How to cope with mental health issues at work – live chat
With increased awareness around the impact of work on mental health, many employers have taken steps to help and support their employees – from participating in campaigns such as Time to Change to training mental health first aiders.
But there is still a long way to go. Work – or lack of it – is cited as one of the main triggers of mental health problems in the UK. About a third of employees have been diagnosed with a mental health condition and almost two thirds of them say work is a contributing factor, according to research (pdf) from Business in the Community. Meanwhile, people who are unemployed are four-10 times more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety, according to the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Although some progress has been made, the stigma around mental health remains deeply entrenched in UK workplaces. With so much change and uncertainty over the future of work, workers are at even greater risk if these issues not addressed. “We are only just beginning to discuss the mental health implications of the post-work world, but they should be as much at the forefront of our thinking as the economic ones,” writes Louise Chunn, founder of welldoing.org.
Have you experienced mental health issues at work? Need advice on how to support colleagues experiencing problems? Join us on Wednesday 10 May from 1pm–2.30pm BST for a live chat with experts. We’ll be discussing:
How to manage your mental health at work.
Ways to talk to your boss and colleagues about your mental health.
How employers can ensure their staff are well-supported when it comes to mental health.
The panel
Hilda Burke is an accredited psychotherapist. She works as an integrated psychotherapist, life coach and couples’ counsellor at her practice Hilda Burke Psychotherapy in West London.
Gillian Connor is head of policy partnerships at the charity Rethink Mental Illness. She has more than 15 years’ experience in policy, communications and external affairs in the public and voluntary sectors. Most recently, she was head of external affairs at a national housing association.
Kerry Garcia is a partner at law firm Stevens & Bolton, where she heads up the employment, immigration and pensions team. She regularly advises on a wide range of HR issues, including dismissals, terminations, discrimination matters, tribunal claims and redundancies.
Craig Jackson is a professor of occupational health psychology and head of psychology at Birmingham City University. He is an associate fellow of the British Psychological Society and has acted as an occupational health consultant to many organisations including Shell, Rolls Royce, and the NHS.
Madeleine McGivern is head of workplace wellbeing programmes at the charity Mind. She works with a wide range of employers, HR audiences and the government on mental health in the workplace and lead strategy on the charity’s Blue Light and Time to Change programmes. She previously worked for Christian Aid and is a trustee of human rights charity Amos Trust.
Andy Silvester is head of campaigns and deputy director of policy at the Institute of Directors (IoD), Britain’s oldest business representative body. He has written extensively on mental health in the workplace, including the recent IoD report A Little More Conversation, calling on employers to develop more effective communication around mental health issues.
Gary Wood is a chartered psychologist, life coach and author of Unlock Your Confidence. He works with clients to achieve work-life balance, career development, confidence and stress reduction at work.
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