How Stress and Mental Health Impacts Workplace Productivity
Do you ever get that feeling of constant stress and worry whilst at work? The frustration occurs when you can feel your performance slipping, but you do not know how to change it. This could be a sign of workplace stress.
It is an exhausting way of working, and not just for yourself – your employees can feel it too.
MHFA England training is a key component for creating a safe, healthy workplace where the Mental Health and physical health of employees are valued equally. It gives people the tools to support their own Mental Health and that of their colleagues and encourages them to access timely support when needed.
Here at Line Business Services, we are proud to offer the Mental Health First Aid England two-day and one-day Champion Courses. These courses ensure all companies have the right resources to help deal with Mental Health within their workplace.
One company recently reached out to us for some in-house training around Mental Health within the workplace; they needed some awareness building so that the company had the best understanding of how to support all their employees. We were pleased to offer them the ‘Mental Health First Aid England’ Champion course. This 1-day course specifically helped the company as it raised awareness of the common symptoms of Mental Health issues as well as providing them with the knowledge of how to help this individual.
How to tell if an employee is under stress?
We often find that a great indication of poor Mental Health is a change in an individual’s work habits. There are many different ways that someone with work stress and poor Mental Health may act. These could range from physical signs to behavioural signs and even psychological signs.
Here is how:
Tearfulness
If your team member is tearful at work, this could also be a sign that they are struggling, especially if they are tearful for unknown reasons. Being in a constant bad mood can have a detrimental effect on their Mental Health and that of their work colleagues.
Absence from work
Often an increased absence from work is a coping mechanism for individuals with poor Mental Health. Were they once the employee who used to always be on time and never call in sick but now their performance is slipping, and they spend more time at home than they do in the workplace? This is a common sign of stress and poor Mental Health.
Physical appearance
Once someone starts to feel down on the inside, this will soon reflect on the outside. Have you noticed that your once very well-dressed co-worker is now breaking the business dress code policy? If someone’s appearance starts slipping, this could indicate they are not coping well.
Increased irritability
Many factors can cause an increase in irritability – lack of sleep, stress, a constant feeling of being overwhelmed. Our body can only tolerate so much until it starts influencing everyday life. Common signs of increased irritability are frustration, difficulty concentrating, agitation and frustration. If you notice these changes, it could be a sign of poor Mental Health.
What can you do to help?
As an employer, there is only so much that you can do. Increasing your awareness of the common signs of ill Mental Health is a great start, but it is integral to make sure that everyone within the business is aware of the common signs and what they could do to help.
Line Business Services recommends the ‘Mental Health England Champions’ course.
Raising awareness around common Mental Health issues and the ability to notice and support individuals with poor Mental Health is becoming increasingly important every day. If you would like to learn more about Mental Health and stress management and raise awareness within your business, contact us – we would welcome a conversation with you to discuss how we might be able to help.