Your personal guide to shaking off the pressure of lockdown

THE psychological impact of Covid 19 has led to a boom in mental health services, especially those catering for companies. Dubliner James McGann is co-founder of Frankie.health a global counselling website that has just raised $1.25m in new investment to boost staff by 20 and meet growing demand for its services. He offers some tips for workers to get through this with their mental health intact.

What inspired you to start your business?

Experiencing the devastating effects of mental health on people close to me and then learning that the solutions are out there. It’s just that most people don’t have access to them or don’t know where to start.

How has the lockdown affected employee health?

In a weird way, after successive lockdowns is it an even more compelling business proposition? Covid, multiple lockdowns and working from home for the first time has drastically increased the need for effective and personalised mental health support. According to the Lancet, mental health challenges increased by 8% after just one month of lockdown. 1 in 4 (24%) adults said they had had feelings of loneliness in the ‘previous two weeks’, compared with just 1 in 10 (10%) before lockdown began. Some of the biggest challenges faced by employees now include loneliness, fear of the unknown, difficulty managing time, low energy and blurred lines between home and work.

How can small companies help their mentally troubled employees through these troubled times?

They can build knowledge about simple techniques to help mental health with things like:

Keeping a schedule: Maintaining clear separation between work time and non-work time is vital when a change of scenery is lacking.

Stay connected: The importance of maintaining good relationships with friends and colleagues while working from home cannot be overstated.

Plan ahead: Coming to terms with the fact that the current situation will not go away overnight is an important step to quelling anxiety. Making home offices comfortable and functional can help create a feeling of permanence and stability.

Get outside: Fresh air and a change of scenery is important for maintaining good concentration and mental wellbeing.

We know mental health is good for us, but are there metrics to show how it can boost performance?

Absolutely and it’s well researched. For example, in a company of 100 employees, €144,300 is lost annually due to unsupported mental health needs of the employees.

According to a study by Deloitte, UK employers lost £45billion to poor mental health in 2019.

Are financial concerns to the fore in this pandemic?

Financial concerns were at the forefront of most people’s lives well before the pandemic. The cost of living has sky-rocketed in recent years. Add in the fact that many are now without jobs and receiving the Pandemic Unemployment Payments, of course financial concerns are at the fore during this pandemic.

What did your parents teach you about money?

They taught me from an early age that you can never take money for granted and that you should not define your happiness by money. My parents both worked full-time throughout my life but always managed to give me and my siblings the attention we needed. My parents taught me the importance of working hard to get where you want in life. I got a part-time job as young as possible and I’ve been working since.

What was your best investment?

Starting Frankie has turned out to be my best investment by a distance. As with every investment, it’s a rollercoaster of a journey between risk and potential financial return. Leaving your salaried job to eat into your savings is a stressful risk.

And your worst?

Buying a television.

Favourite treat?

Pint of Guinness with a cheese toastie in Grogans.

What do you do to unwind? Running, swimming in the sea, and meditating.

How much do you spend on your hobby?

I don’t spend money on my hobbies. Most things I do to unwind are free.

What would you do if finance minister for a day?

Establish tax incentives to encourage investments in Irish start-ups, like the UK’s SEIS and EIS programmes.

Details of James’s counselling service can be found at www.frankie.health.