Mental Health - The Goho Way
Whilst the stigma around mental health is loosening year on year, it is shocking to hear that only 10% of employees are seeking mental health support. That number wouldn’t seem so bad if those suffering from symptoms of stress and depression in the workplace weren’t as high as 60%! So where are things going wrong and what can organisations and businesses do to increase mental health awareness in the workplace and create a supportive environment?
It can be a hard journey to begin if the topic of mental health is new to you or your organisation, but the first thing to understand is you aren’t expected to be an expert. Educating yourself and your colleagues in the signs and symptoms that someone may be struggling at work is a great step.
Here at Goho we are all about empowering our colleagues. Constantly being challenged, motivated and inspired in their day to day role relieves work related stress and instead builds confidence, creativity and reinforces bonds within the team. Changes can be hard to make which is why our founder and CEO, Stacey, believes leading by example is key to tackling mental health and wellness in the workplace.
‘As the head of a company you have a responsibility to both yourself and your employees when it comes to workplace wellness. Whilst being an unlimited source of information is impossible, ensuring you lead by example is what will set you apart from other businesses and aid in creating a working environment people aren’t afraid to speak up in.’
The Goho Way
Recognise the Signs
What, how and why are three things to remember when looking into the wellbeing of your staff. What is mental health? How is it affecting them? Why is this happening?
At Goho, we ensure our team leaders are aware of the symptoms stress, anxiety and depression could be manifesting in their colleagues. These can include:
Physical - tiredness, restlessness, headaches, tension, heart palpitations, weight loss or gain
Behavioural - change in character, lack of concentration, overthinking, withdrawn
Emotional - low confidence, anxiety, anger, reserved
Support & Development
Creating a support system within the foundations of the business is going to help your staff feel they are able to be open and honest with their feelings. This isn’t just with personal matters that may be weighing heavy on them but also offering them support in work to voice their opinion and continue to grow.
We are big on continual growth at Goho, which is why we encourage our team members to ask questions, be honest about their work loads and to find courses and webinars that will help them and the team to develop new skills.
Introduce Socials
Breaking down barriers between staff members will allow a more productive and enthusiastic working environment, and a great way to do this is to encourage your employees to come along to staff socials. These can be weekly, monthly or quarterly- whatever works best for your company - and to whatever scale you like.
Our Goho team will be scheduled into regular outings in the city centre where we are based, but spare of the moment drinks after work or visits with clients can turn into a great social opportunity!
Wellbeing
Those struggling with any form of mental health tend to be left feeling very lethargic and negative, resulting in a lack of motivation in and out of work. It has been proven that any form of physical activity can alleviate symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression. A study done on 1,158 people showed that 89% found a positive association between exercise and mental health.
Great examples of getting these into your workplace would be to encourage walk breaks, include memberships in with your employee benefits, along with bike to work schemes.
Getting our team into classes during lunch break is a great way of not only bonding, but giving everyone the time away from their desk to look after themselves too. It is so easy to get caught up in a project and not find the time for a little self care. This is why we also include a monthly massage in our employee benefits pack!
Breakaway
Creating a safe place for staff to step away is great for those times when they are feeling a little overwhelmed. Whether it be a corner of the office dedicated to quiet time or giving colleagues the freedom to work from home when required. These little changes to the working day can have a huge impact on both mental health and productivity in the workplace.
Having flexible working from home days post pandemic means that our staff at Goho has less travel costs, their own space and the freedom to choose their working environment. Whilst we have everyone into an open office 2 days a week to ensure the team stay well bonded, the open space in the office allows individuals to take themselves away to a breakout space if needed.
Review
When putting together a plan for tackling mental health in the workplace, the key thing to remember is sustainability. Are the pledges you are making to your staff in aid of their mental wellbeing sustainable to you and your company? This journey needs to be one that people can rely on so encouraging your team to be honest about it is going to allow you to take a look and review how it is doing, what is working and what isn’t.
We pride ourselves and the whole Goho team on being an open and honest environment. Feedback is not only welcome but encouraged by all, in order to constantly be improving for the sake of mental health and wellbeing within our team.
