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The Workplace Health Insights series brings you the latest healthcare trends, interviews with medical experts and specialist insight from Bupa: all designed to keep you and your organisation one step ahead.
For the latest insights on supporting mental health in the workplace, take a look here.
Supporting the wellbeing of young talent
Many young people in the workforce are in crisis, with their mental health being a key area of concern.
New research commissioned by the City Mental Health Alliance (CMHA), in partnership with Bupa, found nearly three out of four young professionals are struggling with mental health conditions and 90% expect employers to help support their mental health.
The pressure of the pandemic has taken its toll with nearly three-quarters (72%) of young adults saying they have experienced poor mental health in the past year and 20% taking sick leave because of a mental health condition.
And as a result, almost half (47%) will actively seek out employers who prioritise mental health.
Perfectionism problems
Part of this crisis can be ascribed to the focus many young adults place on their careers and personal achievements, particularly the trait of perfectionism when encountering challenges or developing in their role.
“Healthy striving for excellence, is when you want to do well, you want to achieve, and it’s very welcome and positive,” says Farimah Darbyshire, Head of Programmes and External Relations at CMHA.
“Unhealthy perfectionism is when this tips over into behaviour that is detrimental to your wellbeing.
“For example, in healthy perfectionism, if you do something wrong or get critical feedback you say, ‘Right I need to learn from that’. With unhealthy perfectionism you internalise it and think ‘that was a reflection on me as a person’”.
With this realisation and emphasis on the importance of mental health in the workplace, Farimah warns that it must be given the same consideration and priority that is given to physical health and safety and COVID protocols.
“If it isn’t, young professionals will move to organisations where it is a priority,” she says.
“Sure, salaries are important, but they place a much higher priority on their wellbeing than previous generations.”
As ever, line managers are important in supporting this activity, but this is even more so with so much remote working now taking place.
Three key things
Farimah has outlined three key things that organisations must do to support their employees and avoid losing young staff members. They are:
- Create a culture of wellbeing and psychological safety
- Create a mentally healthy work environment
- Provide and signpost to accessible mental health resources, tools and support
This article has been abbreviated by Health & Protection. The full article on supporting mental health in the workplace can be found as part of the Workplace Health Insights series from Bupa, take a look here.