Poor mental health can affect anyone, at any age, in any profession, at any moment. I, myself, know someone who has self-harmed – one form of mental illness – and last year, started to suffer from depression.
I realise my depression is something that may never go away, but by opening up and talking about it, and by seeking medical support, it has become a lot easier for both myself and the people around me to deal with. Why, you may be asking, am I telling you this?
Remember the first line? Any profession. Yes, I may work in journalism, covering the work that goes on in our factories and plants across the UK, but mental ill health is also a problem that is affecting this great manufacturing sector and I think it is something that we should all be aware of and talking about.
Latest research findings
Data and statistics on mental health and wellbeing in the UK are published constantly. Some of it is good and some of it is bad, but all of it shows the sheer impact this problem is having on people both young and old. Research published in August by EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation (http://bit.ly/2xICX2T), found that two-fifths of survey respondents said that their company does not provide training in the management of sickness absence, disability, mental ill health or Musculoskeletal Disorders. This proportion was higher, at almost two-thirds, among micro companies.
The EEF report says that while it was good that many companies were providing training to deal with short-term (57%) and long-term sickness absence (46%), just one in eight managers said that they received training in mental health.
“We know from our 2016 report that stress and mental health issues are ranked as the third most common cause of long-term sickness absence,” the report says. “In the management of mental health, we’re not reassured by the low levels of training reported by both line managers and supervisors.”
Terry Woolmer, head of health and safety policy at EEF (below), is a lot more positive about the long-term future. He explains that although training around mental ill health has been slow, it has, over time, improved and is now “moving in the right direction”. He adds that the change is being helped through more publicity, including the Royal Family's ‘Heads Together’ initiative (http://bit.ly/1T6FAOf).
In the same month, separate research, which focused on all industries and not just manufacturing, was also published by mental health charity Mind (http://bit.ly/2hOkK02). It found that 32% of men and 20% of women attribute poor mental health to their job, but just 31% of men and 38% of women feel the culture in their organisation makes it possible to speak openly about their mental health problems.
While it is positive to see the issue of poor mental health affects a relatively small number of workers, figures such as the above still prove that more needs to be done.
Poor mental health is an issue that affects everyone, in every type of business. Regardless of your gender, job role, colour, race or background, poor mental health is real and the UK manufacturing sector, like many others, is far from being ‘problem free’.
So how can industry respond? What support is out there for employers to help their employees who may be suffering with mental health issues?
Support for employers
Woolmer says that most employers in the sector do take poor mental health as seriously as physical ailements, but the major issue is that they find it difficult handling problems and communicating mental health issues in the workplace because they don’t think they have
the tools to deal with it.
The EEF Health, Work, Wellbeing and Sickness Absence Survey 2017 says that line managers play a “crucial role” in promoting positive employee well-being and if we want line managers to make a greater positive impact then they need to be equipped with the tools to do this.
“HR departments should ensure that management training covers all aspects of the well-being role, for example, how to identify symptoms of mental ill health and to respond sensitively to concerns employees may raise,” the report says.
“Another tool is to provide all line managers with mental health first aid so they become able and confident in supporting employees who may be experiencing mental health issues. If managers are able to have open and supportive conversations about health conditions, this should help both employees and employers work together to enable individuals to fulfil their potential at work and to remain in work if a condition fluctuates or develops.”
Woolmer explains that training for employers is important from a business perspective, because poor mental health is a leading cause of sickness absence, meaning remaining staff will not be able to perform to their full capability, leading to increased staff turnover and longer term drops in both motivation and productivity levels.
Another benefit that training can provide, he adds, is improved work and relationships between employer and employee – training for managers can help employees suffering from metal ill health feel more valued if they can raise problems, especially if they are not just related to work.
“Obviously, there are aspects of mental ill health that are a consequence of things that happen outside of work, such as concerns about divorce or childcare,” Woolmer says. “It’s important for employers to not just talk about workplace issues.”
The EEF report says that regular health checks are also generally viewed positively by older workers. “Mini health checks, health condition tests, rehabilitation and mental health support can be important for older workers,” it says. “Health promotion activities may not directly improve capability but can help identify health risks so older workers can increase their fitness and improve their mental-wellbeing, enabling them to stay healthier and in work longer.”
