Underperforming Workplace

Struggling to get a High Performing Culture?

Presenteeism

Annual cost of £15.1 billion in the UK and $150 billion in the USA.

Since the boom of the internet, communications and smart-phone technology many employees just don't know how to switch off!

Business pressures can be ever present thanks to the technology boom.

It's not so simple to think that it's just leaders pushing for more, no, an inability to 'switch-off' is multi-faceted for the individual.

Individually driven pressures can be self-esteem based, peer-pressure based, competitively based ... whatever the reason it's impacting the emotional well-being and mental health of the workforce; employers, employees, leaders and business owners alike.

Organisations today must learn to act more intelligently to foster an environment of wellbeing and workplace satisfaction.

Can you continue to ignore the silent killer of business?

While absenteeism is visible, presenteeism often remains hidden. In the USA presenteeism is estimated at 10 times the cost of absenteeism, where in the UK it costs £8.4 billion for mental ill health alone.

The average person spends a third of their time at work. Once you take away commuting time and sleeping, some people spend more time at work than at home.

Acting more intelligently means to understand how emotional intelligence blends with intellectual intelligence then influenced and controlled through the organisations systems, processes, leadership, communications and performance initiatives.

Let's talk

Mental Health at Work

This is not the new cultural fad for the workplace, it is how we effect our people because of our workplace.

The creation and fostering of organisations that truly understand mental health issues are growing in number.

Many have jumped on the Mental Health agenda to improve the provision for the welfare of their people, but this is often 'reactive' and so much more is needed.

Whilst the rise in suicide awareness has helped drive some of these improvements many are still 'problem based' solutions and devoid of real preventative based maintenance within the organisational systems, structure and ultimately culture.

It's good to see mental health be supported but we're confident many decision makers still lack any real understanding.

It is something that requires real investment and be seen as 'the norm' not negative or a problem, which is why we often refer to it as Mental Wealth.

Many are now completing a tick box exercise but this is a real opportunity to be different and allow everyone to benefit as a result; through commitment, value and performance.

Key question for those looking at their Mental Wealth / Health Policy:

Why would an individual with mental ill health open up at work?

Key considerations to consider before taking action to improve mental wealth at work:

It takes real strength for a person to tell anyone they're struggling internally and emotionally
It requires real trust to open up and reach out about any internal emotional issues at work without fear of come back
It can make a person lose confidence and feel like a failure for not being able to fix their own internal emotional issues
There needs to be more preventative measures in place to really impact the growing problem
There needs to be critical workplace changes to support preventative measure impacting both organisational design, KPIs and culture.

Many would argue a company that values it's culture above all else will rarely see such issues. So, what are your core values?

We can help

There isn't a simple quick fix to this latest leadership and organisational challenge.

If leaders fail to understand wellbeing and how the human mind works then organisations are at high risk for causing more harm than good.

Before you implement something new or send all your first aiders on a new Mental Health in the Workplace training day consider some of the following key questions:

Do we really understand what mental health is?

What should our role be in supporting those with mental health issues?
Do we help create mental health issues in our organisation?
Do we encourage wellbeing for our people?
What are our current and historic stats on presenteeism?
Are we prepared for a long term plan or are we looking for a quick fix?

Balance is key to positively impact behaviour and that requires trust, commitment and belief.