News World Mental Health Day: looking after mental health in the workplace

World Mental Health Day: looking after mental health in the workplace

Features, News

October 10, 2024

Looking after people’s mental health in the workplace is just as important as looking after their physical health.  

There are two areas which, if addressed, can help to create a productive and thriving working environment.

Psychological Safety

Creating psychological safety at work enables people to come up with new ideas. When people can share ideas out loud without fear of being shut down or ridiculed they will feel psychologically safe.  

Workforce diversity will encourage different cognitive thinking.  Giving space to hear people’s ideas from all areas of an organisation will help individual’s feel that their opinions and contributions matter. This could make individuals feel motivated to speak up around topics like design, working practices and social value.  

PRP has created an environment where people are encouraged to share their views.  We believe in giving space to ideas that may be perceived as ‘left field’ or ‘out of the box’ as they can be the catalyst for the discussions that lead to credible and innovative ideas.

Leadership support for creating psychological safety at work is vital for a thriving working environment.  The PRP Board host an open Q&A session at our annual Away Day each year and we encourage people ask questions because we believe their voices matter. Feeling heard is a great way to help build self esteem.

 

Burnout

Burnout is a state of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion, while not classified as a medical condition it has been classified as a syndrome based on the symptoms. Understanding the issues that cause burnout in the work place and addressing them will help create an environment where this is less likely to happen in the first place.

At PRP we have created a Mental Health Action Plan which includes training sessions for everyone to help them understand the importance of maintaining good wellbeing.  We regularly review our policies and procedures that address bullying and harassment and ensure they provide the support and safety people need.  We also carry out an annual staff survey which helps us to assess burnout.

Recognition is an important way to let people know how valued they are and it also gives people a sense of meaningfulness in their day to day roles.  At our annual Away Day we host an awards ceremony where we recognise outstanding contributions made by individuals.

It’s time to prioritise Mental Health in the workplace” Mental Health UK

By Cat Dowd, Head of People & Culture at PRP