Brian Hall (below right), managing director of health and wellbeing provider BHSF Employee Benefits, says that in their experience, only half of employees return to work after a three-month absence, and employers must identify warning signs around an individual’s wellbeing before it is too late.
“Together, occupational health providers and employers within the manufacturing industry can play a key role in promoting mental health awareness – particularly among high risk groups – and can create a positive culture where there is no stigma around poor mental health,” he says. “HR tools are also evolving to meet the needs of the modern workforce. Designed to build resilience, Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) offer a proactive approach to managing mental health problems in the workplace– development which we believe resonates with today’s employees.”
Hall says that BHSF research has shown employees who have engaged in, and complete, face-to-face counselling through the BHSF EAP, reported an average of 9.7 fewer hours of absence per month due to personal problems.
“We also see a 24% reduction in absence, so providing an EAP makes perfect sense for both employers and employees,” Hall adds. “Support of this kind can now go further thanks to advancements in technology. Web apps allow employees to speedily access health and wellbeing services any time of the day or night.
By implementing health and wellbeing strategies and prioritising mental health support, organisations will benefit from improved productivity, staff retention and engagement.
"But, crucially, manufacturers will develop a resilient workforce that is equipped to deal with and potentially prevent mental health problems that might otherwise see them absent from work.”
There is also other mental health support and training out there for businesses, which is particularly useful for individuals looking to increase their knowledge, or an employer looking to foster a supportive and productive workplace.
Mind is one charity that offer such support, with a range of courses available that cover topics such as managing mental health at work, mental health awareness and emotional intelligence and resilience training (http://bit.ly/2vpw1Hh). EEF also provides a range of courses such as stress management for line managers and supervisors, managing health risks more generally in a manufacturing environment, and it has a joint master class with the Health & Safety Executive.
Emma Mamo, head of workplace wellbeing at Mind, says that employers in all industries have come on “leaps and bounds” when it comes to tackling stress and supporting the mental wellbeing of their staff in the last few years, including those with a diagnosed mental health problem. However, she warns that there is more to do and employers need to recognise the different approaches they may need to adopt
in how they address mental health in the workplace.
“Mind’s Workplace Wellbeing Index is a great opportunity for companies to examine their management practices, policies and assess how effective their mental health support and initiatives are,” she says. “It also gives us an insight into key trends happening within the workplace and address these on a larger scale.”
Self-help support
Some sceptics of poor mental health may say something along the lines of “just snap out of it” or “why not just talk to someone?” Unfortunately, that is easier said than done. Poor mental health and problems can be brought on for many different reasons.
However, there is a range of self-help support available for people suffering from mental health issues. Mind says that self-care techniques and general lifestyle changes (http://bit.ly/2fdDmCA) can help manage symptoms of many mental health problems.
Among some of its self-help tactics are nourishing social life, trying peer support, and making time for therapeutic activities. Feeling connected to other people can help you feel valued and confident, while peer support helps to bring people together who have had similar experiences to support each other. Therapeutic activities, it says, can include relaxation, mindfulness and so-called ecotherapy (getting out into a green environment). Other tips include looking after your physical health and exercising regularly.
There is also a range of support available elsewhere from online support and helplines to support groups. The NHS Choices Moodszone (http://bit.ly/1btxw3w) offers practical advice, interactive tools, videos and audio guides to help people feel mentally and emotionally better. It includes tips and advice to boost mental health, a mood assessment quiz, and self-help and treatments such a breathing techniques and digital download applications. However, you should see a GP if “you’ve been feeling depressed for more than a few weeks” or “your anxiety is affecting your daily life”, it says.
There are also a vast amount of charities like Mind that can provide support. Samaritans is another. It provides emotional support to anyone in emotional distress, struggling to cope, or at risk of suicide throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland, often through their telephone helpline (http://bit.ly/2wwBwDW).
Mind also says that there are treatments available – the two most common forms offered through the NHS being talking treatments and medication (http://bit.ly/2wV2IwG) – while doctors can refer people to specialist mental health services if someone is suffering from severe or long lasting problems, or the treatment they have been offered isn’t working (http://bit.ly/2w0mr0Z).
Woolmer, meanwhile, says that the Fit for Work service (http://bit.ly/14d7Nk6) is another good self-help channel because it is independent and free. “The service can provide excellent support for individuals, supply high quality return to work plans, it brings it out into the open, but it is also an opportunity to get independent advice, especially if individuals are reluctant to engage with an employer,” he says. “If they don’t want to go through that route then there is a lot of advice on their website. That would be my encouragement for individuals. There is also personal resilience training out there.”
