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Mental health awareness

The annual Mental Health Awareness Week, hosted by the Mental Health Foundation, is taking place between 15-21 May. Each year, awareness centres around a theme and for 2023, the spotlight is on ‘anxiety’.

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a feeling that we all experience from time to time, and sometimes these feelings can escalate to such a point, they impact our day-to-day lives.

These anxieties (such as feelings of dread, or lack of concentration for example) may stem from a number of areas, such as financial concerns, relationship difficulties or memories from previous negative experiences and may become unmanageable. When this happens, anxiety can have a significant impact on an individual’s overall wellbeing and their ability to cope with day-to-day life.

A recent survey by the Mental Health Foundation focusing on financial circumstances showed that more than one-third of adults have experienced anxiety, with almost three in 10 experiencing stress as a result.

These concerning figures translate to one-third of the workforce, demonstrating why it’s essential for employers to consider the impact of anxiety on individuals, their working lives and business activity.

How can employers offer support?

Mental health is complex and, as a result, should not be approached with ‘quick fix’ solutions. If a discussion is approached with this intention, it might further negatively impact an employee’s wellbeing. Below, we list several ways to provide support as an employer, with approach and tone being key:

For a discussion around your approach to anxiety and the general wellbeing of your teams or any concerns you have with your employees’ mental health, contact Kerri Constable.

authors:kerri-constable