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Our heads up on mental wellbeing

Mental wellbeing affects us every day, especially at work but we don’t often make it a priority or understand the connection with our physical health. Did you know people with a long-term physical condition are two to three times more likely to develop a mental health problem? 1

1 Mind - Mental health in primary care, June 2016

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That’s why we want to share our commitment. Listen to our business leaders for a heads up on mental wellbeing so you can get the conversation started with your team.

We aim to support both the mind and body with our business health insurance and have the most extensive mental health cover on the market, Bupa Mental Health Advantage ^.

Discover the three big changes we’ve made to our health insurance to create the Business Mental Health Advantage.

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^ As of July 2018 based on internally conducted research of the business health insurance market. Refers to standard mental health cover when this is included in the selected business health cover product.

We believe being open about mental wellbeing in the workplace is important. Everyone has an individual mental wellbeing journey and we want our teams to feel that they can share theirs. Here are three examples of Bupa employees sharing their personal mental wellbeing stories.

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    Supporting your team’s mental health: 10 tips for managers

    One in six of your team members are likely to be affected by a mental health problem at any given time.1 So as their line manager, how can you tell which of your staff might be in need of your support? While each of us has a responsibility for looking after our own mental health, managers can make a big difference by being aware of how their team might be feeling, and looking out signs that someone might benefit from assistance.

      1. Hold regular catch-ups

      Meeting regularly with your staff helps you to get to know one another better. This puts you in a good position to spot changes in their behaviour that may indicate a problem. It also gives your staff a chance to get to know you more closely, which may make them more comfortable about reaching out to you if a time comes when they need support.

      2. Learn more about mental health

      Strive to learn more about mental health. There are a range of conditions that people may experience. Reading up will help you to understand some of the potential signs of a mental health problem, and to approach conversations about mental health more confidently.

      3. Know the broad signs

      There’s not always a simple way to know that someone is experiencing poor mental health. Each mental health condition has a different set of potential symptoms, which can also vary from person to person. However, on a broader level, there are some general indicators that you can look out for. These include:

      • poor concentration
      • being easily distracted
      • worrying more
      • finding it hard to make decisions
      • feeling less interested in day-to-day activities
      • low mood
      • feeling overwhelmed by things
      • tearfulness
      • tiredness and lack of energy
      • talking less and avoiding social activities
      • talking more or talking very fast, jumping between topics and ideas
      • finding it difficult to control emotions
      • drinking more
      • irritability and short temper
      • aggression

      4. Don’t make assumptions

      Even when you understand some of the signs of poor mental health, this doesn’t mean you should make assumptions about what mental health problems your employees may have. Instead, use this knowledge as a way of noticing when you should check in and start a conversation about how your employee is coping right now. Let them lead the conversation and tell you more about how they feel, rather than making guesses or jumping to any conclusions.

      5. Create an open culture

      As a manager, you can work to create an environment where people feel like they can be open about problems they’re facing. This can help people feel able to tell you about difficulties they’re facing much earlier, before they reach a crisis situation. Be approachable and make it clear that you’re ready to meet with your team whenever they need you. Facilitating a fair and welcoming culture – for example, where there’s no place at all for bullying – is also really important for team morale and mental health.

      6. Be aware of workplace triggers

      Work can play a positive role in supporting good mental health, for example by helping people to feel fulfilled and valued, and providing a stable routine. But it can also trigger mental ill health by putting too much pressure on people.2

      Be aware of aspects of your workplace that may be putting undue stress on your team, for example:

      • long hours
      • unmanageable workloads
      • lack of control over work tasks
      • difficult relationships with colleagues

      When you’re trying to understand how your staff might be feeling, keep in mind whether they are facing any of these difficulties. If they are, they may be at risk of becoming stressed and having poorer mental health as a result.

      7. Promote and improve the support your organisation provides

      If people know that their employer provides mental health support, they may be more likely to open up about any problems and access help sooner. So make sure that your team know about any support available to them. This could include an employee assistance programme (EAP) if your organisation has one, or access to counselling. If no support is available, now is the time to introduce it.

      8. Lead by example

      Some of your team members might be afraid to speak up about their mental health problems in fear that it may be seen as a sign of weakness or failure. You can set an example for those around you. By colleagues in more senior positions sharing their own experiences of mental health, it can signal to others that it’s OK to be human. By showing that you understand, you may make it easier for them to ask for help and give them the courage to speak up.

      9. Invest in training

      Early intervention can play an important role in helping someone with a mental health problem in their recovery. So by teaching yourself and other managers how to spot the signs of mental health problems and how to help, you can help employees to get the help they need as soon as possible. Only around one in every four managers currently receive mental health training.3 So why not get ahead of the curve and arrange training for you and your fellow managers? This is offered by mental health organisations, including Mind.

      10. Look after your own mental health

      It’s crucial to look after your own mental health. Doing so will put you in a better position to offer support to others. Be aware of how you feel, especially at times when you have a heavy workload, and take steps to stay healthy. That might include eating well, exercising, and generally making time to relax and do things you enjoy outside of work.

      Reference

      • 1. How common are mental health problems? Mental health facts and statistics, Mind. www.mind.org.uk, accessed September 2018
      • 2. Managing and supporting mental health at work: disclosure tools for managers. Mind.www.mind.org.uk, published December 2011
      • 3. Business in the Community. Mental Health at Work Report 2017. National Employee Mental Wellbeing Survey Findings. wellbeing.bitc.org.uk, published 2017

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