It's World Mental Health Day. It feels like awareness is rising and many people have started talking more about mental health. Now we need to really walk that talk. Increasingly organisations grasp the theory ('mental wellbeing in our workplaces really matters') but some still fall short on the practice.
If the message employees are hearing about their employer's "100% commitment to the mental health and wellbeing of our workforce" doesn't fit with their lived experience on the ground, then the message is seriously undermined.
To be blunt - the lunchtime yoga class doesn't mean much to someone who hasn't been home before midnight for the last three nights.
And managerial mutterings about 'that snowflake' who is 'playing the stress card' do huge amounts of damage.
Many individuals - even where their organisation does have a strong policy on mental health at work - say they still wouldn't raise it if they had an issue because they believe it would have a negative impact on their career. There's a disconnect between what the employer is saying and what individuals believe. It's about trust and reinforcing the message in the lived experience that people see.
There's some great resources.
And of course our website!
The theme for World Mental Health Day 2017 is workplace wellbeing. So whether you're an individual looking to boost your own wellbeing or an employer seeking advice on supporting your staff, we've got a range of ways you can get involved.
Related Articles
Stress is not just in the workplace – implementing a wellbeing Strategy should involve thinking outside the box
Conflict and mental health
Professionals need to spend more time looking after themselves, rather than always putting others first.
Forbes: Tackling loneliness in remote working
Our expert Amanda Okill tells Forbes what actions organisations and individuals can take.
