In recognition of National Stress Awareness Day, PruHealth has published a list of what it believes are the top ten actions employers can do to address mental health problems.
1. Early intervention: It is much better to provide preventative measures rather than waiting until employees are already stressed and things have progressed to a point when more radical treatment is required. Health risk assessment tools can educate staff on their own health status and identify health risks and receive advice.
2. Eat well: People who feel unhealthy are less able to cope with stress and some foods and drinks such as a high caffeine intake can increase stress. Consider healthy eating advice and campaigns on the importance of following a healthy diet. Ensuring healthy foods and alternatives are offered at any onsite food vendors can help too.
3. Move it: Exercise can improve mental health, self-esteem and self-image. Encourage exercise through provision of an onsite gym and exercise facilities or membership, cycle to work schemes, internal sports clubs or physical activity programmes.
4. Help staff make space: Muscles carry tension and by releasing it staff can feel better physically, mentally and emotionally - introduce onsite massage facilities or encourage employees to take their lunch breaks and eat their lunch away from their desk.
5. Help staff take action: One of the most frequently used tools in the UK is cognitive behavioural therapy which can help staff learn how to address issues by changing the way they think about them (cognitive) and how to act upon them (behavioural).
6. Working premises: Give consideration to the working environment to ensure that people feel wellbeing from the moment they walk through the door.
7. Beat addictive behaviour: Help staff who develop unhealthy behaviours due to stress by introducing alcohol and substance abuse intervention programmes, smoking cessation programmes or weight management classes.
8. Time management: Help staff manage their time effectively to reduce stress at home and in the workplace and free up more time to relax.
9. Training: Ensure line managers are trained not only on how to identify the signs of stress in employees, but also on how to approach employees who are suffering from stress.
10. Connect: Ensure staff know who to approach if they are under pressure or having problems. Regular one-to-one meetings with line managers can help them raise issues and request help in managing workloads and enable them to talk things through to help put them into perspective.
PruHealth head of clinical vitality Dr Katie Tryon said: "The first step to dealing with stress and mental illness is recognising it exists and how common it is.
"Mental health remains a taboo subject and this is the biggest barrier. Early intervention and putting the right coping mechanisms in place are very important to nip symptoms in the bud, which is why awareness amongst individuals and employers alike is critical.
"It's been a difficult year and added pressures within the workplace means they're a breeding ground for stress, resulting in more and more days lost due to work-related ill health.
"There is strong link between a healthy workforce and a healthy bottom line and National Stress Awareness Day is a great opportunity for employers to recognise the wellbeing of their staff, either by facilitating stress-busting activities or seeking further information on how to implement a longer-term wellbeing plan."
