“I welcome this practical resource that clearly helps to provide authoritative advice on this key subject. Mental health and wellbeing are important, and too often ignored, it is great to see clear explanation and practical advice in this comprehensive text.”

Dr Steven Boorman CBE, Director of Employee Health

“This book is a valuable resource in helping us meet the challenge of recognising mental health issues in the workplace. As a society, we're gradually chipping away at the stigma that still exists, and through Gill and Donna's work on this book and the work pioneered at Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals, we can continue to change attitudes and promote genuine wellbeing at work.”

Dame Marianne Griffiths, Chief Executive of Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

“This is a valuable resource, especially for employers, managers and employees but also for all concerned about mental health at work. It tackles some of the most important challenges in today's workplace, and makes good use of recent evidence.”

Professor Dame Carol Black, Expert Advisor on Health and Work to the Department of Health and Public Health England

Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace is a must-have book for both employees and employers.

Beautifully written, easy to follow and packed with vital knowledge and practical strategies. This is not an opinion-based book. Its' evidence based, referencing fascinating studies because the expert authors have really done their homework and brought this together with their wealth of actual experience on the subject. With the ever-growing crisis of stress related illness in the workplace and mental health problems in society at large, these experts have given readers a true gift in knowing how to properly support self- care and for employers, the caring of others.

Dr Margot Sunderland, D.Psych - Director and Founder of The Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education

Adults in employment spend a large proportion of their time at work, so our jobs and workplaces can have a big impact on our physical and mental health and wellbeing. There is clear evidence that good work improves health and wellbeing across people's lives, both in terms of quality of life and economically. This entails working in an environment that is safe, as well as having a sense of security, autonomy, control, good line management and good communication.

However, for some people, work can also be a cause of stress and anxiety and alongside life's challenges, people's circumstances and experiences can further compound problems, which can lead to experiencing common mental health problems. This puts further strain on individuals and those they care for and about.

There is a growing emphasis amongst politicians, academics, trade unions, mental health organisations, employers large and small and workers on promoting good mental health and preventing mental ill health. This is important, as one in four adults experiences at least one mental health problem in any given year, and early signs of poor mental health, including feeling anxious, stressed, having low mood or trouble sleeping, can affect everyone. And in 2018, 17.5million working days were lost in the UK due to stress, depression, anxiety and serious mental health problem-related sickness absence. This costs UK employers an estimated £8 billion per year in lost productivity.

Supporting good mental health is about having a whole workplace approach as part of overall health and wellbeing, preventing problems, and intervening early and providing effective support and care to those experiencing mental illnesses. It is also about working in a way that encourages and supports good practice amongst managers and staff alike, and having a compassionate environment that values everyone.

At Public Health England, we have established better mental health as one of our ten priorities in our 2020-2025 strategy. Our aim is to ensure that mental health has parity with physical health, modelling the role that organisations can play as employers whilst embedding good mental health across our own work. We are also supporting the NHS on the mental health components of their Long Term Plan, including suicide prevention and new models of care to improve the health and wellbeing of people with severe mental illness.

This book provides resources to empower employers and their staff to plan ahead for the near and long-term future, on everything to do with promoting good mental health in the workplace. It highlights a variety of practical steps that can be taken intertwined with stories and case studies. The themes that run throughout are the importance of open, supportive communication and of training and education for employers, management and staff.

Wellbeing and good mental health are not only good for the individual and their ability to thrive and enjoy their work, but it is also vital for the prosperity and productivity of their organisation, a veritable win:win for everyone.

For many of us, a large part of our days is spent at work; it's reckoned that we will spend 3507 days at work over a lifetime. The average person spends a quarter of their adult life at work. Work can give us a sense of purpose, structure, and satisfaction while also providing the means to finance daily life. It can also cause stress.

In fact, mental health and wellbeing at work is one of the most important issues facing all of us. Global organizations, national organizations, small organizations, trade unions, politicians, mental health organizations, employers, and, of course, employees, their families and friends are all becoming increasingly concerned about mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.

Managing mental health and wellbeing at work starts with understanding what mental health and wellbeing are. In Chapter 1 we explain this. We also explain what mental ill-health is and we describe the signs and symptoms of some common mental illnesses. Our mental health and wellbeing can change not just from day to day, month to month, and year to year, but at key stages and changes in our lives; you'll also read in Chapter 1 how some key life stages can adversely impact on our mental health and wellbeing.

In Chapter 2 we look at the impact that work can have on our mental health and wellbeing. We ask the question ‘Is work good for you?’ The answer is yes. And no. The research consistently reflects what we all already know: people are suffering at work; they're finding the increasing demands of work pressure untenable.

Issues such as a poor working environment, unrealistic deadlines, poor communication, poor interpersonal relationships, too much responsibility, and a lack of management support can significantly impact on the wellbeing of people at work. People get stressed. Especially if they're also dealing with difficulties and problems outside of work. People get stressed when they feel overwhelmed or unable to cope as a result of pressures and demands that are unmanageable; when they feel they have little control over a situation.

It doesn't have to be this way! In recent years, there's been plenty of interest and research telling us how to turn things around. In 2017, for example, an independent review – Thriving at Work – led by mental health campaigner Lord Dennis Stevenson and Paul Farmer, chief executive at Mind and chair of the NHS Mental Health Taskforce. Thriving at Work sets out a framework of core standards that all UK employers, it suggests – no matter what their size or the industry in which they operate – can implement to address workplace wellbeing and mental health.

In Chapter 3 we explain how organizations and managers at all levels can implement some of the recommendations made in the Thriving at Work review. You'll read how to assess, improve, and maintain wellbeing in the workplace. In other words, how to be a good place to work.

Of course, it's not all down to organizations and their leaders to up their game. There's a lot that individual employees can do to develop their own wellbeing and resilience. Chapter 4 has a wealth of practical advice and suggestions that can help individuals to, amongst other things, have a healthy work–life balance, manage stress at work, create positive relationships with colleagues, and look after their physical health at work.

However, although there's plenty that each of us can do to develop and maintain our wellbeing, we're not invincible. For one reason or another, any of us can experience a mental illness. In Chapter 5 we look at how best to manage at work if you have been or are currently unwell. We explain the importance of identifying what could trigger a downturn, what you can do to help yourself to be well, and what to do in a crisis. Throughout this chapter and the previous one, we emphasize the importance of not needing to do any of this – looking after your mental health and wellbeing – on your own. There is help and support out there.

In the last chapter – Chapter 6 – we write about how managers can help and support employees with mental health problems. There's a lot to take into account, but if you are a manager, do be reassured that no one is expecting you to know all the answers, or to know as much as a trained mental health professional. But having some knowledge, understanding, and training in mental health will help you know when and how far you can help, when to ask for support, and when to refer someone to other agencies.

Employers that genuinely promote and value wellbeing and good mental health and support people – whatever their culture, beliefs, and abilities – with mental health problems are more likely to create conditions that allow for everyone to give of their best, to be committed to their organization's goals and values, to be motivated to contribute to organizational success, to feel valued and supported, and to have a positive sense of their own wellbeing.