How to support employees with a mental health condition

Give employees ample opportunity to discuss any concerns or problems with you, and try to make yourself available for any ad-hoc issues. Although it’s unintentional, turning an employee away could add to their woes. In addition, make sure the employee feels comfortable approaching you. The last thing you want is employees bottling things up for fear of coming to you. This will leave them feeling isolated and could result in their condition increasing in severity.

If practicable, you could allow the employee to switch to flexible working. This can take the pressure off, and could help with things like:

• Making appointments
• Mornings where employees struggle to face the outside world
• Bad days where they simply can’t come to work, but are able to make the hours up another time.

Another option could be to allow employees to work from home every now and then. Not having to face the work environment – and everything it entails – could relieve stress for some.

It’s important not to go too far and start micro-managing – this can be counter-productive, but extra support and/or supervision can be really reassuring.

To keep on top of things, you could kickstart weekly catch-ups, where you discuss and monitor the employee’s workload, ask how they’re doing, assess how current adjustments are panning out, and see whether or not any new ones need putting in place.

For things like sickness absence and last minute appointments, if you can, you could offer leniency so that employees aren’t worrying or stressing over their attendance and appointment schedules.

The relaxation element can apply to other areas too. For example, some employees who are suffering from mental ill-health may find strict deadlines daunting. Could you offer them additional support to help with this?

Sometimes, something as simple as a workspace that’s open to more natural light or less background noise can help put employees at ease. The former could be particularly beneficial for those with seasonal depression.

Let’s use an employee who suffers from anxiety as an example. Part of their role is to give group presentations once a week. Previously, they were fine with this, however, now, just the thought of standing up in front of a group fills them with anxiety. Could you temporarily reallocate this part of their position?

If you do, do this, it’s important to ensure the employee knows the change isn’t permanent or negative. You could even consider giving them additional responsibility – that they’re comfortable with as a replacement.

We’re not suggesting that you’re not already, but try and be more most positive and constructive with your feedback. If an employee is already having a bad day, negative feedback could be a real setback.

To break the stigma around mental health and encourage employees to talk to each other, you could instigate a support group. Employees may find it comforting to know they’re not alone, or the only one struggling.

If you’re worried employees won’t want to open up in front of others, consider reinforcing your message – that mental health conditions are nothing to be ashamed of and that employees are not alone – in alternative ways. This could be via posters, emails or anonymous forums, for example.

If you don’t have the provision to support employees in-house, make them aware of external resources – like Remploy, Mind or the NHS, to name just a few.

An Employee Assistance Programme is an external service which can support your colleagues through difficult periods in their physical or mental health. It can be a valuable backup to the changes that you make in your own workplace.