Gary Seath 7 days ago
Did you know that 15% of UK workers are estimated to experience challenges to their mental health?
Work can have a huge impact on our mental health. It can be good for our mental health, giving us a sense of purpose, boosting our self-worth, and providing opportunities to connect with others. But it can also be a source of stress and anxiety and contribute to developing or worsening mental health problems.
Now proves an interesting time to discuss this topic, given all that’s changed in working environments in recent times. In this article, we reflect on those changes and its impact on how we work as a charity.
The COVID-19 pandemic drastically changed the way we work, with remote work becoming the new normal for millions worldwide.
What started as a temporary solution to keep workplaces running during lockdowns has evolved into a long-term trend that continues to impact both employees and employers.
According to the Office of National Statistics, just 4.7% of UK employees worked from home, prior to the pandemic in 2019. By April of 2020, that number rose to 46% and then levelled to 13% by the end of 2022.
One of the most significant benefits of working remotely during the pandemic was the flexibility it offered. Many found they could better balance their personal and professional lives without the need to commute, leading to increased job satisfaction and more time for family, hobbies, and self-care.
These findings are supported by the Office of National Statistics who asked hybrid and remote workers about their attitudes to working from home.
78% said it had improved their work-life balance.
53% said they had experienced less distractions.
52% said they were quicker in completing work.
While flexibility and productivity may have increased, so did mental health concerns. The isolation of working from home, coupled with the uncertainty of the pandemic, led to increased levels of stress, anxiety, and burnout for many employees.
The lack of social interaction and support from co-workers also contributed to feelings of loneliness for some. This is supported by less than half (47%) of respondents in the same Office of National Statistics attitude survey saying it had improved their wellbeing.
As pandemic lockdowns concluded, it left many workplaces taking a serious look at making permanent changes to how they work. Interestingly, a 2022 Office of National Statistics poll showed the following reasons businesses planned to implement home working as their permanent business model.
78% of businesses felt it will improve staff wellbeing.
49% of businesses felt it would reduce overheads.
48% of businesses felt it would enhance productivity.
Forces Children Scotland decided to move to permanent home-working contracts for all its team in 2022. Two years on from making that decision, we reflect on how it has impacted workplace mental health and wellbeing.
One team member commented:
“I think the change to remote working was inevitable. Not only from the perspective of responding to how the COVID-19 pandemic changed things but, given our team are located all over Scotland, it made economic sense to close a central office space.
In terms of mental health and wellbeing, I would say there’s positives and challenges.
On one hand, I have family and friends who struggled significantly working from home during the pandemic and beyond, but I think it can depend on personality and specific roles. Personally, working from home has and continues to work for me.
Like many, I greatly appreciate missing out on commuting – I don’t miss it in the slightest and gives me those extra hours previously lost back. Moreover, there’s less distraction and I feel my productivity and quality of work has enhanced immeasurably.
On the other hand, I don’t have the same connection with colleagues as I did in previous roles. I used to socialise and confide in colleagues regularly, some of whom remain friends to this day. Sadly, working from home makes that harder to achieve.”
A further team member added:
“I began working from home when I started my role with Forces Children Scotland, having worked in face-to-face roles throughout the pandemic.
Transitioning to working from home was a challenge, with the main differences being in communicating and building relationships within the team, which can take a lot longer in a remote setting. Specifically, I found it hard to have ‘office banter’ online, as humour tends to rely on tone of voice and could only be displayed through calls/video calls rather than whilst on a ‘quick teams chat’.
Despite the social challenges, I prefer working from home due to having less distractions in my home environment; specifically, less chatter and movement near my desk. It can also feel calmer at home which helps for me to settle down and get focused quicker. I must admit, I enjoy some quiet background music while I work and sitting in comfier clothes than office wear, so that helps too!”
So, having reflected on all that has and continues to change in workplace environments, what can we do to look after ourselves and each other?
Gillian Gray, Your Mind Matters Wellbeing Worker for Forces Children Scotland provides some top tips for promoting positive mental health and wellbeing.
My top tips for working from home are:
According to the World Mental health Foundation, many things contribute to a mentally healthy workplace, from providing staff training on mental health to tackling discrimination and bullying. Importantly, a mentally healthy workplace supports open conversations about mental health.
While talking about mental health in the workplace has become more common, many people still face stigma when it comes to severe mental health problems. This means there’s more work to be done to tackle mental health stigma in the workplace.
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