Isabella Goldie
Director of Development and Delivery
M e n t a l H e a l t h A t W o r k
A P r e v e n t i o n A p p r o a c h
• Our vision is for a world with good mental health for all
• Our mission is to help people understand, protect, and sustain their mental health
Prevention is the key to achieving this
Wo r k a n d M e n t a l H e a l t h
• Employment is a key factor in individual fulfilment, bringing autonomy, pride and
confidence to individuals, families and communities.
• In our childhood living in a workless households increases risk of material
poverty (Unicef 2007), and a poor start in the early years can influence early
ambitions and motivation to work (McDaid and Park 2011).
• As adults in the workforce, employment is the main source of income, a
determinant of social status and a key source of vital social networks (DWP,
2008).
• In later life previous working life often determines our ability to support ourselves
financially and socially in retirement.
63% of those with mental illness in work, with 47% full time and 16% part
time
Meltzer et al, 2002
Cos ts
• OECD estimate the cost of poor mental health to the UK economy at £70
billion per year, equating to 4.5% of GDP.
• Mental ill health at work is thought to cost UK employers £26 billion each
year – on average £1,035 per employee (BITC, 2014) Presenteeism may
cost twice as much as absenteeism.
NICE estimates that that effective management of mental health in an UK
organisation with 100 employees could save £250,000 per year overall
(National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, 2009)
But there is more to it than the bottom line for modern business…
Ev idence Base
• Absenteeism, reduced productivity at work and staff turnover/retirement due to mental ill-health have a significant impact on productivity and competitiveness
(Jane Llopis et al 2011, Robertson and Cooper 2011)
• Successful interventions to promote wellbeing, prevent and manage mental health problems in the workplace involve a combination of actions at an organisational level and measures targeted at individuals.
(Robertson and Cooper, 2011, Teixeira et al, 2010, Sahler et al 2009)
‘Stress can be viewed as an interaction between
individuals and their environment, and measures
for overcoming the negative effects of stress
should focus on both the workplace and the
individual ‘
(David McDaid,
London School of Economics, 2008).
3 Reasons
1. It’s the law! – the Equality Act requires you to make reasonable
adjustments and HSE require risk assessments for employers with 5
or more employees
2. It will save money! - there is an economic argument around
absenteeism and presenteeism
3. It’s the right thing to do! - Over all there is a strong moral reason –
many people with mental health problems encounter barriers to
employment and discrimination in work and a result encounter
proportionately higher levels of socio-economic disadvantage.
1:4 people experience mental health problems, 1:6 each week and 1 : 6 will be in
employment - no one is immune so collectively we need to create a fairer society
P r e v e n t i o n a t W o r k
Indicated
Supporting staff who experience mental health problems to recover, thrive and develop in work,
reducing relapse.
Selective Recognising the needs of staff /customers at additional risk and
supporting accordingly
Universal
Supporting workplaces to maximise mental health and wellbeing across business,
staff and communities of operation/influence
The Experience of Stress and Pressure
Job Satisfaction
Political Management
Crisis Management Managing High Performing Individuals
and Teams
Managing High Achievers
Work/Life Balance
Presenteeism
Performance Management
Appraisal
Managing Poor Performance
Bullying
The Effect of Change
Fear of Job Cuts
Firefighting
Saying No to Others
Managing Your Own Mental Health as a Manager
Example Setting
Awareness of Actions
Shielding
Human Resources and Occupational Health
Support
Employee Assistance Programme
Availability of HR advice
Leadership
Need for this to be taken on at highest levels
Culture change and tradition
Managing for
Maximum
Performance
Commissioned to develop five short films to be
accessible, transferable, evidence based and
suitable for diverse workforce
Viewed by over 7,000 managers to date
Royal Mail Group – Feeling First Class
http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/blog/first-class-mental-health
Virgin Trains West Coast
• Pioneering 2 year charity
partnership
– Building Community Action
– Skills Sharing
– Staff and Customer
Engagement
– Fundraising
– Staff Development
COPE Values
Compassionate
Open
Proud
Engaged
https://www.virgin.com/virgin-unite/what-virgin-trains-are-doing-combat-mental-health-stigma-workplace
Core set of values
adopted by Virgin
Trains to underpin their
staff engagement
around mental health
during the partnership
FOUNDATION
AWARENESS
Recognising Distress
Being There For Someone
Taking Care of Yourself
Facing Everyday
Challenges
Standing Against Stigma
What Work Can Do to
Help
T r a i n i n g
Foundation Awareness
Modular, evidence based MH awareness training.
PRESUME
for Managers
Scenario based active learning for Managers
I n c r e a s i n g R e a c h
• Shared production of resources and activities
• Extension of PR reach on key topics
• Research collaborations
www.bemindfulonline.com
“The Be Mindful course at GE fills an important
space in our Mindful Leaders curriculum. Its
structured content means it sits half way
between a typical 8 week teacher led, in-
person class and a digital app, offering the
benefits of both. The pre and post program
questionnaires offer our participants valuable
insight into their own self-development”
Deborah Jeremiah,
General Electric (Worldwide)
M i n d f u l n e s s i n W o r k R e c o v e r y
26%
Reduced Fatigue
25%
Decreased Rumination
33%
Improved Sleep Quality
• Randomised, waitlist control
trial of Be Mindful at work,
focusing on recovery factors
(post performance)
• Examined key areas of
mindfulness to determine
success
• Acting with awareness
• Describing
• Non-Judging
• Non-Reacting
• Maintained effects at 3 and
6 months, mainly due to
‘acting with awareness’
Querstret, D., Cropley, M., & Fife-Schaw, C. (2016, April 7). Internet-Based Instructor-Led Mindfulness for Work-Related Rumination, Fatigue, and Sleep: Assessing Facets of Mindfulness as Mechanisms of Change. A Randomized Waitlist Control Trial.
Journal of Occupational Health Psychology. Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000028
www.bemindfulonline.com
The course includes:
Designed to be completed over 8 weeks. May be completed in as little
as 4.
10 interactive videos/ exercises led by leading
mindfulness trainers
12 assignments to practise in daily life, with
supporting emails
Online questionnaires and outcome measures for change in depression,
anxiety and stress
(PHQ9, GAD7, PSS)
Course handouts to download or print out
5 mindfulness and guided meditation audio
downloads
Online tools for reviewing progress in practising
mindfulness in daily life
C O N TA C T
Isabella GoldieDirector of Development
and Delivery
Chris O’SullivanHead of Business Development
and Engagement
Mental Health Foundation
http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/mental-health-
workplace
Be Mindful
www.bemindful.co.uk
Mental Health on the Go
http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/mental-health-on-the-go-leaflet/
How to Look After Your Mental Health
http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/how-to-mental-health/
Managing and Reducing Stress
http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/how-to-stress/
Wellbeing Podcasts
http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/help-information/podcasts/
NICE Pathway on Promoting MHWB at work
http://pathways.nice.org.uk/pathways/promoting-mental-wellbeing-at-work