Mental Health Awareness – Mental Wellbeing at Work for Staff

Overview

(This course is designed for staff)

One of the biggest challenges at work is discussing poor mental health because of the stigma attached.  Often people feel too uncomfortable or embarrassed to talk openly about it unlike the way you may tell a colleague or manager about your back pain, cold symptoms or headache.

What do we mean by mental health? 

There are various definitions promoted by different organisations, but the World Health Organisation (WHO) defines mental health as:

A state of wellbeing in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to contribute to her or his community.

The fact is we all have mental health and being mentally healthy is about several things:

• how we feel about ourselves and others
• our self-esteem and confidence
• our relationships with others, and
• our resilience in having the strength to overcome the difficulties and challenges.

We all face difficulties and challenges in our lives, for good mental health our goal is to have self-worth and believe in ourselves.

Objectives

This course aims to explain how to approach the subject of mental health in the workplace, and to help remove the stigma attached.  Simple tools, ideas and tips will be discussed for day-to-day wellbeing management for yourself and others around you.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the importance of maintaining mental wellbeing at work
• Appreciate the benefits of supporting mental wellbeing with colleagues
• Recognise some of the ways mental ill-health may present in the workplace stress, anxiety and depression
• Know how to provide or access timely and appropriate support
• Be confident in applying the learning back in the workplace

Content

• What do we mean by mental health and mental wellbeing
• Mental health as a continuum
• Busting the myths
• What is stress?
  • Signs and symptoms, and the relationship between pressure, stress and mental health conditions
• Overview of common mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety and their links to stress
• How race, culture and gender and other factors impact on our experience of mental health
• Talking about mental health – acceptable and unacceptable language
  • Simple ways to break the silence and reduce stigma
  • How to open a dialogue sensitively with a colleague
• Identifying particular issues of concern within your organisation and sector
• Guidance on looking after your own mental health and that of others
• Sources of support for colleagues in need of signposting