Mental health issues in neurodivergent employees often begin in the workplace itself, as offices are really set up for neurotypical employees and have certain assumptions about working environments that often do not support employees with autism, ADHD or other neurodivergencies. Everything from the lighting, the sounds, office layout, management style, communication styles and even the interview process can detrimentally impact people with neurodivergence. In a nutshell, simply having to constantly adapt to the norms of a neurotypical workplace puts a massive mental load on neurodivergent staff that so frequently leads to health and wellbeing issues. The higher instances of mental health issues faced by people with neurodivergence is stark reading – 50% of adults with ADHD and 47% of adults with autism will experience a co-occurring anxiety disorder whilst 70% of adults with ADHD and 40% of adults with autism will also have a co-diagnosis of depression.
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Time off is parents’ second biggest concern when kids are sick
Lou Campbell, programmes director of occupational health service Wellbeing Partners, said: “In our in-house counselling sessions, we hear regularly that parents' mental wellbeing suffers from the additional stress of having to take time off work when their child is ill. “When workplaces are able to offer empathy and flexibility for employees around these difficult times, we hear first-hand the goodwill and loyalty expressed by staff members towards their employers.”
How to tell if you’ve got back-to-work blues or it’s time to quit, according to experts
Lou Campbell, psychotherapist and director at Wellbeing Partners, also shared tips to try and motivate yourself to think positively about the role you're currently in, if you're just in a slump. She says that mindset is everything, and it's important to try and re-frame the way you're thinking. "Stop trash-talking this time of year or you will struggle to feel anything positive about it! Words matter when it comes to how we relate to January and February in particular," the pro explains. She also says that you should "go outside for a short walk, no matter the weather. Humans are like plants - we flourish in daylight! When we expose our eyes to outside daylight, a chemical messenger called serotonin, which communicates feelings of calm, contentment, and connectedness, makes its way from our gut where we make it, to the brain where it makes us feel more emotionally well. A...
Cold homes lead to productivity losses
Lou Campbell, director at Wellbeing Partners, said managers prioritise open communication about how employees are dealing with the cold and if they need support. Speaking to HR magazine, she said: “Line managers should check in with their team members to ask how they’re coping with the cold weather, and if there’s anything they can do to be supportive. "Giving employees a forum for voicing their concerns, especially as adverse weather conditions can have an impact on wellbeing, is always a good thing for managers to do.”
Why does the male majority matter for inclusion?
When engaging with the male audience on inclusion issues, it’s crucial not to overlook some of the unique mental health challenges men can face in the workplace. Current pressures such as the cost-of-living crisis can highlight perceived gender roles such as men feeling like they need to be breadwinners, or that they need to display certain behaviours to remain safe in an uncertain job market. James Milford, men’s mental health specialist at Wellbeing Partners, says: “For many men, their sense of identity and self-worth is tied to their job, especially in professional and competitive environments. The traditional male “breadwinner” image is still prominent. Men often equate success with prosperity and professional status but during times of financial crisis, monetary challenges and setbacks can be seen as reflections of failure, undermining self confidence and self esteem and worsening mental health.” Furthermore, figures from the Office for National Statistics show that employees...
Could a graduate’s viral video mean the death of the 9-5 working day?
Gen Z workers have different expectations and preferences regarding how, when, and where work is done in comparison to the older workers, many of whom established their careers in environments where a standard 9-5 office schedule was the norm. This could explain why they are more comfortable with these traditional work arrangements, less likely to complain about a return to 'normal' and may perceive remote work as less productive. Lou Campbell, co-founder and director of Wellbeing Partners, said older generations can be “too scared or ashamed” to talk about workplace issues due to fear of repercussions, or have been taught to “get on with it”. Differing generational views on the expectations of work “can lead to friction within teams because quite simply, Gen Z are rejecting the traditional paradigms on which concepts of work and success have been based”
Employers have more menopause support than they realise
Employee assistance programme (EAP) counselling Lou Campbell, programme director at Wellbeing Partners, said counselling can often be hugely helpful. Speaking to HR magazine, she said: “As some of the feelings that are common among menopausal women include grief, loss, shame, fear and resentment, accessing counselling can help women to process these powerful feelings that can contribute to anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, difficulty coping with the endings and change.”
HR is instrumental in culture change and initiatives for menopause and menstruation support, says BSI guidance
Lou Campbell, programmes director at Wellbeing Partners, said training for HR, managers, leaders and all employees was “absolutely key”, and advised it consisted of two modules. “[The modules are] information on what support and adjustments should be available to women, if required, when they are experiencing symptoms related to periods/menstruation or menopause, plus the skills for how to have a supportive conversation about menopause or periods.” Campbell added that training and awareness of other “hormonal fluctuations that impact women’s wellbeing”, such as the early stages of pregnancy, would be “fantastic”.
HR is instrumental in culture change and initiatives for menopause and menstruation support, says BSI guidance
Lou Campbell, programmes director at Wellbeing Partners, said training for HR, managers, leaders and all employees was “absolutely key”, and advised it consisted of two modules. “[The modules are] information on what support and adjustments should be available to women, if required, when they are experiencing symptoms related to periods/menstruation or menopause, plus the skills for how to have a supportive conversation about menopause or periods.” Campbell added that training and awareness of other “hormonal fluctuations that impact women’s wellbeing”, such as the early stages of pregnancy, would be “fantastic”.
3 steps to reduce anxiety
Anxiety, and its fellow travellers of stress and depression, make up nearly half of all the work-related illnesses in Great Britain, with an estimated 17 million workdays lost to these conditions in 2021-22. This is not simply an ‘issue’ to be aware of anymore, it is becoming a workplace health crisis that needs effective HR leadership. It is imperative, for both the mental wellbeing of our staff and for the organisation itself, that HR departments prioritise supporting staff who are struggling, offering the assistance and services they need to help reduce anxiety and enable them to contribute effectively to their workplace.