Mental health training for managers

Poor mental health at work is among the top reasons for staff absence in the UK. According to the National Institute for Health & Care Excellence (NICE), it costs businesses in the region of £24 billion a year—an astonishing sum of money.

It’s vitally important that you as an employer know what to do. How to help when people working for you are having mental health difficulties. And it’s equally important that anyone in a position of responsibility does, too.

Providing good mental health training for managers, then, is a good way to reduce issues and promote better wellbeing.

It’s a way of making your managers—and yourself—aware of mental health issues in the workplace. What they are, how they work, and what you can do to lessen their impact.

By providing mental health awareness training for managers, you show a commitment to a better work-home life for everyone. And as a convenient bonus, you bring a lot of positive things to your business.

What are the benefits of mental health training for managers?

There are many tangible benefits to providing good mental health training for line managers:

• They develop an understanding of mental health and the effects that it has on people and wider organisations.
• They learn how to confidently and compassionately address and aid mental health issues in the workplace, becoming a good point of first contact for people suffering.
• They become much more aware of how their own reactions and responses affect others.
• They learn how to better organise and delegate tasks to people who might be struggling to cope.
• They become better equipped to deal with the legal aspects of working with mental health issues/disability.
• Ultimately, they save the company money by reducing the absence that mental health issues cause.

What is included with mental health training for managers?

Different providers have different methods of training, and no two courses are the same. But the best courses all have a common thread, and usually cover the same ground, including:

• An overview of the most common mental health disorders—stress, anxiety and depression—and their impact on the workplace/economy.
• The best ways to look out for and spot those common disorders.
• Understanding the impact that the stigma of mental health issues has, and sensitive ways to handle that.
• Boosting emotional intelligence and resilience among co-workers.
• Understanding of the Equality Act 2010, and what that means in regards to mental health.
• Ways to get teams talking openly about mental health issues, and ways to form support networks among themselves.

These practical skills are invaluable, meaning managers can spot and address issues much more quickly. Early intervention and support are incredibly useful tools in regards to workplace mental health.

How long is mental health training for managers?

Again, this depends on the provider. Sessions last from a half-day right the way through to two days.

MHFA England, for instance, offers shorter ‘taster’ courses as well as full two-day courses which qualify the attendee as a mental health first aider—something every office should have.

MHFA, however, only offer their courses at their own specified locations—if you’re after mental health manager training on your own premises, it’s a good idea to shop around.

Health Assured offers a wide variety of on-site mental health first aid courses for managers, owners and employees—including on spotting mental health issues, helping build resilience and supporting those who need it most.

We tailor our courses to your organisation and can deliver them at a time and place of your choosing.