Breaking the taboo of men’s mental health in the workplace
HOW do you avoid office burnout? There are fixes which sound simple — drawing strict boundaries around your working hours and not checking your emails over dinner.
Of course, there’s more to easing workplace stress than just putting your OOO on, and that’s why almost all mid-size and larger companies provide a range of workplace health and wellness initiatives aimed at boosting morale and safeguarding employees’ mental well-being. Yet, when I ask experts in this field who they find hardest to engage in such well-being initiatives, the answer is almost always (middle-aged) men.
Sure, they dominate corporate culture, but despite their privilege two facts remain: men who report feeling stressed will most often put work and financial reasons at the top of their list of reasons why, and, horrifically, men account for 76 per cent of all suicides in Britain. That’s why Men’s Minds Matter, a public health initiative that’s committed to improving the mental health of men and boys, recognises that workplaces have a big role to play: “They’re where we spend the majority of our waking hours, and colleagues are people we spend most of our time with. Work colleagues are a potential source of support but there’s often a barrier around ‘professionalism’ that stifles this.” Graham James, director at global employee benefits and engagement company Pluxee UK, knows this only too well, having seen depression hit one of his colleagues.
“In one instance, I was managing a top performer, someone hitting targets and the life and soul of the party. Little did I know, behind the scenes was a personal tragedy, financial struggles and a quickly unravelling relationship. As a line manager, I missed the signs: the subtle changes over a period of time, in appearance, patience, behaviours. It hit me hard when it crumbled and became a bigger problem with a longer recovery. It shouldn’t take a disaster for people to speak up. I don’t want to miss any more signs.”
James’s advice? “The first step is acknowledging the need for change. Leaders don’t have to declare they’re a ‘mental mess’, but openly discussing personal struggles or the acceptance that it’s OK not to be OK creates a culture where vulnerability is embraced.” He suggests asking ‘how are you feeling?’ instead of the typical ‘how are you?’ for a genuine answer, as well as training managers to recognise subtle signs of mental health struggles.
James’s final hint is establishing informal settings where men can drop in and discuss their thoughts, avoiding the use of stigmatising language.
And if you’re the one struggling, please reach out — to a colleague or someone close to you, or anonymously to the Samaritans: you can call 116 123 free, 24 hours a day, and someone will listen.
• Discuss office well-being and other key work issues at The Watercooler and The Office, the ultimate workplace event. April 23-24 2024, ExCeL London — tickets are FREE