Written by Jane Want | 16th July 2024
As employers recognise that a healthier, happier team drives productivity and success, Mental health and in particular, Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is becoming increasingly important in the workplace.
Mental Health First Aiders are employees trained to recognise those crucial warning signs of mental ill health and guide someone to appropriate support. There are more than 660,000 now supporting their colleagues across England.
So, why should you consider asking your employees to become Mental Health First Aiders?
What is the role of Mental Health First Aiders?
Generally, the purpose of a Mental Health First Aider is to be a point of contact for employees to discuss their mental health and wellbeing. Still often a stigma in the workplace, employees may feel more comfortable opening up to a trained employee about mental health, instead of their manager.
Mental Health First Aiders are trained to listen and spot the early signs of mental ill health in others. They are taught to confidently signpost someone to appropriate support, both internal and external, and they know who to contact for specialist help if a colleague is experiencing a mental health crisis or emergency, such as thoughts of suicide.
It may be as simple as having a non-judgmental conversation, lending a friendly ear or assisting them to seek appropriate professional help.
Mental Health First Aiders can also act as Mental Health Champions; promoting positive mental health and wellbeing in the workplace, and removing stigma.
Mental Health First Aiders are not qualified therapists, counsellors or psychiatrists. They cannot advise or resolve problems, but they can listen and offer support options.
Any of your employees could train to become a Mental Health First Aider and in choosing you would look for individuals who are good listeners and who have empathy and compassion.
What are the benefits of Mental Health First Aiders?
Mental Health First Aiders open the conversation
As we have already mentioned, having dedicated team members trained to talk about mental health, lessens the stigma that still surrounds it and encourages people to speak about their mental health struggles more openly and positively in the workplace.
It gives employees the opportunity to go to someone if they don’t feel comfortable talking to their manager, their colleagues or even their friends and family about their mental health. Knowing there is someone trained and willing to listen can be incredibly comforting.
Early intervention
First and foremost Mental Health First Aiders are trained to spot the early signs of mental health issues. Whether it’s noticing subtle changes in behaviour, mood, or productivity, these trained employees can intervene before problems escalate, potentially preventing issues like burnout or depression.
One resource Mental Health First Aiders may recommend is a Wellness Action Plan. This is an effective tool to ensure staff are supported and employers are clear about how they can help in the event of a problem. It’s a way for every employee – whether they have a mental health problem or not – to work with their manager to identify what keeps them well at work.
Boosted productivity and performance
Healthy employees are productive employees. When mental health issues are addressed early and effectively, employees are more likely to recover, be engaged, focused, and motivated, and as a result perform better at work.
On the other hand, unaddressed mental health issues can lead to increased absenteeism or presenteeism (where employees are physically present but too unwell to work effectively), which are both costly for your business.
Remember to support your Mental Health First Aiders, too
If you do have Mental Health First Aiders, make sure your volunteers are given the training, support and resources they need to be able to deliver.
And who looks after the mental health of the Mental Health First Aider? Supporting others who may be going through a difficult time can be emotionally tough for a Mental Health First Aider, that’s why resources should be in place to take care of them too. Ensuring they have access to counselling, debriefing sessions, breaks and peer support can help them manage the emotional load they carry. While they are not able generally to share confidential information about the people they help, having support for their own wellbeing will ensure they are able to continue the valuable work they do.
Perhaps encourage them to join The Association of Mental Health First Aiders, a membership body, launched in June 2024 by Mental Health First Aid England, that will support members long after they complete their mental health first aid training and offer access to resources such as research, events, and further training and qualifications.
Promoting your Mental Health First Aiders
It is essential that you make employees aware of who the trained Mental Health First Aiders are within your business so that they know who to approach if they need to talk to someone.
How each organisation approaches this can be different, but you could provide Mental Health First Aider lanyards or badges for easy identification, include their details on your website or company intranet, send email reminders or set up posters and notices around the office.
If you have any questions about Mental Health First Aid or other ways to ensure the health and wellbeing of your people, please get in touch with our team at [email protected]