Happiness at Work

The key to tackling mental health problems?

The equation seems simple; a healthy workforce equates to a happy workforce which results in a more productive and successful organisation. This is good for society and the country’s economy. However in reality the picture is bleak, suggesting that this formulae is neither being understood nor utilised.

Unfortunately, poor mental health is not uncommon in today’s society. In Britain, one in four adults will experience a diagnosable mental health problem in any one year, despite the UK being one of the richest countries in the developed world. Whilst wealth does not necessarily lead to happiness, having a good standard of living, access to free healthcare, can certainly improve a society’s wellbeing. However, not so surprisingly, 80 percent of people with a mental health problem believe that their condition is associated to work related problems. Does this imply that employers do not understand the equation mentioned above? Or are they so intent on achieving their outcomes that they choose to ignore it, not realising that the long term affects of poor mental health can be catastrophic for society. 

With one in six working Britons experiencing a mental health issue at any one time, including depression, anxiety or stress - more needs to be done to address these unsettling statistics.

In the run up to Mental Health Awareness Week (12^th – 18^th May) two significant, and timely, documents have been published; a survey by Depression Alliance revealing that a third of people struggle to cope at work due to stress/exhaustion, and a report entitled “Depression in the Workplace in Europe: new insights from business leaders", which makes the argument that employers need to be more responsible for the wellbeing of their employees and the benefits this has on the country’s economy and society as a whole.

At any one time in Britain one worker in six will be experiencing depression, anxiety or problems relating to stress. Among people who describe their mental health as poor, 80% say this is at least in part a result of problems at work

The report, which was published at the end of April, suggests that mental health problems are the leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting 350 million people. More over, depression disproportionally affects adults of working ages and the financial impact on business and the economy is profound. Recent figures, from the London Schools of Economics and Political Science and King’s College London, shows that the annual cost of depression to European businesses is a staggering £77 billion. This is directly a result of lost productivity.

Presenteeism, as identified in the report, can be as detrimental to the organisation and the individual, as much as absenteeism, if not more. In the UK, it is believed that 1.5 times as much work is lost through presenteeism as absenteeism for mental health conditions. This can be attributed to two reasons; firstly, employees with depression also experience cognitive symptoms (difficulty concentrating, indecisiveness and forgetfulness) up to 94% of the time, hindering their performance in the workplace. Secondly, employees are reluctant to take time off work, even when they need to, due to fear of losing their job or demotion, which could compromise their finances. This therefore fuels their stress and can augment and prolong existing mental health conditions. 

In the UK it is argued that 1.5 times as much work is lost through presenteeism as absenteeism for mental health conditions

Time off work or reduced productivity at work can 

affect finances and push people into debt

Having a mental health problem can impact all aspects of our every day life including our relationships with family, friends and colleagues. The Depression Alliance survey which involved 1,200 people, found that 83 percent affected by a mental health problem at work also experienced isolation or loneliness. However, only half of those feeling depressed or lonely confided in a colleague, yet a large proportion who did, reported to have felt better.

Mental health problems can affect any of us, however, in spite of this, there is a widespread lack of awareness, especially in the workplace, of how to recognise the signs and support people. Colleagues and managers may not know how, or feel confident, in supporting someone with a mental health condition, and moreover may not be aware what, if any, the companies policy is on mental health. The report stated that the majority of workplaces (78% in the UK), do not have a formal mental health policy in place and would most likely benefit from reviewing how they deal with depression. Not surprisingly, many employees are reluctant to inform their managers if they know that they have a problem due to fear of facing prejudice or stigmatisation. This of course can escalate feelings of isolation.

Chief Executive of Depression Alliance, Emer O'Neill says, "Depression is the biggest mental health challenge among working-age people and often leads to considerable loneliness and isolation at work. However, many companies aren't properly equipped to manage employees who suffer from depression so providing support to these individuals in the workplace is essential”.

Who’s responsibility is it anyway?

We are all susceptible to experiencing a mental health problem. Research suggests that around 50 percent of our mental health can be attributed to our genetics and environment, but the remaining can be altered by our activities and steps we take in life to protect our mental health. With such a high percentage of mental health problems related to work (it is where we spend the majority of our adult life) more needs to done to protect the mental health and wellbeing of employees. Employers therefore should create a supportive environment that reduces the taboo around mental health, but also implement strategic health and wellbeing plans with the sole intention of protecting their workforce and providing managers and colleagues with the knowledge and tools to deal with mental health appropriately and effectively.   

