Managing Mental Health in 2021

It is seemingly impossible to be managing people at the current time and not have a superficial if not working knowledge of mental health. In our private lives most have been only a very few degrees of separation from acute distress which inevitably spills over into professional lives. It is normal to experience stress from time to time but 2020 presented a prolonged and multi faceted external stress that has seen a worsening of mental health conditions and forcing boards to face up to the HR challenge of managing their workforce.

The US federal election and general carry on of the former president promoted uncertainty and a breakdown in trust of institutions with millions believing the election was stolen from Mr Trump. Banks and some financial planners were found to have acted unconscionably in a recent Royal Commission whilst the Church and Education facilities have had their loud fence initiative to acknowledge institutional crisis in the provision of care. Whilst each of these items is unrelated, the continuing breakdown of things that were believed in once upon a time adds to the combined uncertainty of the world and our place within it.

As we know, uncertainty breeds anxiety. Our kids are suffering anxiety and depression at record levels. The untold masses of suicides are becoming harder and harder for society to ignore. In our region, there have been far too many, each devastating to those left behind. The businesses we work with slowly but surely are experiencing employee struggles with anxiety, depression, burnout, trauma and more. The questions being asked are what to do and how to support our workforce in the pursuit of organisational goals.

We think upcoming budgets will need to contemplate mental health like never before. Failure to do so will see adverse economic costs mount with presenteeism, absenteeism, loss of productivity, turnover of quality staff all falling out of passive management. Proactive management will require being vulnerable, opening boxes that might not be able to be closed immediately and requiring boards to source mental health support where in house skills are deficient. Removing stigma and barriers to communication is key to supporting those in need.

In our workplace, Peter Norrish was amazing through working from home "check ins". He took it upon himself to make sure people knew it was ok not to be ok. Initially it was more like a novelty. It was only as time went on that the check ins became safe and comforting. Continuing this momentum as staff return to work is something we are conscious of trying to maintain and encourage in our client base. Remember people don't care what you know until they know that you care.

We have clients now actively engaging with mental health resources such as Beyond Blue, mental health plans through local GP's, organizing a contact network of psychologists, headspace and more to have tangible outcomes for those able to reach out for help. The question I am fielding is whether this is enough. It is an incredibly different response than that I experienced 20 years ago when the whole area was seen as some form of weakness or even worse... not existing at all. What I haven't turned my mind to but will now that I am writing this blog is the mental health of directors and the business leaders themselves. Focus has been on the staff rather than those employing the staff who are no doubt going through the same or similar feelings.

The old tale of not knowing what is important until it is lost rings true. Getting this matter on board agenda's is all of our responsibility.