Mental Health in the Workplace Interview with Andrew Berrie MIND As employees, and employers, constantly adapt and shift to fit business needs and economic markets, it is quite easy to forget about our mental health and the importance of maintaining it. We thought that spring would be a great time to chat with Andrew Berrie, head of Workplace Wellbeing at Mind, the mental health charity. Andrew is the head of Workplace Wellbeing at Mind, the mental health charity. Responsible for Mind’s support for employers, Andrew is there to support people in work, and their employers to create mentally healthy workplaces. “I oversee Mind’s workplace products and services and the creation of new guides and support resources such as Mind’s Wellness Action Plans.” We wanted to know a bit more about best practice when it comes to mental health in the workplace, so we asked Andrew: Could you talk about the importance of setting up good mental health practices? Good mental health is vitally important in the workplace. The pandemic has had a significant impact on the wellbeing of the nation, and now more than ever people need support to keep them mentally well. We spend a huge amount of time at work and it can and does have an impact on our mental health. Issues like stress, anxiety and depression are common in all workplaces, regardless of size or sector.
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A Mind survey of 40,000 staff working across 114 organisations taking part in Mind’s Workplace Wellbeing Index (2020/21) revealed the impact that coronavirus has had on employees. Two in five (41 per cent) told us their mental health had worsened during the pandemic. What’s
more, the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) estimates that 41% of employees experienced mental health symptoms caused or worsened by work in 2020 (up from 36% in 2018) – so even before the pandemic mental health at work was an issue that needed addressing.
The Centre for Mental Health estimates 8.5 million adults will need support for anxiety, depression, PTSD and other mental health problems following the pandemic. This is equivalent to 1 in 5 of all adults in England and Wales. That is 1 in 5 employees who may need support in the workplace. The scale of the issue and the need for support underscores the importance of setting up good mental health practices. Good practices are supportive of employee mental health and wellbeing, and for the employer its good for business. When you factor in the mental health toll of the pandemic and subsequent cost of living crisis, it’s clear that employers must invest in promoting and protecting the wellbeing of their staff. What are the main causes of poor mental health within the workplace?