Enabling change for mental health at work

This year, the theme of World Mental Health Day (10 October) is ‘mental health is a universal human right’.

The theme calls us to action, to not just acknowledge but act to break down the barriers to good mental health that we, and others experience in our homes, schools, and workplaces.

The changes needed to dispel stigma and promote understanding of mental health can only begin when mental health is prioritised.

In order to preserve the dignity of people who live with mental health issues, we must learn to identify and innovate against discrimination, particularly at work.

Work and purpose

According to the World Health Organisation, approximately 60% of the world’s population is in work.

In the UK, the number of people aged 16+ in employment was projected to be 32.88 million in May to July 2023.

With this in mind, feeling safe and engaged at work is an issue which directly affects tens of millions of people by:

  • Providing a livelihood
  • Fostering a sense of confidence, purpose and achievement
  • Opening opportunities for positive relationships and inclusion in a community
  • Creating a platform for structured routines, among many other benefits

For people who live with mental health issues, stable and sustainable employment can contribute to ongoing recovery, inclusion, accessibility along with increased confidence and social interaction.

Safety at work doesn’t begin and end with physical hazards, psychosocial safety is integral to a healthy working environment.

With much stigma still present when it comes to mental health and work, discrimination can still occur in the workplace.
It’s a change that can start – from the inside.

Dignity and discrimination

According to Human Focus UK, mental health discrimination is when a person is mistreated or disadvantaged because of a mental health issue.

The United Nations cites mental health as a human right under the principles for the protection of persons with mental illness and the improvement of mental health care, adopted in December 1991.

Specifically, principles 1.2 and 1.4 cite the respect for the dignity of the person and the freedom from discrimination on the basis of mental health.

In the UK, there are laws which ensure everyone, including people with mental health issues, receive fair treatment at work.

These include:

  • The Human Rights Act (1998) and forthcoming Bill of Rights Bill (2023)
  • The Mental Health Act (1983) and subsequent reforms
  • The Equality Act (2010)

How to recognise discrimination at work

Some of the ways a person can be disadvantaged or discriminated against in the context of work can include:

  • Being passed over for on the basis of their mental health status or disclosure
  • Being passed over for a promotion
  • Unfair dismissal or redundancy
  • Psychosocial hazards such as bullying or harassment
  • Not having adequate resources, facilities or being denied access to reasonable adjustments

Often, people with mental health issues fight silent battles – likewise their struggles are not immediately visible.

Which makes ally-ship and proactivity the necessary the most powerful tools for change.

Even forward-thinking organisations will encounter some hurdles when they review how accessible and inclusive their workplace is, along with the level of psychosocial risk.

Some of these steps can involve reviewing recruitment processes, reviewing employee feedback, promoting human resources processes and outlets such as an employee assistance program.

The emotional and financial investment in this process will pay off, allowing your organisation to access a largely untapped talent pool, and better support current employees.

Enabling an environment for change

Employers, in consultation with key stakeholders, can help improve mental health at work by creating an enabling environment for change.

The World Health Organisation recommends strengthening practices such as:

  • Leadership and commitment to mental health at work, for example by integrating mental health at work into relevant policies.
  • Investment of sufficient funds and resources, for example by establishing dedicated budgets for actions to improve mental health at work and making mental health and employment services available.
  • Rights to participate in work, for example by aligning employment laws and regulations with international human rights instruments and implementing non-discrimination policies at work.
  • Integration of mental health at work across sectors, for example by embedding mental health into existing systems for occupational safety and health.
  • Participation of workers in decision-making, for example by holding meaningful and timely consultations with workers, their representatives, and people with lived experience of mental health conditions.
  • Evidence on psychosocial risks and effectiveness of interventions, for example by ensuring that all guidance and action on mental health at work is based on the latest evidence.
  • Compliance with laws, regulations and recommendations, for example by integrating mental health into the responsibilities of national labour inspectorates and other compliance mechanisms.

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