Creating a working environment for good mental health - line manager training

Author: Uxshely Carcamo

Introduction

People spend a lot of their time working, so work can have a significant impact on a person's mental health in a positive or a negative way. Where work gives someone a sense of purpose, a community that makes them feel connected and goals to strive towards, it can have a very positive influence on their mental health. However, when someone at work encounters issues such as bullying, a lack of support or guidance, excessive workloads or unreasonable deadlines, it can instead represent a source of stress and have a negative impact on their mental health.

There is a lot that you as a line manager can do to ensure that work has a positive impact on the mental health of your team. Good mental health will reap rewards for you and the organisation. The World Health Organisation highlights that: "Workplaces that promote mental health...are more likely to reduce absenteeism, increase productivity and benefit from associated economic gains."

It is both a privilege and an immense responsibility to be a manager. You have the power to shape the experience that your employees have when coming to work, which can shape how they feel about their career and their life as a whole. It can be an amazing thing when you use this power for good. When you use this power to support and nurture your employees' talents and make the workplace a source of positive connection and purpose, you can transform the lives of those in your team for the better.

This training guide explores the range of factors at work that can have an impact on your team's mental health. It also provides practical guidance on what you can do to cultivate good mental health in your team.

Another training guide Supporting an employee with mental health concerns provides practical guidance to managers who are dealing with an employee who may be struggling with their mental health.