Course Rationale:
Mental Health has a significant impact in the workplace.
Did you know that…
- Work is the most stressful factor in most people’s lives; work-related stress accounts for 57% of all working days lost to ill health.
- 1 in 5 people said that being constantly connected to work makes them feel mentally exhausted; people are working on average an extra 29 hours per month due to our technology-enabled ‘always on culture.’
- Poor mental health in the workplace costs UK employers £45 billion per year
- Mental health related presenteeism and leaveism are rising
- 51% of organisations have trained managers to support staff with their mental health.
- 31% of organisations say managers are confident to have sensitive discussions and signpost to appropriate support.
- 25% of organisations say that managers are confident and competent at spotting the early signs of mental ill health.
The COVID-19 pandemic has further increased stress and anxiety…
Did you know that:
- It is predicted that the pandemic will leave a deep and lasting scar on the mental health of millions in the UK.
- Up to 10 million people (almost a fifth of the population) will need either new or additional mental health support as a direct consequence of COVID-19.
- Most people will need support for anxiety or depression, or both. Others may need help for trauma symptoms, complicated grief arising from bereavement and loss.
Supporting employees is essential
Managing and supporting employees’ mental health at work is a critical and growing challenge for employers. Awareness and understanding of the impact of mental health is increasing, but we still face a world where many employees feel unable to speak up about the mental ill health they are experiencing and how it is impacting them in the workplace. There are many reasons why employees may be reluctant to speak up in workplace including: the stigma around mental health, cultural barriers, feeling that there is no-one to talk to, fearing another person’s response and worrying that it may negatively impact their employment.
Having a conversation about mental ill health can be daunting. We are often worried about saying the wrong thing, responding in the wrong way and potentially making the situation worse. This course helps delegates start the conversation and encourages them to share their personal experiences of mental ill health as an employee, manager or employer.
On completion of the course, delegates will have a deeper understanding of what they and others have experienced and will be confident that they have coping strategies that they can use to proactively manage their own mental health.
Course Overview:
This blended learning course increases delegates’ mental health awareness. Blended learning is a mixture of self-led pre-course learning activities and interactive online group training.
Delegates will explore their own mental health and the impact it has on their lives in and out of the workplace. The role of stigma and misconceptions about mental ill health on our willingness to talk openly about mental health will be discussed. The language that we use in our conversations about mental health and that we see in the media.
This training encourages delegates to explore what is happening for them, as well as what may be happening in their colleagues work and personal lives.
This course is suitable for:
People managers who want to:
- Become more aware of how mental ill health may be impacting their team members or themselves both in and out of the workplace.
- Explore how stigma and common misconceptions about mental ill health may impact conversations about mental ill health in and out of the workplace.
- Become more confident about talking about mental health with team members.
Employees who want to:
- Better understand how mental ill health may impact them and others in and out of the workplace.
- Recognise how stigma and common misconceptions about mental ill health impact the conversations we have about mental health.
- Gain confidence in talking about mental ill health with others.
Key Themes explored in the training:
- Current mental health concerns.
- The role stigma plays in our understanding and treatment of mental health.
- Common misconceptions about mental ill health.
- The importance of talking about mental health.
- The appropriate language used to talk openly and non-judgmentally about mental health.
- The signs and symptoms of common mental health problems.
Learning outcomes:
Using a blended learning approach of self-led pre-course learning activities, live interactive online group training, and self-led post- course learning consolidation activities you will:
- Reflect on your own mental health journey.
- Understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental wellbeing.
- Recognise the factors that stop us talking about mental health and understand why we need to have conversations about mental health.
- Appreciate the potential power of talking about mental health.
- Consider how stigma influences how we talk about mental health.
- Explore the language we use to discuss mental health and gain confidence in having effective and compassionate conversations about mental health.
- Be able to spot the signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety.
- Better understand what it feels like to have depression or anxiety.
- Be better able to use Wellness Action Plans to support mental ill-health and recovery.
- Be better able to achieve balance through ‘The Five Ways to Wellbeing’.
Feedback for the programme…
“The session was very effective overall and was much needed for me. It kind of validated my mental health struggles; it was the first time I have actually spoken to anyone about my mental health. I have been suffering mentally ever since I remember, but since Jan 2020 it has been really bad consistently. Watching Alexis’s video really made me want to seek help. Attending the session and interacting with the wonderful people, I felt happy and proud to be associated with Dorset mind.”
Course Delegate, May 2021
“I felt the online course was relevant to our needs and the content was well thought through. I found the course also very engaging enabling me to be authentic towards self and others, and also giving me the opportunity to connect and get to know my colleagues.”
Course delegate, May 2021
“The training was very insightful, and has alerted me to seek help for my sister.”
Course delegate, October 2019.
“The level of honesty and openness was quite inspiring. I struggle with being fairly narrow-minded when it comes to mental health. I now have an open mind.”
Course delegate, October 2018.
Bespoke training
If there is something specific you would like us to cover in a bespoke package, we are happy to work with you to create this training.
To find out more, contact us on training@dorsetmind.uk
