World Mental Health Day: It is Time to Prioritise Mental Health in The Workplace
Founded in 1992 by The World Federation for Mental Health, World Mental Health Day works to raise global awareness surrounding mental health agendas and has become an important date on which mental health is considered on an individual, organisational and national scale (World Federation for Mental Health). A crucial mental health topic is selected each year, with this year’s official theme being, “It is Time to Prioritise Mental Health in The Workplace” which was selected following a global vote and comes at a pivotal time when organisations are increasingly considering the mental health of their employees. This follows on from the “World Health Organisation Guidelines on Mental Health at Work” in 2022 which outlines evidence-based interventions and recommendations. Considering that many adults spend a significant proportion of their waking hours at work, their experiences and wellbeing within their working time contribute significantly to their overall mental health and wellbeing. Between May and July 2024, the average number of hours worked by full-time workers in the UK was 36.6 hours (Office of National Statistics).
Founded in 1992 by The World Federation for Mental Health, World Mental Health Day works to raise global awareness surrounding mental health agendas and has become an important date on which mental health is considered on an individual, organisational and national scale (World Federation for Mental Health). A crucial mental health topic is selected each year, with this year’s official theme being, “It is Time to Prioritise Mental Health in The Workplace” which was selected following a global vote and comes at a pivotal time when organisations are increasingly considering the mental health of their employees. This follows on from the “World Health Organisation Guidelines on Mental Health at Work” in 2022 which outlines evidence-based interventions and recommendations. Considering that many adults spend a significant proportion of their waking hours at work, their experiences and wellbeing within their working time contribute significantly to their overall mental health and wellbeing. Between May and July 2024, the average number of hours worked by full-time workers in the UK was 36.6 hours (Office of National Statistics).


To understand more about World Mental Health Day, visit the link below:
Mental health in the workplace
It is helpful when considering what impacts on mental health in the workplace, to have a consistent idea of what this looks like. The World Health Organisation outlines that mental health is a concept that is more than just a lack of mental ill suffering,
“Mental health is more than the absence of mental health conditions. Rather, mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, to realize their abilities, to learn well and work well, and to contribute to their communities.”
– World Health Organisation Guidelines on Mental Health at Work, 2022
There are many factors which contribute to mental health in the workplace and different individuals will find that they are impacted in different ways. Here are some of the main factors that have been identified.
Intrinsic organisational issues
As identified in the 1960s, organisational operation affects the mental health of staff (International Labour Organization, 2016). Intrinsic organisational issues include factors surrounding the culture of the organisation, such as the dynamics within the team, how team members communicate with one another and the style of behaviours that are modelled from the top. The “The World Health Organisation Guidelines on Mental Health at Work” (2022) identified “organisational culture and function” and “interpersonal relationships at work” as psychosocial risk factors that may result in poor mental health at work. These factors all feed into the level of team psychological safety that is exhibited and can impact on the mental health of individuals. A lack of respectful or effective communication or behaviour can result in a bullying or non-inclusive working environment. Unfortunately, what can often be seen when negative or disrespectful behaviours begin to be displayed in the workplace, is a snowball effect in which these behaviours spread and mount. Bullying in the workplace can have a devastating impact on mental health, Verkuil et al. (2015) outlined a positive correlation between bullying at work and depressive symptoms.
Workplace stress
Workplace stress can stem from an array of sources including the above mentioned intrinsic organisational issues. Other contributors include high pressure, short deadlines and high stakes decisions. Whilst these can be motivating, inspiring and result in high levels of job satisfaction, in instances in which these are not balanced appropriately, they can result in workplace stress which can negatively impact mental health, either through triggering a new condition or exacerbating a pre-existing condition.
“The World Health Organisation Guidelines on Mental Health at Work” (2022) recommends training for managers to harness them with the skills, knowledge and behaviours to support the mental health of their employees. This in turn, would support employees in feeling able to seek support. The guidelines also recommended that employees themselves are provided with training in mental health awareness and literacy.
Work/life balance
The Mental Health Foundation states that a work-life balance is not defined by splitting your time in half between work and personal life, but ensuring a sense of fulfilment within both domains. Flexible working is a key contributor to enhancing work-life balance and incorporates a range of working styles and patterns, including working from home, hybrid working, flexible hours and part-time working. Since the start of the Covid pandemic, we have seen a significant rise in flexible working, with the number of UK employees using flexitime working rising from 3.2million to approximately 4.2 million between 2013 and 2024 (Statista, 2024). The most common response from employees when asked about the importance of flexible working was that it helps to support their work-life balance (Statista, 2024). There is a large body of literature that supports a link between work-life balance and mental health, for example, Boamah et al. (2022) identified that work-life imbalance carries a significantly enhanced risk of burnout.
Mental Health at SimComm Academy
At SimComm, mental health underpins all of our work, whether that be directly, though our mental health-based courses or indirectly, via courses that enhance workplace dynamics, thus impacting on the mental health of individual employees. It is, however, important that we don’t overlook our own mental health, both in and outside of the workplace. To mark World Mental Health Day this year, we have decided to share how we as individuals have utilised our wellbeing scheme in order to enhance our own mental health.

