Mental health is about how we think, feel and behave. Anxiety and depression are the most common mental health problems. They are often a reaction to a difficult life event, such as bereavement, but can also be caused by work-related issues.

This guidance talks generally about work-related stress but where such stress is prolonged it can lead to both physical and psychological damage, including anxiety and depression.

Work can also aggravate pre-existing conditions, and problems at work can bring on symptoms or make their effects worse.

Whether work is causing the health issue or aggravating it, employers have a legal responsibility to help their employees. Work-related mental health issues must be assessed to measure the levels of risk to staff. Where a risk is identified, steps must be taken to remove it or reduce it as far as reasonably practicable.

Some employees will have a pre-existing physical or mental health condition when recruited or may develop a condition caused by factors that are not work-related factors.

Where Do I Start?

Training & Safety Consultants (TASC) is organising a Mental Health – Management Intervention Course.

• When: 26^th February 2020
• Where: At our head office in Chorley
• How long: Morning course commencing at 09:00-12:30 approx
• Cost: £250 + VAT per person

Strong leadership and management are a key factor in ensuring good mental health and wellbeing for employees. For many people, the way they are treated by their line manager and the behaviour of leadership in the organisation plays a key role in how employees feel about themselves and their work. Leaders and managers play a vital role in reducing stigma and encouraging staff to talk about their mental health problems.

The Management Intervention course is a half-day workshop which provides line managers with the skills and confidence to listen to and talk with someone who feels that they need to share a problem regarding their mental health. The course looks at how to create a working culture that can support staff to be more open about their mental health, how to have conversations about mental health, how to support someone experiencing a mental health problem and shares tips on staying well at work whilst supporting colleagues appropriately.

The workshop is not intended to provide technical knowledge on mental health conditions, nor does it cover treatment options for those diagnosed with a mental illness.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand what is meant by mental health.
• Identify the pressures facing employees and identify how they affect mental health.
• Understand why people are reluctant to talk about mental health.
• Identify ways of looking after our own mental health.
• Identify the signs that someone needs help and know what to say and do.
• Recognise that’s it’s OK (and beneficial) to talk about mental health.
• Properly respond to a request for a conversation or ask for one.
• Create a safe space in which a conversation can take place.
• Build rapport with a person to facilitate an open and trusting conversation.
• Apply good listening skills during a conversation.
• Recognise manager behaviours which can positively and negatively affect worker wellbeing.
• Offer practical advice on workplace issues or arrangements that may need attention or improvement.
• Provide details of organisations and support services that can provide help, information and advice.
• Help establish an immediate plan of action and to manage any follow-up conversations.

If you wish to book or enquire please contact the office on 03333 114410 or email: admin@tasconsultants.co.uk

In addition, this course along with a Mental Health First Aid (2 days) and Mental Health Awareness (one hour) courses can be delivered at your place of work or at our training centre in Chorley.