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better mental health at work

October 9, 2019
Written by Laura Fanthorpe
Categories: Just::, Thoughts, Working life

The motivation to write this blog came at a pivotal moment in my recovery from mental ill-health. Picture the scene: I’m stuck in traffic in truly torrential rain and Autumn is setting in; my relationship has just ended; I’m in the process of moving home; my Grandparents’ declining health is weighing heavily on my mind. All the above are known and common triggers for a deterioration in mental wellness and this time last year the potent mix would unquestionably have sent me into a downward spiral. And yet, as I sit staring out at the glow-worm rear lights in front of me, windscreen wipers pounding, I realise I’m singing along to the radio and I’m fine, I can cope with this!

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not exactly beaming like the Cheshire Cat at the challenging issues in my life. But I think that’s the key difference – I feel and show emotions and I’m able to manage them. Previously, I just felt flat, detached, and like I was looking at the world through a Perspex sheet – everything was slightly murky and everything was a struggle. It’s hard to pinpoint when my health first deteriorated but, in all honesty, I think it’s probably a lot longer than I care to admit.  It became obvious though after I started my new job with HAVAS Just:: and had to deal with a whole new set of experiences and expectations, culminating in a breakdown in March 2018.

So why am I discussing this, and why on Earth would Just:: want me to post about it on their social channels?! Surely, they contributed to the tailspin? No, absolutely not! The change in situation was simply the final push for my anxiety and depression to consume me.  But from the first inkling that something was not quite right to the overwhelming, paralysing attack that resulted in a stint off work, through treatment and recovery, and to the future, HAVAS Just:: was and is clear: we are all human, we all have struggles, we are here to support you.

I am lucky – my line manager, Mental Health Ambassador, and wider team were practical and solutions-focused. From the start we discussed what was triggering my symptoms and identified ways to lessen the impact of compounding situations, I had counselling and coaching to develop methods for coping – and was encouraged to engage these in the office situation, and when I broke down there was no fuss, no rolled eyes, simply an active interest in my recovery and a supportive environment when I returned to work that continues to date. Not everyone is lucky enough to have such a forward-thinking team: This World Mental Health Day I want to encourage all employers to consider the way HAVAS Just:: treated me and credit them for their supportive, pragmatic and empathetic approach.

And HAVAS Just:: is fortunate to be part of something bigger. The HAVAS KX team has implemented some amazing initiatives to ensure that mental well-being is prioritised across the HAVAS UK network. Working with MHFA to train Mental Health Ambassadors; running training sessions and panel discussions with prominent speakers; providing a technology-free wellness room where employees can escape if things get overwhelming; offering meditation, yoga and Tai Chi classes. All these things do more than support the individual, they get the message out there – mental health is as important as physical health. And this can only be a positive – the more we talk the more we reduce the stigma and the more people can get on the way to better mental health at work and beyond.

So, what are my top tips for employers?

  1. Have a completely open and approachable ethos across the company – and shout about it so that your employees know where to turn
  2. Ensure that line management and support structures are considered and flexible
  3. Enlist mental health ambassadors and train them to support people in crisis in a no-fuss, low-drama solutions-focused way
  4. Keep channels open always and keep talking and encourage the whole team to look out for their colleagues
  5. Allow flexible working as much as possible: working from home on bad days; time out for medical and counselling appointments; quiet areas away from the desk to gain headspace

And the result of all this? For me, I’m off all medication, I’m signed off from counselling, I’m present and in the moment. And I’m happy. And for HAVAS Just::, a happier, more productive and more secure employee.

Be more Just::

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