In an era where mental health challenges are increasingly prevalent, organisations play a crucial role in creating supportive workplace environments. To celebrate Time to Talk Day, we’re highlighting the importance of breaking down barriers and fostering open conversations about mental wellbeing.
Recent research from the Time to Talk Day campaign, run by charities including Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, paints a stark picture regarding the challenges of mental health communication. Nearly two-thirds of the British public admit to putting on a brave face to avoid discussing their mental health, with almost 50% becoming less likely to open up due to concerns about burdening others. Particularly striking is that 70% of 16-24 year olds report masking their true feelings, challenging the notion that young people are more willing to talk about their mental health struggles.
Whilst having mental health discussions can sometimes feel a bit awkward, not doing so can create stigma and prevent people from seeking help. As individuals and organisations, being deliberate about encouraging these conversations is key to helping others feel comfortable to talk about any issues they’re facing.
Supporting employee mental health
There are a number of ways in which organisations can support mental health conversations to take place within their teams, including:
Developing managerial mental health skills. Organisations should invest in training managers to recognise signs of mental health struggles, create safe spaces for open conversations, understand how to compassionately support team members and provide resources and signpost professional help.
Implementing structured mental health check-ins by dedicating regular time for mental health discussions each week or month. Creating optional, low-pressure environments for team members to connect can help to normalise conversations about wellbeing as part of regular workplace dialogue.
CFG's approach
This year, CFG has taken a proactive approach to mental health support by hosting an interactive Time to Talk Day session on Thursday 6 February, exploring stress management. We provided our team with a safe space to share their experiences and thoughts about mental health, and sent out some ‘conversation starters’ in advance of the session.
Starting the conversation
These conversation prompts asked staff to think about some of the ways they manage their own mental health including:
- How they relax and relieve stress
- How they recognise when they need to break
- Some of the support networks they can rely on if they are struggling
- Positive habits they’ve started, or would like to start, this year
These prompts allowed people to share any helpful techniques that they use to help them switch off at the end of a tough day, allowing others to learn from each other and learn new ways of looking after their own wellbeing. Staff were also provided with an MHFA England exercise, called the ‘stress container’ which can be useful in helping people to understand and manage their own stress.
Mental Health is collective
Arguably the most important message of the Time to Talk campaign is that mental health is not an individual challenge. By creating supportive environments, organisations can help employees feel valued, understood, and empowered to seek help when needed.
Normalising mental health conversations can be truly transformative, and by allowing people to openly discuss their mental health, staff can support themselves and each other, leading to a healthier and better-connected team overall.
Useful mental health resources
Time to Talk Day
Mind
Rethink Mental Illness
MHFA England