Mental Health Awareness Week

Mental Health Awareness Week will take place on the 13th to 19th May 2019 and focuses on stress and how we’re coping with it. This is hosted by Mind Charity and it is aimed at helping employees and employers create a mentally healthy workplace where everyone feels valued and supported. Mental Health Awareness Week 2019 is a great time to think about how we can all address the causes of work-related stress. 

  • Mind Charity
  • How can you get involved with Mental Health Awareness Week?
  • What are the causes of workplace stress?
  • Why is it important to cope with stress in the workplace?
  • Taking Steps To Reduce Work Related Stress
  • How can you reduce stress in the workplace?


    • Mind Charity

    Mind provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They campaign to improve mental health services, raise awareness and promote understanding of mental health conditions. They aim for everyone experiencing a mental health problem to get support and respect. Mind charity empower people to understand their condition offering supportive and reliable information and the choices available for people suffering from a mental health condition.  To find out more about Mind Charity and what they do visit https://www.mind.org.uk/about-us/


    How can you get involved with Mental Health Awareness Week? 

    Become A Member Of Mind Charity https://www.mind.org.uk/get-involved/about-minds-membership/

    Volunteering and Participating 

    Donate Or Fundraise 

    Become A Campaigner 

    Support Your Local Mind Shop 

    Spread The Word On Social Media 

    Tell Your Story 

    Subscribe To Newsletter

    Follow Mind On Twitter And Facebook To Keep Up To Date 

    Check Out Mind Charity Useful Tools On Support For Employers

    Check Out Mind Charity Useful Advice On Support For Employees


    What are the causes of workplace stress? 

    While some workplace stress is normal, excessive stress can interfere with your productivity and performance, impact your physical and emotional health, and affect your relationships and home life. It can even mean the difference between success and failure on the job. 

    • Fear of being laid off
    • More overtime due to staff cutbacks
    • Pressure to perform to meet rising expectations but with no increase in job satisfaction
    • Pressure to work at optimum levels—all the time!
    • Lack of control over how you do your work


    Why is it important to cope with stress in the workplace? 

    Firstly, reducing work-related stress can be hugely beneficial to an employer:

    • Making staff healthier and happier at work
    • Improving performance and making staff more productive
    • Reducing absence levels
    • Reducing workplace disputes
    • Making the organisation more attractive to job seekers

    Secondly, an employer has a legal obligation to ensure the health, safety and welfare of its employees. As part of this, an employer must conduct risk assessments for work-related stress and take actions to prevent staff from experiencing a stress-related illness because of their work.


    Taking Steps To Reduce Work Related Stress

    If a risk assessment identifies areas where the organisation is performing poorly, an employer should work with its staff to agree realistic and practical ways to tackle it. Any existing consultation and/or negotiating arrangements should be followed so that staff and/or their representatives can contribute their views. 

    An employer should then develop an action plan that includes:

    • what the problem is
    • how it was identified
    • the proposed solution/s
    • actions to be taken to achieve the solution/s
    • dates by which each action should be achieved
    • how staff will be kept informed on progress
    • a date to review the plan and see if it has achieved its aim.

    Once solutions have been implemented, the review should check that agreed actions have been done and evaluate how effective these have been. The views of staff, and data collected on employee turnover, sickness absence and productivity, can help compare the organisation against how it was before the action plan was implemented. An employer will then need to consider what, if any, further action is needed.


    How can you reduce stress in the workplace? 

    Read NHS Choices Useful Advice On How To Overcome Stress

    Turn to co-workers for support 

    Turn to your friends or family members for support 

    Build new satisfying friendships 

    Regular Exercise 

    Healthy Eating 

    Make sure you get enough sleep 

    Organise a balanced work schedule 

    Be proactive in your job and workplace duties