Stigma in the workplace? 😩 No, thank you! ❌
We’ve become more aware of mental health in recent years, and that’s fantastic! Unfortunately, though, there is still some stigma that surrounds ill mental health, and it’s not uncommon to find it in the workplace.
Here at Seven Resourcing, though, we’re keen to eliminate stigma once and for all, and we have three key areas we’ve focused on to do just that…
1. Setting the Tone Right from the Top 🔝
The attitudes present in a company are typically reflective of those held by its leaders. Generally speaking, this can go one of two ways.
1) You may have a highly progressive and forward-thinking group of leaders who value good mental health and treat it appropriately. We like scenario 1! But there’s also the second option…
2) At best, mental health is treated in a throwaway manner, just another tickbox to check, and at worst, openly discussing ill mental health is actively frowned upon and stigmatised.
Something About… a Fish? 🐟
How does that old saying go? The fish rots from the head down. If you have a negative attitude towards mental health from your company’s leaders, that will trickle down into the rest of the workforce, too.
All of which is to say, your company’s leaders set the tone in every aspect, and a business’s approach towards mental health is no exception.
Proud to be a Progressive Mental Health Employer 🚀
Here at Seven Resourcing, we’re proud to have cultivated a welcoming, safe and inclusive culture regarding employee mental health, and the leadership team has played a big part in that.
2. Actively Encourage Open Conversations Around Mental Health 🧠
Ill mental health lives and lurks in that dark space we call shame. It skulks around in the shadows, jabbing at us and chipping away at our self-esteem. Its food is isolation, and its drink is fear.
However, when you swing the spotlight onto it, it loses some of its power. Going through a period of ill mental health, whether it be short-term or more chronic, can feel incredibly isolating.
But when you take that step to share how you’re feeling, scary though it may be, you’re essentially extending your arm for someone else to do the same in return. You’re showing that the door is open, not closed. You’re demonstrating that it’s okay to talk about it if you’re struggling.
The more common these sorts of conversations become, the more that cloud of shame begins to lift, burning off like morning mist on a summer’s day.
Not Easy, But Important 🙏
We appreciate that it can be challenging, especially if nobody else takes that step.
But if you open up, you’ll be amazed at how many people will respond, saying they’ve gone through something similar or thought they were the only one.
When we know we’re not alone, those tough times become that little bit easier to endure.
3. Know How to Respond if Somebody Does Open Up 🔊
Discussing your mental health is a very vulnerable thing. If someone opens up about their mental well-being and that person’s efforts are met with an uncomfortable brick wall of silence, or if their attempts at conversation are shut down, then it’s unlikely that they’ll attempt to talk about it again, and so the stigma strengthens.
By responding appropriately when somebody talks to you about their struggles, e.g. thanking them for sharing, acknowledging that it must’ve been difficult, and just generally offering a kindly and compassionate response, you validate what that person is going through and show others that there’s nothing to fear in bringing these difficult conversations up.
Final Thoughts
At Seven Resourcing, we promote mental health awareness wherever we can, and that runs throughout the entire company. Stigma is tackled in the workplace when you bring it into the light, when you respond with openness and warmth, and when your workplace’s leaders are the biggest advocates of all when it comes to positive mental wellbeing. 🌟
