Should employers invest in mental health treatments?

[Admin]

There is an argument that employers should be looking to invest in mental health treatments to assist their employees and maximise their productivity. We are not necessarily talking just anxiety and phobias but even training to focus the mind and increase efficiency. Personally I think this would be a win-win situation for all involved - with employers almost certain to enjoy greater productivity and efficiency from their employees.

I would appreciate any comments on this.

 

[Jade]

I agree and personally think employers should invest in this and it would be beneficial for both the employer and the employee.
Also as there are rules regarding equality in the work place employers will be hiring people that do suffer from mental health so they should make arrangements to assist their employee when support is needed. I think this is especially important if they run a business in an industry that could be seen as quite stressful .Even someone that is not deemed as at risk from mental health could easily fall victim to it under the mental pressure and extra work load that is required in some job roles.

 

[Mark]

Personally I think that employers are shooting themselves in the foot by not investing in some form of mental health care as this should not always be associated with some form of illness. Training/teaching employees to be more focused leads to greater productivity. In many ways the proof is in the pudding, look at the likes of Google with some of their "bizarre" working activities but it is one of the most successful companies of all time.

 

[GH0STP03T]

I think a lot of employers tend to think about the money they stand to lose in the short term, neglecting the fact that a happier workforce will be far more productive and therefore help to push profits in the long term. For small to medium sized businesses, I think the government should step in either to foot the bill or at least subsidise it.

 

[Paul1]

I agree. Businesses shouldn't dismiss their employees health, but I think they have to tread a fine line to get the balance right. There's definitely a real risk of being seen as being part of a nanny state, and alienate those it trying to help. There is still so much stigma associated with mental health problems, that you are weak or cant cope, I'm not sure that the work place is the best place to deal with them until this has been rectified; when I was at my worst with my anxiety disorder the last place I would have wanted to talk or hear about it was at work. Whether the risk was real or not, I would have been terrified that I would have been exposed.

 

[Jade]

I agree. Businesses shouldn't dismiss their employees health, but I think they have to tread a fine line to get the balance right. There's definitely a real risk of being seen as being part of a nanny state, and alienate those it trying to help. There is still so much stigma associated with mental health problems, that you are weak or cant cope, I'm not sure that the work place is the best place to deal with them until this has been rectified; when I was at my worst with my anxiety disorder the last place I would have wanted to talk or hear about it was at work. Whether the risk was real or not, I would have been terrified that I would have been exposed.

This is an interesting twist on it Paul, but I do have to agree with you as I do see how this situation in the work place could leave some people uncomfortable. Perhaps this should be offered to each employee and it would be up to them if they wanted to engage in this kind of treatment discretely. Participation in these kind of treatments need to be the sole decision of the individual and it must be addressed delicately.
Knowing that there is support when needed could be a valuable crutch in helping you feel secure in the work environment regardless of whether you ever decide or eventually need to undergo this treatment or not.

 

[GH0STP03T]

I agree. Businesses shouldn't dismiss their employees health, but I think they have to tread a fine line to get the balance right. There's definitely a real risk of being seen as being part of a nanny state, and alienate those it trying to help. There is still so much stigma associated with mental health problems, that you are weak or cant cope, I'm not sure that the work place is the best place to deal with them until this has been rectified; when I was at my worst with my anxiety disorder the last place I would have wanted to talk or hear about it was at work. Whether the risk was real or not, I would have been terrified that I would have been exposed.

I hear what you're saying about the nanny state point Paul, however as long as businesses approach mental health issues in a sensible and thorough manner they can hopefully avoid alienating the most vulnerable. In regards to the point about people with mental health being viewed as we weak, that lies as a societal problem. But if we can at least try and to stamp it out in the workplace, then that in its self is progress.

 

[Paul1]

This is an interesting twist on it Paul, but I do have to agree with you as I do see how this situation in the work place could leave some people uncomfortable. Perhaps this should be offered to each employee and it would be up to them if they wanted to engage in this kind of treatment discretely. Participation in these kind of treatments need to be the sole decision of the individual and it must be addressed delicately.
Knowing that there is support when needed could be a valuable crutch in helping you feel secure in the work environment regardless of whether you ever decide or eventually need to undergo this treatment or not.

