World Mental Health day is fast approaching (Saturday 10^th October), and mental health in the workplace is something that we at identecoHR take very seriously. Even without a pandemic, helping employees through these problems has never been more important.

Mind charity state that 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem of some kind each year in England. On top of that, 1 in 6 people report experiencing a common mental health problem in any given week.

The pandemic has increased mental health issues everywhere. According to the Office for National Statistics adults who were ages 16 to 39 years old, female, unable to afford an unexpected expense or disabled were the most likely to experience some form of depression during the pandemic.

There is a high percentage of employees still working from home, which makes it much harder to see how an employee is doing. Even with virtual meetings and catch ups, you can’t see someone’s body language and are not spending all day with them like you usually would.

How can identecoHR help you?

With identecoHR you can track and monitor sickness absence, giving you a fuller understanding of an employee’s sick days. Using our software flags any issues that might need a closer look.

The number of sick days someone is taking can be a sign that someone is suffering from mental health problems.

You also have access to up to date HR legal support and templates, which enables you to manage your team. This in turn can help you identify if an employee potentially needs help with mental health problems. At the moment throughout the coronavirus pandemic, it is vital to keep an eye on employee’s mental health. Due to the nature of the restrictions, more people than ever are suffering from mental health and feelings of loneliness.

The rest is up to you. We can help you track and help you identify, but you know your employees and you know how to help them.

If you are reading this and you are currently suffering from a mental health problem, please seek some help. You aren’t alone, don’t suffer in silence.

References:

Mind Charity: How common are mental health problems? Mental health facts and statistics

The Office for National Statistics: People, population and community, well-being: Coronavirus and depression in adults, Great Britain: June 2020