, find regular moments to chat about the weekend, a favourite hobby or just ask how things are going. These simple and informal conversations show you care and are interested in what the person is going through.
Nobody is perfect when it comes to tough conversations, follow these tips and you’ll find yourself confident enough to help people out.
Remember, you don’t need to be a professional to help save someone’s life, mental health is a disease that still has so many unanswered questions.
Understanding the different types of mental health problems and being confident in talking to someone about them is the first step to a healthier workplace.
I urge you all to reach out to family, friends, colleagues or even a stranger and check in on them. They may look happy on the outside, but you don't know how they are on the inside.
There is nothing wrong with talking and opening up. Make sure you take care of yourselves, cherish your loved ones, and keep them close.
Watch our latest q&a with the team at melbourne hr regarding mental health in the workplace.
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Nathan Morihovitis is a HR Consultant at Melbourne HR.
Edited by Toby Pronstroller, Digital Marketing Coordinator at Melbourne HR.