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John Batteson

March 23rd, 2021

Talking minds: mental health in the workplace

1 comment | 3 shares

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

John Batteson

March 23rd, 2021

Talking minds: mental health in the workplace

1 comment | 3 shares

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

To recognise University Mental Health Day and our ongoing commitment to supporting students, we ran a panel with alum and other employer representatives to discuss the important issue of mental health in the workplace, chaired by Viki Chinn, LSE Careers Consultant for disabled students.

We were joined by Somayeh Rahimi (Cancer Research), Angelina Grant (Finastra), Beth Robotham (Goldman Sachs), Arjan Bains (KPMG) and Siri Nomme (Norton Rose Fulbright) who spoke passionately about the issue of mental health and the various initiatives in place to support people with conditions. They also provided details about what their organisations do to raise awareness, reduce stigma and support employees and applicants with mental health conditions, and they had encouraging messages for students who are about to take the next step in their careers.

Organisations are doing much more on mental health, which is really good to see

Organisations have taken huge steps forward on the issue of mental health. Individuals are encouraged to speak about the challenges they face through a range of initiatives and conversations about mental health are taking place openly, in knowledgeable and supportive environments.

Some initiatives appear to be common practice; organisations who are genuinely committed to improving the mental health of their workforce typically have employee assistance programmes with confidential counselling services, financial advice and in some cases private health coverage where appointments can be made at short notice. Mental health first aiders are also being trained to support colleagues and senior leaders are given guidance on how to approach team members who may be suffering from a mental health issue. Internal mental health networks are also set up which help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and influence organisation wide policies.

The panel also gave us the chance to learn about other practical action’s organisations have taken to support employees. A couple of organisations have wellbeing days where employees are encouraged to disconnect from work and emails for the day and spend time with friends and family to help them recharge. Another has inserted a help button on work laptops and mobiles which is directed to a one stop shop with sources for help – understanding if an individual is feeling stressed or anxious, the last thing they need is to worry about where they can find the required support.

There are also wider programmes in place which shapes the approach organisations are taking. Some have joined the City Mental Health Alliance (CMHA) which brings organisations together to collaborate, share ideas and help members build mentally healthy workplaces. Some have signed the Time to Change Employer Pledge which comes with an action plan and keeps organisations honest about the initiatives they’re going to put in place. One panellist spoke about how their organisation signed the pledge at their Christmas party in front of 700 employees because they wanted to normalise the process of their people speaking about their mental health.

Approaching disclosure and adjustments

Organisations need to make employees and candidates feel comfortable disclosing their condition. Doing so is a personal and delicate matter and individuals need to have confidence that their situation will be handled confidentially and with discretion.

The advice from the panel was that students should speak to organisations they are considering applying to as soon as they feel comfortable doing so. Recruitments teams and HR can’t read minds but if they know about a person’s situation or circumstances, then adjustments can be made through the application process or in the workplace. Equal opportunities employers pledge not to discriminate against employees based on race, colour, religion, sex, origin, age or disability and this pledge is often extended to candidates in the application process.

Employers typically ask candidates if any adjustments can be made at the start of the application process. One panellist spoke about a personal situation and realised they could have got better support if they had spoken about it earlier. They encouraged students to tell employers about their circumstances at the start of the process, saying “if they don’t know, they can’t help”.

Mutual benefits of a mentally healthy workplace

Employees with mental health conditions aren’t the only beneficiaries of a more supportive work environment. Our panellists shared insights into how they have seen organisations improve. Individuals opening up about mental health issues helps break down hierarchies and barriers. Conversations now take place between colleagues from different backgrounds and at all levels, making the workplace more personable and resulting in more inclusive environments.

Organisations have learnt the issues people face are not the same, everyone has their own strengths and teams often want as much diversity as possible. One panellist made the point that a person with a disability may need less support than someone without one. It is more important the individual is ambitious and has a positive attitude when approaching a task.

Organisations are also recognising the opportunities that could arise from the adjusting work practises that have become common over the last year. Most want to retain the flexibility that has come from remote working and recognise the physical work environment is sometimes unhelpful when people are suffering or recovering from short or long term illnesses. Hybrid working models will most likely be adopted after restrictions ease to provide people with the best work environments for them to succeed.

When we’re at our best, we give our best

Our speakers concluded the event by providing some final pieces of advice for students:

  • Accept yourself, place your mental health at the highest priority and don’t spend time trying to be someone you’re not.
  • Don’t underestimate yourself and overestimate your problems. Take a chance and give something a go – the worst thing that can happen is it doesn’t work out, but you’ll never know if you don’t try.
  • Don’t suffer in silence, people want to support and see individuals fulfil their potential – “when we’re at our best, we give our best”.

There is more information for disabled students on our website, which includes resources for disclosure, reasonable adjustments, and legal questions. Alternatively, please contact Viki Chinn (V.E.Chinn@lse.ac.uk) if you have any further careers related queries.

Please refer to the LSE Student Counselling Service if you want to book a counselling appointment or require more urgent mental health support.

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About the author

John Batteson

Employer Engagement Adviser at LSE Careers

Posted In: Featured | Healthcare and wellbeing | Job hunting

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