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Home Leading and managing Mental Health and Wellbeing Mental Health for Managers

Mental Health for Managers

Improve awareness and confidence around issues relating to mental health
Gain a fuller understanding of the role of the manager in creating safe and mentally healthy workplaces
Improve awareness of legal and statutory obligations in relation to staff with mental health problems
Improve support to staff, colleagues and self

Overview

Off the shelf (OTS)

Managers are very much on the front line when it comes to supporting staff who may not be doing well. In general terms, managers often lack the knowledge, confidence or skills to interact and support a person who may be suffering from poor mental health.

Having a good understanding of mental health contributes to the building of mentally healthy workplaces; a key step to reducing sickness absence. Knowing how to support someone and where to signpost them for help is vitally important, as is an awareness of how the Equality Act relating to mental health may affect procedures.

Managers who are well informed about mental health will have the confidence to approach a person who may be unwell and to support them with a clear plan. They are able to improve working environments by gaining a better understanding of how stress affects people and to create a more contented workforce. They are also able to facilitate early intervention when people are in real trouble and can avoid disputes by understanding the law around mental health and disability discrimination.