“I enjoy keeping active and running which really helps with giving me some space and time to clear my mind but is becoming trickier now that the evenings are becoming darker so am having to be slightly more creative with when I fit this in which is where flexible working is coming in handy!”
Kirsten

“I have enjoyed yoga as a way of maintaining my flexibility and practice mindfulness for many years and in 2020 became a yoga instructor. Flexible working has enabled me to undertake additional yoga courses, and I recently completed yogalates training which combines yoga and Pilates!”
Caroline
“Recognising the importance of a good work-life balance, supported by flexible working has enabled me to explore new interests including exercise classes and baking.”
Nichola

“For me, it’s all about balance. Part of that balance is walking with my dog, being out in the fresh air and being immersed in the natural world. It unscrambles by mind and grounds me. It evokes every sense, touch, smell, hearing, sight and taste – truly comforting.”
Carrie

Mental health courses we offer at SimComm Academy
At SimComm Academy, we run many standard and bespoke courses to suit your needs. These focus on mental health and wellbeing and are for people with clinical and non-clinical backgrounds. Here are a few examples of the mental health and wellbeing courses we have available:
- At Ease with conversations
- Supporting friends, neighbours and the community
- Mental Health First Aid, with simulated practice
- Communicating with people with mood disorders, anxiety disorders, psychosis, and eating disorders
- Wellbeing and re-setting the balance
- Civility and Professionalism
- Gender ‘Illumination and awareness’
- Kindness in Practice
Reach out for support
If you are struggling with any mental health concern, please do reach out for support from the following:
- Find your local NHS mental health helpline via Mental Health Helpline for Urgent Help – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- Seek help from your GP.
- Call 111.
- Samaritans: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 116 123 or contact them via Contact Us | Samaritans
- SHOUT 85258: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week offers crisis text support. Text SHOUT to 85258.
- Suicide Prevention UK: 6pm- midnight, 7 days a week on 0800 689 5652.
- CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably): daily 5pm- midnight on 0800 58 58 58 or contact them via Get Help & Support With… | Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) (thecalmzone.net)
- Hub of Hope: A database of local mental health resources in your area. Visit Mental Health Support Network provided by Chasing the Stigma | Hub of hope
- Papyrus: For people under 35 who feel life is no longer worth living, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 0800 068 41 41 or text 07786 209697.
- Childline: For people under 19, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 0800 1111 or contact them via Contacting Childline | Childline
In the case of an emergency, call 999 or attend your nearest A&E Department.
References
International Labour Organization. Workplace Stress: a Collective. International Labour Organization. Workplace Stress: A collective challenge | International Labour Organization (ilo.org) Accessed on 2/10/2024.
Mental Health Foundation. Work-life Balance. Mental Health Foundation. https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/a-z-topics/work-life-balance Accessed on 2/10/2024.
Office of National Statistics. Average actual weekly hours of work for full-time workers (seasonally adjusted). Office of National Statistics. https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/timeseries/ybuy/lms Accessed on 2/10/20245.
Statista. Reasons why flexible work is important to employees in the United Kingdom in 2023. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1118543/reasons-for-using-flexible-working-arrangements-in-the-uk/ Accessed on 2/10/2024.
Statista. Share of people working remotely, hybrid working, or at work in the United Kingdom from May 2020 to September 2024. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1207746/coronavirus-working-location-trends-britain/#:~:text=Share%20of%20people%20working%20remotely,%20hybrid%20working,%20or Accessed on 2/10/2024.
The World Federation for Mental Health. WFMH 75. The World Federation for Mental Health. https://wmhdofficial.com/wfmh-75/ Accessed on 2/10/2024.
The World Federation for Mental Health. WFMH Global Campaign 2024. The World Federation for Mental Health. https://wmhdofficial.com/about-2024/ Accessed on 2/10/2024.
Verkuil, B., Atasayi, S., & Molendijk, M. L. (2015). Workplace Bullying and Mental Health: A Meta-Analysis on Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Data. PloS one, 10(8), e0135225. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0135225
World Health Organisation. Guidelines on Mental Health at Work. World Health Organisation. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240053052#:~:text=The%20WHO%20guidelines%20on%20mental%20health%20at%20work Accessed on 2/10/2024.