Blue Monday is here
It’s the most “depressing day of the year” (apparently)
Health & Protection has brought you some different industry perspectives on it (chin up)

Debra Clark, head of specialist at Towergate Health & Protection

“Employers must look at tackling burnout in a sustainable way, eradicating the factors and issues before they take hold.

“The past year has been incredibly tough for everyone. With the effects being cumulative, for some people they may only just be beginning to show. Now is the time for employers to ensure they have everything in place to offer employees the support they need, and clearly communicate it or risk burnout.”

“It is crucial that prevention and intervention are part of the company’s health and wellbeing programme, and there are many options to ensure employees are directed to or given the right support.

“Health and wellbeing solutions have been ramped up in light of Covid and employers need to be aware of what is available and make provisions for their workforce, such as:

• Virtual GPs – available standalone or increasingly included as standard within health and protection benefits
• Online mental health counselling support services
• Stress intervention and management support
• Mood-tracking apps
• Health education apps
• Online/remote health assessments and screening options
• Wellbeing and lifestyle guidance, webinars and workshops
• Mental health first aid training and support

“It is important to assist with preventing burnout and minimise the impact it has on an individual by quickly recognising the signs and providing interventions and support as soon as possible.”

Alison Simmons, senior mental health nurse from RedArc

“Seven self-care tips for lifting employees’ mood during the winter months:

“It doesn’t matter whether staff have been diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder, have the winter blues, or are feeling low for any another reason, the short hours of daylight and the hangover from indulging financially or otherwise over the festive period can exacerbate the impact on energy levels, self-esteem, anxiety or depression. The impact of the pandemic and the current national lockdown can only exacerbate these feelings.

“SAD symptoms include:

• Losing interest in activities normally enjoyed
• Having low energy
• Having problems with sleeping
• Experiencing changes in appetite or weight
• Feeling sluggish or agitated
• Having difficulty concentrating
• Feeling hopeless, worthless or guilty
• Having frequent thoughts of death or suicide

“Employers should encourage the following behaviours in staff:

1. Spend time in daylight: for those who have to be indoors, open blinds, sit closer to the window and trim back any overgrown trees to let the light in. Go outside when you can to walk, eat lunch or simply sit and soak up the winter sun – the benefits are exaggerated if you spend time outside within two hours of waking.
2. Physical activity: Exercise and other types of physical activity help relieve stress and anxiety. Increasing your fit can make you feel better about yourself too, which can lift your mood. Try to find an exercise you are capable of and enjoy as you’ll be more motivated, whether that be HIIT, gardening, going for a bike ride or for those less mobile exercise such as sitting cardio or yoga, and there are plenty of free classes available online)
3. Meditation: Meditation can give a sense of calm, peace and balance and help keep you living in the moment. Access breathing exercises, guided meditations, mindfulness activities, visualisation exercise and positive affirmations via apps and online.
4. Relaxation: Try to move away from screen time too and find time to relax in other ways, whether it’s doing a hobby that you already enjoy or finding a new activity to learn.
5. Maintain connections: The pandemic has made this harder for some but try to make meaningful connections with people. Find new ways of interacting with those in your household or bubble or simply pick up the phone for conversation for those further afield.
6. Gratitude and kindness: developing a habit of recognising the good things in life and being grateful for them as well as being kind to yourself and other people, can lead to positive and fulfilling feelings. Journaling can be a great way to reflect and remind yourself of this.
7. Light therapy: Some people find that light boxes can help by simulating sunlight exposure. The brain is fooled into producing less melatonin, resulting in feeling less sleepy.

Bethan Dacey, senior client relationship manager and mental health ambassador, MetLife UK

“January can be a difficult month. The Christmas lights have been taken down, the days are short, and money is tight. But this year, we have additional challenges to contend with as many of us head back to work at our kitchen tables.

“2020 saw the global mental health crisis worsen, with support services across the world struggling to meet rising demand. In 2019/20 an estimated 828,000 workers were affected by work-related stress, depression or anxiety across the UK, resulting in an estimated 17.9 million working days lost.* Blue Monday serves as a useful reminder to employers of the increased importance of offering holistic support for their workforce – not just at this time of year, but all year round.

“Companies should review the services they have in place to ensure that they are aligned with hybrid working. Making sure advice hotlines and counselling sessions can be accessed remotely will be important. Company-wide mental health training can also enable staff to help one another and themselves. Business leaders should aim to make the process of finding someone to talk to as easy as possible for employees. In addition to training managers to handle these issues with empathy, by training a team of mental health first aiders, companies can ensure that there is always someone on hand to listen and offer guidance and spot the early warning signs.

“By doing all they can to support a healthy and happy workforce, employers can help to reduce absences and boost morale. This Monday doesn’t have to be blue. Let’s use this date as an opportunity to bring employees together and start important conversations about mental wellbeing.”

Katharine Moxham, spokesperson, GRiD

“A concern with national awareness days is that they may appear to make light of a serious issue. However, in practice they provide an opportunity to increase knowledge and understanding.

“The third Monday in January may or may not be any more difficult than any other day. But Blue Monday does provide employers with an opportunity to remind their staff about support that’s available. It’s also a chance for employees to talk about any struggles they have and to feel comfortable in doing so. In addition, hearing about the challenges of others is valuable in helping people feel less alone.

“The increased awareness of the prevalence of mental health struggles, particularly in this past year, has coincided with an increased range of support available to employees. This is both in the actual propositions as well as how they can be accessed. Tele and video counselling, remote access and personalised apps all make the act of getting help easier than ever before. It’s vital that employers keep abreast of new developments that are now available so they can choose the most appropriate support to offer their staff. It’s equally vital that they let their staff know what support they’ve made available and encourage them to use it.

“The health and wellbeing industry has been at the forefront of developing support for mental wellness. Many employee benefits, including group risk (employer-sponsored life assurance, income protection and critical illness) automatically come with extra support for mental health. Blue Monday provides a perfect opportunity for employers to make mental wellbeing a priority. It’s a time for employers to investigate the support available, look at what’s most appropriate for their workforce and to make sure they have a working policy which actively supports the mental wellbeing of staff.”

Jeanette Makings, head of financial education at Close Brothers

In the midst of a third lockdown, Blue Monday seems more significant than ever before. Mental health is increasingly under the spotlight and with more people being affected by money worries, this is leading to increased anxiety and stress. Research from Close Brothers has found that the pandemic has caused an increase in anxiety around finances for UK workers, alongside increasing concerns around mental and physical health. According to the ‘Changing Trends of Financial Wellbeing’ report from Close Brothers:

• 2 in 5 UK workers (40%) have felt a rise in anxiety around their finances since the pandemic started
• Almost a third (29%) worry more about their financial health than before
• 41% worry more about their mental health, and 45% their physical health

“Blue Monday aside, January is often a hard time for people dealing with money worries following Christmas and with increased mental health concerns. This has only been compounded by the difficulties of the pandemic, the further lockdown and the increased numbers facing redundancy.

“Our research has found that the pandemic has left a significant amount of UK workers with increased anxiety about their financial, physical and mental health, all of which have an impact on their overall wellbeing.

“Protecting financial health is crucial to reduce worry and to improve overall wellbeing, Individuals can access help via the Money Advice Service, and the Citizens Advice Bureau. Furthermore, they can turn to their employers who have a vital role to play in supporting employee financial health; not only do they offer reward and benefits which can be used to improve personal finances, but also as some offer financial education and advice in the workplace, to help employees to build their understanding, confidence and resilience when making choices about their financial futures.”