Supporting Employee Mental Health: Let’s get moving!

Supporting Employee Mental Health: Let’s get moving!

Mental Health Awareness Week (13th-19th May 2024) is an annual opportunity for the whole of the UK to raise awareness and focus on promoting positive mental health. The theme this year is on Movement. ‘Moving more for our mental health’.

Life gets busy, especially at work. Many of us spend countless hours sitting at a desk in front of a screen and we simply forget to move around, whether that’s in an office environment or working from home.

Why movement is important for positive mental well-being

Physical activity has many benefits for both our mental and physical wellbeing. Just some of the benefits include: improving sleep, releasing endorphins and serotonin to improve your mood, managing symptoms of depression and anxiety, improving confidence and self-esteem, increasing energy and alertness, reducing stress and relieving tension as well as helping to maintain your physical wellbeing by maintaining joint and muscle mobility, improving circulation, strengthening tendon, bone and ligaments and assisting in preventing major diseases.

Encouraging movement at work: The benefits for employers

Notwithstanding the benefits to individuals themselves, encouraging physical activity at work brings with it a whole host of benefits, from boosting the overall health and happiness of employees, to enhancing productivity, reducing absenteeism, improving motivation, less workplace stress and burnout and, in general, creating a positive work environment.

According to the Mental Health Foundation, ‘almost one in seven people experience mental health issues in the workplace’ with ‘over 12% of all sickness absence days in the UK being attributed to mental health conditions’. As such, employers are urged not to de-prioritise employee mental health and to keep it high on the business agenda.

Practical measures employers can take to encourage a more active workforce?

Employers will obviously need to consider their own resources and what is practical for the size and nature of the business. Some options to ‘get employees moving’ and fostering an active work environment could include:

• Promoting active commuting such as walking or cycling to work. Flexi-time schemes where employees can choose to start and finish work within a flexible bandwidth could give them the opportunity and time to, for example, walk to work. Giving employees more control over their daily schedules can result in a more positive impact on their well-being.
• Encouraging and promoting walking meetings not only provides the opportunity for physical exercise instead of sitting round a table in the office but research indicates additional benefits such as enhanced creative and productive thinking.
• Considering subsidized membership to local gyms would be a great perk. Or, if resources allowed, an on-site gym!
• Creating active spaces for exercise at work such as arranging yoga sessions.
• Investing in standing desks has gained popularity. Periodically standing can help to improve posture, reduce back pain, improve circulation and even helps to burn more calories.
• Encouraging employees to take breaks from their desks is vital to fostering more movement in the workplace. Far too many people sit at their desk to eat lunch rather than going out to get some fresh air.
• Considering light hearted sports activities for team gatherings/social activities rather than pub lunches!

The key focus for employers is to educate employees about the positive impact of increased movement in the workplace by having a well-thought out wellness program determined by the resources available to the business.

Employers must not forget about remote workers when devising wellness plans. A recent People Management article (3 May 2024) has reported that ‘when you’re working from home, it’s easy to neglect the little things that keep you grounded and energised’. The lines between home and work have become increasingly blurred leading to a ‘complete erosion of work-life boundaries’ and an ‘always on’ culture of remote work. The article reports that ‘when your office is just steps away from your bedroom, it’s all too easy to fall into the trap of constant connectivity’ turning ‘working from home’ into ‘sleeping in the office’. Employers must ensure that remote workers are prioritising self-care and exercise.

Additional wider measures employers can take to support mental health in the workplace

• Keep the conversation about mental well-being ongoing all year round to reduce stigma, raise awareness and to show employees that the business takes mental health seriously.
• Prioritise regular check-ins/one-to-one meetings to stay connected with people. A simple ‘how are you?’ gives people the opportunity to raise any challenges they are facing should they wish to.
• Provide managers with training so that they are equipped to spot potential warning signs that a colleague is struggling with their mental health.
• Have a Well-being policy in place that is widely communicated to all staff. The policy should explain the organisation’s commitment to fostering a working environment that promotes employee health and wellbeing, be supported by senior management and be kept under constant review.
• Consider offering an Employee Assistance Programme or alternative provision to enable employees to talk about their feelings anonymously with an impartial professional.
• Be aware of signs of burnout by encouraging employees to work regular and sensible hours and to take proper breaks to protect their work-life balance. Unhealthy working trends, such as ‘leaveism’ (people working during annual leave) or ‘presenteeism’ (working while off sick), are becoming far too common.

Be mindful of the legal position

Disability discrimination provisions in the Equality Act 2010 include many mental health illnesses which can legally be classed as a disability. A range of conditions may qualify a person for protection under the Act providing there is a substantial and long-term effect (for at least a year) on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day tasks. If an employee has a disability, employers have a responsibility to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate their needs – this includes those with mental health conditions.

It is therefore of paramount importance that employers do all they reasonably can to create a work environment that promotes positive mental health and where people feel safe and comfortable to talk openly about their mental health. Talking openly to them about any barriers they may face at work can help make sure you are supporting them. Employers should ensure they:

• Have an Equality & Diversity policy that is clear and accessible, applied consistently and refresher training on the policy provided regularly.
• Train managers to enable them to have the skills to listen and empathise with people with potential disabilities.
• Have a zero-tolerance policy to any discriminatory behaviours.
• Make sure health, safety, employee well-being and inclusion are core management priorities.

Additional Information

The Mental Health Foundation has lots of useful and informative resources for employers to support Mental Health Awareness Week.

Contact us

The GatekeeperHR team is here to help. GatekeeperHR is a fixed cost, employment law and HR retainer service which provides businesses with access to a dedicated team of experienced lawyers and HR professionals who you can speak to, or meet face-to-face, at any time. The service includes a full HR compliance audit, access to an online portal full of valuable employment law and HR resources and an annual training session on topics of your choosing.

If you need HR support or advice or wish to discuss how GatekeeperHR can ensure that your employment documentation is legally compliant, contact Jenny Reardon, a member of our GatekeeperHR team, on e. JennyReardon@rixandkay.co.uk or visit the GatekeeperHR website for more information on how we can help you.

If you need Employment Law advice to discuss how these situations could affect your business, contact Elaine Abbs, a solicitor with our Employment team for more information on how legislative changes could affect your business.