Bringing everyone along: Why mental health training is for all staff, not just leaders and managers.
A question we often get asked by leaders is…. Why do you suggest training all employees in workplace mental health training and not just managers?
The answer is this:
What happens when a staff member doesn’t feel comfortable speaking with a manager or supervisor and would rather speak to a colleague, but that colleague has not been trained in mental health awareness?
In such a scenario, several potential outcomes may arise:
Limited Support
The untrained colleague may not know how to provide adequate support or may feel overwhelmed by the situation, leading to limited assistance for the employee facing mental health challenges.
Silence and Isolation
The employee may choose to suffer in silence, keeping their mental health challenges to themselves due to the lack of a supportive environment. This isolation can exacerbate their condition and impact their overall wellbeing and job performance. This can lead to increased absenteeism, decreased focus, potential errors in their work and even resignation.
Lost Opportunity for Early Intervention
Early intervention is crucial for promoting mental wellbeing. Without trained colleagues who feel confident to offer support and encouragement, the employee may miss the opportunity for timely intervention and assistance.
Potential Escalation of Issues
Untreated mental health challenges can worsen over time. The absence of support or understanding from colleagues may lead to the escalation of issues. Moreover, managers of employees who are struggling may feel the added pressure from not having the knowledge and tools to better support their team.
Negative Organisational Culture
A lack of mental health literacy and support within the organisation can contribute to a negative workplace culture. This can deter other employees from seeking help or create an environment where potential risks to psychosocial safety at work are ignored or mental health conditions are stigmatised. This also negatively affects the organisation’s ability to attract and retain talent.
To address this situation effectively, organisations must ensure all staff have at the very least some form of mental health awareness and literacy training. One of the challenges for leaders is finding the time for staff to do training when they are already so busy.
What is a workplace mental health induction?
Workplace mental health inductions remain one of the most popular forms of mental health training for all staff.
Why? They are evidence-based, efficient and can be completed online in 45 minutes and are suitable for everyone from the CEO to the new employee. The induction has been designed to give every employee a fundamental understanding of mental health literacy, including the knowledge to recognise signs, symptoms and risks, the tools to navigate stress, and strategies for self-care.
Our online workplace mental health Induction courses are trusted by leading organisations across the globe and have been successfully delivered to over 25000 employees and leaders.
We can also offer group discounts on individual & corporate team packages. Contact us for a free trial of MWW’s workplace mental health training Induction courses.
Browse the rest of our mental health blogs on the Mentally Well Workplaces blog.
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