The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) is a strong advocate of improving the health and mental wellbeing of the population, through the creation of health champions and workplace health and wellbeing champions. Our new national Level 2 Award in Mental Wellbeing qualification, seeks to equip people with practical skills they can incorporate in their every day lives to improve and protect mental health. When people have good mental health, they can lead more fulfilling lives, can solve problems and are more productive.

For more information, on the Mental Wellbeing qualification and how it can be adapted for your organisation, please contact Gina Mohajer gmohajer@rsph.org.uk.

Useful Links:

NHS Choices Helpline

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/Pages/mental-health-helplines.aspx

Depression in the Workplace: A report featuring new insights from business leaders

http://targetdepressiondotcom.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/target-report_final.pdf

Mental Health Foundation

http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/

Photo by Sina Bahrami

Men's Health Week 2013: breaking the mental health stigma  

This year Men’s Health Week, led by the Men’s Health Forum, aims to tackle the stigma attached to men’s mental health and encourage more men to seek professional help.

It is understood that although equivalent numbers of men and women suffer from mental ill health, men are far less likely to receive diagnosis and treatment, because of their reluctance/hesitance to seek professional health advice.  Statistics from the Men’s Health Forum highlighted that in the UK, three in four suicides are committed by men and that around 4,500 men kill themselves each year.

The distressing truth is that men are not as comfortable talking about their feelings and are even more ashamed to admit that they may be feeling depressed/stressed/anxious, in fear that they will appear weak amongst their peers. As a result, men often suffer alone or indulge in high risk behaviour such as drinking and drugs as a coping mechanism, which can be equally as detrimental to their health.

Martin Tod, CEO of the Men’s Health Forum said; “If all men could talk about how they were feeling with confidence, I don’t think we’d be looking at horrific figures like these. Whatever the problem, your GP has heard it before. Don’t bottle it up”.

Shirley Cramer CBE, Chief Executive RSPH, says “the messages being raised in Men’s Health Week are vital, mental health is too often seen as a taboo subject especially amongst men. Good mental health is more than just the absence of mental illness and in addition to preventing and treating mental illness we should be actively promoting positive mental health. A key aspect of this is individuals feeling they can discuss their feelings and can ask for help.”

At the RSPH we strongly advocate the importance of maintaining good mental health. In our Mental Health report, we outlined the many harmful affects that poor mental health can have on the individual, on their family and society as a whole. In order to understand the importance of good mental health and ways this can be achieved, we have developed a new qualification in Understanding Mental Health and Wellbeing Level 2 Award. The interactive training day promotes the positive impacts of good mental health, as well as providing practical skills and knowledge of the measures that can be taken to prevent and protect against mental ill health. For more information on our training programme, click here or contact Gina Mohajer gmohajer@rsph.org.uk.  

For more information on men's health week see the Men’s Health Forum and to view the statistics on men’s mental health click here.  

Quitting Smoking Can Make You Feel Happier

The notion that smoking helps relieves emotions such as anxiety and depression is a myth, say researchers at Brown University.  People are known to smoke when they are feeling stressed in an attempt to relieve tension.  However a study published in the Nicotine & Tobacco Research, indicates that people who are in the process of giving up smoking have never felt happier!

Christopher Kahler, corresponding author of "Time-Varying Smoking Abstinence Predicts Lower Depressive Symptoms Following Smoking Cessation Treatment" says smokers thinking of quitting should be encouraged by the double benefit - both physical and mental.  Not only will giving up smoking improve your physical health but evidence suggests that your mental health is also likely to improve.  Therefore, stopping smoking is far from a psychological nightmare done to live longer, Kahler added.

Kahler noted that "The assumption has often been that people might smoke because it has anti-depressant properties and that if they quit it might unmask a depressive episode.  What's surprising is that at the time when you measure smokers' mood, even if they've only succeeded for a little while, they are already reporting less symptoms of depression."

Scientists at the Peninsula Medical School in the UK, in a study called the English Longitudinal Study of Aging, assessed the wellbeing of nearly 10,000 people over the age of 50.  It was found that smokers in that group reported lower average levels of pleasure and less satisfaction with their lives than the non smokers.   The lead researcher on the team, Iain Lang, reported that smokers feel pleasure when they initially light up.  But that's because they're feeding their addiction.  Overall they're not any happier than non smokers.  In fact, they're less so.

For more information on ways to quit smoking click here.