Confidential counselling is also an effective way to reach men in the workplace, says Lou Campbell, employee counsellor, wellbeing coach and programmes director of Wellbeing Partners. “Having a dedicated counselling team that provides confidential and easily accessible support for burnout, relationship issues, substance misuse, insomnia, as well as mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, ensures a greater take up of individualised care for each male employee who requires it,” she adds. Another way to support male employees is to encourage them to seek help and utilise existing support, such as health screening benefits or employee assistance programmes. Offering incentives for healthy behaviours and seeking feedback on health initiatives can also be useful.

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Lou Campbell, a relationship counsellor, explains that the telling-off "is entirely made for TV" as qualified therapists "challenge behaviours" but don't scold their clients. She thinks the matchmakers using this technique is concerning because "many participants seem quite vulnerable and could benefit from real individual therapy".

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The number of people experiencing mental health issues in the workplace remains high. A quarter of UK workers have reported being unable to cope with the stresses and pressures of the workplace, whilst last year one in five employees took time off work because of mental health issues. Shockingly, more than 50% of all sick leave in the UK is a result of stress, depression or anxiety. Part of this is the mental health legacy of the pandemic, but there is much in the day-to-day demands of the workplace that is contributing to these issues. Long hours, being on call for emails and messages outside work hours, the shifts in energy required by hybrid working, a lack of work-life balance and troubles with workplace relationships are all factors contributing to mental health pressures and if people do not have the support and tools to cope, then the workplace mental health...

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The theme of this year’s World Mental Health Day, taking place on 10th October, is “It is time to prioritise mental health in the workplace”. It’s a much needed opportunity to focus our attention on the mental health challenges faced in the modern workplace. Long hours, being on-call for emails and messages outside work hours, the shifts in energy required by hybrid working, a lack of work-life balance and troubles with workplace relationships. These are all factors contributing to mental health pressures and if people do not have the support and tools to cope, then the workplace mental health crisis will continue. In this article, Lou Campbell, Workplace counselling psychotherapist, and director of Wellbeing Partners, outlines small but important changes that can be woven into our day to help us build the foundations of good mental health at work.

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“In my work as a mental health professional and neurodiversity specialist, I see the intersectionality of neurodivergence and mental health issues on a daily basis, and it is a topic that is frequently underestimated and misunderstood.” Marilouise (Lou) Campbell , Employee Mental Health Counsellor and Director of Wellbeing Partners

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Lou Campbell, director of Wellbeing Partners, told People Management she has experienced the impact these employees have on themselves and others: “The stress-bragger ends up extremely burnt out, often in tears a lot, often struggling to sleep, just not coping. “Their colleagues dislike them, partially because of the bad energy that comes out of someone who’s constantly stressed, but also because they’re often used as the model for how much work you should be doing.”

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Lou Campbell, director of Wellbeing Partners, told People Management: “For all workers, including leaders, to recover from burnout and to maintain wellbeing, by far the best solution is to increase resourcing so that all employees have a reasonable workload.” She warned that introducing a four-day week could lead workers to be on-call by phone or email during the non-working day, advising employers: “Create a workplace policy around core working hours, and give active permission to switch off in the evenings, weekends and on holidays.”

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Lou Campbell, workplace mental health professional and director of Wellbeing Partners, told HR magazine that burnout was contributing to employee sickness. She said: “One of the main drivers of employees taking more sick leave than ever before is due to burnout – a phenomenon which has risen dramatically since mid 2021. “More than half of our corporate counselling sessions are now with employees who are experiencing moderate to severe burnout.” Research by Mental Health UK in January 2024 found that 20% of workers needed to take time off work due to stress in the last year. Campbell added that employers should offer more support for employees’ mental health. She continued: “With the NHS and EAPs unable to provide the level of support required, employers are having to step up and provide additional protection and support to their greatest asset, their employees.”

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This year’s Mental Health Awareness week takes place between 13th and 19th May and the theme is Movement and Mental Health. This theme may surprise many who perhaps do not equate movement with supporting their mental wellbeing but in fact regular movement is fundamental for good mental health and is something we should all be thinking about. Humans evolved to move, and as well as the more commonly known physical-health benefits of exercise, regular movement offers many boons for our mental health. It can help lower feelings of anxiety and depression, reduce negative moods and thinking patterns whilst boosting confidence, self-esteem and improving sleep quality.

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Lou Campbell, co-founder and clinical director of Wellbeing Partners, a work-place focused mental health service provider, noted that the pandemic had an impact on awareness of mental health: “For professional services firm, their people are their most valuable asset. As time goes on, there has been a greater awareness of mental health issues. The pandemic also increased the prevalence of work-related mental health issues including stress, sleep issues and absenteeism. “Law firms have realised this and began providing more attention to their mental health offerings.” This has meant that many law firms have gone beyond providing the basic employee assistance programmes that most organisations are signed up to.

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