Mental Health in the Workplace: Creating Healthy Work Environments

Some new research is out which mirrors something I wrote on this blog earlier this year in my Top 5 Workplace Trends to Watch in 2011, under Workplace Issues
the top issues I highlighted were "bullying and harassment, disabilities, human rights and accommodation in the workplace."

We should all be concerned about the workplace mental health trends and do something to mitigate the personal and organizational impacts. Creating psychologically healthy and safe workplaces takes design, effort and intention.

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More awareness, understanding needed for mental illness on the job: Conference Board
Bradley Bouzane, The Province, June 22, 2011.

Mental-health issues are prominent in Canadian workplaces and many workers are hesitant to come forward due to a lack of understanding on the part of their employers, says report from the Conference Board of Canada, which stresses the need for more training for managers.

"People who experience mental-health issues face incredible challenges in the workplace," said Karla Thorpe, the Conference Board's associate director of compensation and industrial relations. "Many are misunderstood, shunned and underutilized. In a world where shortages of critical skills are top of mind for many organizations, employers cannot afford to allow this situation to continue."

Building Mentally Healthy Workplaces — Perspectives of Canadian Workers and Front-Line Managers, stems from a January 2011 survey of 1,010 employed Canadians, including nearly 500 managers. The initial survey was then followed up by 30 more detailed interviews.

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Building Mentally Healthy Workplaces — Perspectives of Canadian Workers and Front-Line Managers

Conference Board of Canada, 2011

The report highlights the workplace challenges faced by employees with mental health issues, and provides insight into how employers can best support these employees. The research is based on a national survey—conducted by The Conference Board of Canada in January 2011—of 1,010 individuals currently employed on either a part-time or full-time basis, including 479 front-line managers who supervise or manage other people in the workplace. The research is supplemented with a total of 30 follow-up, in-depth interviews.

Mental health was defined as: excessive stress, anxiety, depression, burnout, addictions and substance abuse, mania, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, among others.

Key findings

• 44 % of Canadian employees have dealt with mental-health issues at some point, with 12 % stating they are currently experiencing mental-health conditions.
• 44 % of managers indicated they had no training in how to work with employees who suffered from mental illness. The report said managers need — and have expressed a keen interest in — increased training to improve that situation.
• 82 % of senior executives surveyed stated that their company promotes a mentally healthy work environment, only 30 % of employees who work in such occupations as service, labour, and production agree.
• 54 % felt disclosure of their condition may prevent opportunities for promotions.
• 36 % of employees said mental-health issues are not discussed openly by management at their places of employment.
• In 2009-10, 78 % of short-term claims and 67 % of long-term claims in Canada were linked to mental-health issues.

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Workplace training needed to rid the stigma of mental illness
KJ Mullins, Digital Journal, June 20, 2011.

Resources on creating Psychologically Healthy Workplaces

Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program

Psychologically healthy workplace practices can be grouped into five categories:

• Employee involvement
• Work-life balance
• Employee growth & development
• Health & safety
• Employee recognition

From Minding the Workplace - Eight questions more likely to reveal the presence (or lack thereof) of a psychologically healthy workplace:

• Is there a sense of zest, ”buzz,” and opportunity in the workplace?
• Do employees feel they are valued and treated with respect and dignity?
• Is the organizational culture friendly, inclusive, and supportive?
• Is organizational decision making fair, transparent, and evenhanded?
• Are diversities of all types accepted or merely tolerated?
• Does the organization face or dodge tough questions concerning employee relations?
• Are allegations of mistreatment of employees handled fairly and honestly, even when the alleged wrongdoers are in positions of power?
• Are compensation and reward systems fair and transparent?

HR Manager Don't's & Boosting Business Communications

9 Signs your HR Manager is Terrible
CBS Business Network

1. S/he Never says "We need to ask the lawyers" - seeking expert opinion is crucial at times. No one person knows everything.
   
2. S/he sends you unqualified candidates to interview - wasting time
3. S/he gives you a blank stare when you talk about the business - doesn't understand
4. S/he always agrees with you
5. S/he never approves an exception - rule bound
6. S/he only fixes messes that s/he created - doesn't help avert crisis
7. S/he never approves firing anyone - weeding out bad apples
8. S/he never met a number s/he liked - HR data and financial numbers
9. Reaction to any problem is to write up new policy - avoiding confrontation

Read more here.

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6 Tips to Improve your Business Communication Skills

Linda Finkle, Incendo, June 16, 2011.

1. Practice makes perfect. Don’t assume you try once or twice and get results. Every day, every interaction, requires you to practice. Watch for where you see improvements and what is still not working, as well as you would like, and then make the adjustments.

2. Listen like you’ve never listened before. We all think we listen but mostly we listen with filters, assumptions and judgments. Don’t just hear the words; listen to what isn’t being said and the meaning underneath the words. You’ll be surprised at what you will learn.

3. Critical conversations need the right environment. Any conversation that is important needs the right environment to ensure success. That includes the where…where is it going to take place; the how…on the phone or face-to-face; and the time…it can’t be rushed.

4. Ask more questions. Most of us don’t ask enough questions; we assume we know or understand. Keep asking questions to drill down to the core issues of what is being said.

5. It is not all about you. Even if you initiated the conversation, it’s not all about you. The other person needs to believe they are heard, that they are important, that the relationship is a partnership…all the warm, fuzzy stuff that is critical to communication.

6. Pay attention. This means not thinking about your next meeting or what you need to do. It means totally being present to the conversation without your mind distracting you in a million different directions. And don’t respond to emails while you are on the phone with someone!

Much of what doesn’t work in organizations is directly or indirectly related to communications. I’ve written dozens of posts on this topic which you can find here.

You’ll see subtle shifts in your relationships, in performance…in a variety of areas inside your organization as your business communication skills improve. Don’t take my word for it, find out for yourself.

Bits & Bytes: Articles on Networking & Age in the Workplace

I found these articles to be quite informative, I hope you do too.

Networking is not a one-off event
By Guest Blogger: Desiree Dupuis, @threesixtyfg
From Networking in Vancouver

The key to networking is building long-lasting solid relationships, this doesn’t happen over night and it definitely does not happen by attending one event one time.

Being a good networker means being consistent and following up. Here are my top 5 tips to being a successful networker:

1. Commit to a Niche

2. Do your research

3. Set your intention

4. Follow up, follow up, follow up

5. Use social networking

Read here for more on each topic.

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Age Discrimination in the Workplace: 2 Mistakes You Must Avoid

Contributor: Scott Esposito, Posted: 06/06/2011. Human Resources IQ
Excerpt:

Age discrimination is unique among other forms of discrimination. Regardless of any worker’s gender, race, religion, color or national origin, with the passage of time and more miles added to the odometer, we all have the potential of falling victim to this form of discrimination.

Currently with the surge of baby boomers moving toward later career stages and retirement, we are witnessing the full impact of this shift in our labor force demographic profile and its implications: diminishing social security funds; greater demands on our health care system; and skill shortages that weaken our economic capacity. Age is here to stay and we need to act decisively in order to stay on the right side of the law and fully harness available human capital.

Gathering the right talent, tapping the power of diversity and gaining the full participation of the workforce in driving business strategy should be the ultimate goal of every manager.

Can you harness the potential of an aging workforce, breaking down self imposed barriers, creating new approaches to work and, in the process, redesign and redirect careers? This will turn age into experience and experience into better business performance.