This is a topic of conversation I have had with friends over the years. The overall conclusion is that we have all felt upset at times at work but the way that we show our emotions is different. Some manage to keep emotions in check until they get to the toilet and others do not! Then we conclude that those who wait until they get to the toilet are normally more successful in their careers.
A recent CIPD survey found that poor mental health was the most common cause of long-term absence in UK workplaces. I find this a very sad statistic, but I am not at all surprised! So much has moved on in HR but the way we talk about mental health and the way we support those who are suffering from poor mental health at work is sadly lacking. This is my opinion of course but my opinion can be backed up by Mind’s 2020/21 Workplace Wellbeing Index which found that only just over half of those those who experience poor mental health while at work feel confident they would be supported if they disclosed this.
Our mental health is just like our physical health - we need to take care of it. I do think there is a careful balance to be struck between what is an individual’s responsibility in taking care of their mental health and what is the responsibility of the employer. However, I am clear that employers must not contribute to poor mental health, and they must not ignore signs that someone is struggling with their mental health at work.
Having policies in place to set out how the organisation will support staff is a good first step but making sure that these are brought to life is vitally important. Some steps organisations can take to show they are supportive are:
So, to come back to my question on whether it is ok to cry at work? I would say if you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed then yes it is. I did this in back in my early career and I think about it now and again… I no longer cringe and feel embarrassed – instead I feel sad for the weak manager I was sitting in front of who did nothing to help me!
A recent CIPD survey found that poor mental health was the most common cause of long-term absence in UK workplaces. I find this a very sad statistic, but I am not at all surprised! So much has moved on in HR but the way we talk about mental health and the way we support those who are suffering from poor mental health at work is sadly lacking. This is my opinion of course but my opinion can be backed up by Mind’s 2020/21 Workplace Wellbeing Index which found that only just over half of those those who experience poor mental health while at work feel confident they would be supported if they disclosed this.
Our mental health is just like our physical health - we need to take care of it. I do think there is a careful balance to be struck between what is an individual’s responsibility in taking care of their mental health and what is the responsibility of the employer. However, I am clear that employers must not contribute to poor mental health, and they must not ignore signs that someone is struggling with their mental health at work.
Having policies in place to set out how the organisation will support staff is a good first step but making sure that these are brought to life is vitally important. Some steps organisations can take to show they are supportive are:
- Lead by example. Communicate with your team respectfully and be mindful of the boundaries between work and personal life
- Have good working practices. Tell employee’s what you expect of them, train them to do the job, monitor the work they do, give feedback and support development. Sounds easy but there are so many organisations doing this badly!
- Promote good mental health. Talk about the importance of maintaining good mental health, have appropriate policies and signal that this is important to the organisation. Remove the stigma of talking about mental health at work.
- Provide support when required. Train managers to pick up on the signs someone might be struggling, equip managers to deal with conversations about mental health and if appropriate introduce mental health first aiders.
- Know when and where to refer to for help. It is helpful to have a range of resources that managers can access to help support employees who may be suffering from poor mental health. Managers should know when it is appropriate for an employee to seek the input from a medical professional and should not dip into the role of counsellor.
So, to come back to my question on whether it is ok to cry at work? I would say if you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed then yes it is. I did this in back in my early career and I think about it now and again… I no longer cringe and feel embarrassed – instead I feel sad for the weak manager I was sitting in front of who did nothing to help me!
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