Jade that is a really good point, giving people the option is quite empowering, even if they don't take it, knowing its there can help feel less isolated, and I guess the knowledge that others might be using it can make you feel less like you are alone in suffering from mental health problems.

I hear what you're saying about the nanny state point Paul, however as long as businesses approach mental health issues in a sensible and thorough manner they can hopefully avoid alienating the most vulnerable. In regards to the point about people with mental health being viewed as we weak, that lies as a societal problem. But if we can at least try and to stamp it out in the workplace, then that in its self is progress.

Ghost I completely agree that the stigma associated with mental health needs to eradicated, and the workplace is as good a place to start as any. Perhaps it's a personal thing for me, I see my mental health problems as personal and private, something I don't want my workplace involved with, especially when I know there's access to help is available outside the workplace. Although, thinking about it, I do think employers have a greater role in being proactive to prevent mental health problems, like creating an environment that minimises stress, ensuring workloads are manageable etc. If employers were more responsible in this respect I'm sure they would reduce the need for mental health treatment in the first place.

 

[Jade]

I guess the knowledge that others might be using it can make you feel less like you are alone in suffering from mental health problems

This isn’t something I thought of Paul but this is a great point. Unity is often very helpful when suffering with any problem really which is why group support groups and forums like this one can be so effective and a great source of comfort.When you know or are even under the impression that others are experiencing the same problems as you it can make you feel less isolated from those around you.

 

[GH0STP03T]

Mental health is very much a personal thing for many people so it's understandable that you wouldn't want others to pry into your business. But with that being said, by opening up a dialog about it both inside and outside work we can therefore breakdown stigmas and perhaps bring people together. The ingrained workplace cultures of times gone by need to be rooted out and changed to suit the modern workforce - creating an environment that values it's staff as human beings rather than numbers or faces. Anyway, like you said Paul employers do need to step up and take a more proactive approach to tackling mental health among the workforce.

 

[Paul1]

This isn’t something I thought of Paul but this is a great point. Unity is often very helpful when suffering with any problem really which is why group support groups and forums like this one can be so effective and a great source of comfort.When you know or are even under the impression that others are experiencing the same problems as you it can make you feel less isolated from those around you.

Absolutely! The idea of doing face-to-face support groups would terrify me, which is why this forum is such a good idea, and really suits me. It definitely helps to know you're not alone in having these feelings and thoughts, it normalises it and makes it easier to cope with.

 

[Jade]

Absolutely! The idea of doing face-to-face support groups would terrify me, which is why this forum is such a good idea, and really suits me. It definitely helps to know you're not alone in having these feelings and thoughts, it normalises it and makes it easier to cope with.

I agree Paul not only is this forum a good place to speak to like minded people but I’ve been on here about a month and have found that talking through my feelings and reading suggestions on treatments has really been a comfort to me. I said in a previous post I’m hoping that by sharing my feelings with others on here and recieving such great support like I’ve already had will help me try and share my feelings with people in ‘ real life’ without worrying about a negative response.

 

[Jade]

http://www.scotsman.com/news/health/mental-health-issues-placing-strain-on-employers-1-3802176

This article from the Scotsman is very relevant to this thread.

 

[Mark]

I wonder what the cost of mental health issues are to the worldwide economy as a whole?

 

[Jade]

Another news article about this topic:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-33254411

This topic seems to be huge in the news at the moment which is a positive thing because it tells us people are starting to acknowledge this issue. I can see the sort of help we discussed at work coming in effect soon because health advisers are now warning managers that they need create healthier work places for it’s employees by providing them with more support and by trying to reduce the amount of stress put on their workers.

 

[Jade]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-33281930

This article is stating that GPS are now at risk of mental health issues and suicidal tendencies due to work related stress. So many articles lately as I said, it’s quite shocking.

 

[LynnyB]

Just seen this. I think in the future mental health will be a part of an employers obligations. This will probably be "encouraged" by insurance companies fearful of being on the end of numerous claims going forwards