04/02/2022
You’re not alone….trained Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA England)
There’s no doubt the major impact the pandemic has had on everyone, from social isolation, not being able to be with our family and friends or participate in many of the activities we enjoy, juggling social commitments, pressures of caring responsibilities, bereavement, physical and mental health issues, enduring multiple lockdowns, economic and financial challenges and unrelenting media information.
Then on top of these there are work-related worries; job security, balancing blurred boundaries between work and home-life, working from home, productivity concerns, using new technology, remote and hybrid working, isolation, reduced face-to-face communication and collaboration.
That’s why at B2P we’re ahead of the game by becoming qualified Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA England) to equip ourselves with the skills and confidence to spot the early signs and triggers.
There are various classifications of mental health conditions; depression, substance misuse, su***de, anxiety, eating and psychotic disorders, with each condition influenced or triggered by an in-balance between our mental, physical and social health.
The WHO (World Health Organisation) defines this as ‘the health triangle’ and advocates that having a good balance in all 3 areas is essential to living a healthy lifestyle. When the balance between them tips…..problems develop.
Spotting these in the workplace is challenging, as the signs and symptoms observed in colleagues will differ from person-to-person e.g. absenteeism, chronic fatigue, difficulty concentrating and/or making decisions, sadness and anxiety, loss of confidence, poor self-esteem, becoming withdrawn or weight loss/gain.
As it’s estimated we spend a whopping 60% of our waking hours at work, it’s essential our working policies and practices are not just aligned to this challenging landscape but ‘brought to life’ so they ‘walk the walk’ and can be reinforced by trained people-managers who themselves are comfortable addressing employee concerns.
The Office for National Statistics revealed 42% of adults reported high levels of anxiety. NHS Digital reports that mental health problems now account for almost 4 out of 10 Fit Notes and Mental Health Charity MIND stated ‘this has all had a catastrophic effect on employee’s well-being’ and warns that this could result in a ‘second pandemic’ of mental ill-health.
Forthcoming legislation changes are also supporting workplace health concerns with on-going consultations for Flexible Working requests to become a ‘day one’ right and a bill to consider making Mental Health First Aider training a legal requirement in the workplace.
If you would like to read more or would like further information, our full Mental Health & Wellbeing article is available at: https://breakthrough2performance.co.uk/newsroom/
