Business mentor: Problem shared is problem halved

Q. I read in last week's Mentor column about the importance of staff taking breaks to maintain their mental health. Aren't employees responsible for their own mental health? Why do I, as their employer, need to get involved?

A. Dr Alison Taylor, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation, responds:

Identifying and managing stress in the workplace is a shared responsibility. Employees are responsible for not putting themselves or others at risk of mental harm, just as they are responsible for avoiding physical risks in the workplace. Likewise, workplaces that are poorly managed, where bullying is allowed and where there are poor communications and resistance to talking about mental health issues, are toxic to those who work there.

Employers have no problem recognising the importance of managing physical risk in the workplace, and now there is increasing realisation that respect, recognition and good communication are important business strategies to avoid mental health risks.

The most common mental health issue employers are likely to meet is depression. Stress is a fact of life; it is how we manage it that makes the difference between a healthy situation, or one that becomes distress. While there is little evidence that working conditions directly cause depression, excessive pressure and stress can combine with other factors to contribute to the development of depression.

Depression is the most common serious mental health problem today and is by far the leading source of worker disability. Most people recover from depression and it is unlikely to permanently affect a person's ability to work.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) describes the behaviours of a good employee and a decent workplace, and their definitions help us assess a baseline requirement to promote and maintain good mental health.

The workplace that treats people fairly and impartially and respects rights and obligations of individuals will be on track. Support and recognition, and a realistic match between the job and the individual's capability, are important, as are opportunities for honest feedback between all parties, for ongoing improvements and reconciliation of conflict.

Particular factors that contribute to stress and depression in the workplace are:

* Bullying or violence, and any kind of harassment.

* Expectations of long working hours, narrow and limited job content, and either too much or too little work.

* Lack of recognition or positive feedback, uncertainty of expectations, and the future of the organisation.

We need to raise awareness and educate ourselves to recognise signs of stress and strategies for managing it. Managers and employers often need to practise their communication skills to apply them even when there is reluctance, shame or fear of stigma.

Kiwis can be reticent, not wanting to pry or perhaps feeling shy or inadequate about talking about emotional stuff.

The Mental Health Foundation has produced Working Well, a programme with a practical toolkit containing examples to support good communication, listening and learning. This is available for purchase from our web site.

Meanwhile, today is the foundation's Absolutely Nothing Day, in which all New Zealanders are encouraged to take 15 minutes out of their day to relax and have fun to give their minds a break.

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