Latest developments in government
In January, Prime Minister Theresa May announced a “comprehensive package of measures to transform mental health support in schools, workplaces and communities”. The government said that the plans, (http://bit.ly/2iv6c1d) to “tackle the burning injustice of mental illness”, form part of the its wider commitment to wholesale social reform.
The plans aim to make mental health an everyday concern for every bit of the system, helping ensure that no one affected by mental ill-health goes unattended. It includes a new partnership with employers to improve mental health support in the workplace.
The Prime Minister has appointed Lord Dennis Stevenson, a long-time campaigner for greater understanding and treatment of mental illness, and Paul Farmer, chief executive of Mind and chair of the NHS Mental Health Taskforce, to drive work with business and the public sector to support mental health in the workplace.
They will lead a review on how best to ensure employees with mental health problems are enabled to thrive in the workplace and perform at their best. This will involve practical help including promoting best practice and learning from trailblazer employers, as well as offering tools to organisations, whatever size they are, to assist with employee well-being and mental health. It will also review recommendations around discrimination in the workplace on the grounds of mental health.
May said: “This is a historic opportunity to right a wrong, and give people deserving of compassion and support the attention and treatment they deserve. And for all of us to change the way we view mental illness so that striving to improve mental wellbeing is seen as just as natural, positive and good as striving to improve our physical wellbeing.”
Woolmer says that EEF is “pleased” about the review and the organisation has been engaged around how SMEs can better manage workplace mental heath in terms of the challenges they face.
“I think it's largely centred around how you make the business case to SMEs and [show] it is worth making the investment,” he says. “The other question is about incentives. Our report is littered with suggestions. We are saying that you might need to persuade employers to spend money on health and wellbeing interventions.
“Our previous research has found there are some SMEs that are less likely to invest, so this is where you need to demonstrate, if you do invest in this, you will see benefits. It’s not just mental health, if you look at wellbeing more generally, so obesity or smoking [for example], there is an expectation now that employers do more on behalf of the government. So, we are also saying if you want us to address these issues then you need to provide some incentive to do that.”
‘More to do’
It is clear that mental health issues are having a profound impact on all workers, of all sectors, across the UK.
It's a problem that, in recent years, has been dragged into the spotlight, and despite the fact that some progress has been made, it won’t go away any time soon – or perhaps ever.
However, it is great to see that mental ill-health has been recognised as a serious problem. Charities and initiatives have been launched to provide help, the government has realised it is a growing concern, and some employers across the country have taken steps to ensure they can help their workforce.
But, ultimately, like Mamo of Mind says, “there is more to do”. The manufacturing sector is great at responding and adapting to the changing needs of the economy. I am confident that it will continue to respond and adapt to the changing needs of our much-loved and valuable manufacturing workforce.
*Note: MM is not a qualified professional on mental health. This article has been produced to show the current state of mental health in manufacturing and to provide an insight into some of the support available. Anyone suffering from mental health problems should seek appropriate support.
Box - Mental ill health
Trigger examples:
● Bereavement or health scare
● Having children
● Increased workload
● Starting a new job
Symptoms to look out for:
Physical
● Frequent headaches or
stomach upset
● Frequent minor illnesses
● Sleep difficulty or always tired
● Being run down
● Lack of care over appearance
● Sudden weight loss or gain
Emotional & behavioural
● Irritable, aggressive or tearful
● Being withdrawn – not
participating in conversations
or activities
● Increased arguments or
conflicts with others
● Increased consumption of
caffeine, alcohol, cigarettes
or sedatives
● Indecision and inability to
concentrate
● Erratic or socially
unacceptable behaviour
● Being louder or more
exuberant than usual
● Loss of confidence
● Difficulty remembering things
● Loss of humour
At work
● Increased errors, missing
deadlines or forgetting tasks
● Taking on too much work
and volunteering for every
new project
● Arriving late
● Working too many hours or
working when at home or on
annual leave
● Increased sickness absence
● Being fixated with fair
treatment and quick to use
grievance procedure
Source: Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England
(http://bit.ly/2w0Xwdx)
IMAGE CREDIT: Time To Change/Newscast Online
